Last month, we introduced you to The Songwriters Circle, a monthly gathering that has quietly turned the loft at Krazy Kup into one of Plant City’s most vital creative spaces. The Songwriters Circle aims to bring the intimate “Nashville In The Round” experience into its own backyard. This month, we want to introduce you to the voice that makes this movement what it is today.
“Welcome to The Songwriters Circle. I am your host and founder, Sarah Mae Gunn. It’s obvious that I have a passion for original music, and the stages that support it. Slightly less obvious may be the immense amount of respect and admiration I have gained for our growing captive audience and engaged followers. Being a songwriter and performing for 15+ years, I have learned the value of music (for me) is in the listener. I love being a singer-songwriter, but music has to be heard! As a reader, I invite you to become a listener as well and join us Saturday, June 20, 6:30 p.m., upstairs at Krazy Kup. Where I am proud to share the stage with this month’s featured lineup.”
Jonny Patton
Jonny’s music lives in those quiet hours between the deepest shadows and the first light of dawn. A multi-instrumentalist from the heart of Tampa Bay, he’s traveled from the gritty, raw echoes of ‘ill angelic’ into the lush, moonlit soundscapes of ‘Lilac Moon.’ Whether he’s haunting a stage solo or merging melodies alongside Laura Lonero, his songs are a soft place to land for anyone searching for beauty in the dark.
When you aren’t writing or performing, what does the ‘silence’ in your life look like? How do you fill the space when the music stops?
Most of my life revolves around music; when I’m not working…I guess the “silence” would be filled with comedy, watching baseball, and I love sci-fi and fantasy movies. I like doing artistic and creative things…designing art, woodworking projects, dreaming up ideas, and I listen to music- anything from lo-fi to shoegazy black metal, as long as it makes me feel something, I’m in.
When people walk away from your set at the Songwriters Circle, what is the one ‘feeling’ or ‘truth’ you hope stays with them for the drive home?
I hope people feel moved. That whatever you’re struggling with, you’re not alone. I try to be completely open in my writing but still maintain a sense of poeticism. Like, reimagining a page out of a troubled diary, and hoping someone relates
Rapid fire questions:
The Shower Song: Pictures of You – The Cure
The Boat Name: A Door For Jack
The Fantasy Duet: Neige from Alcest
The Useless Talent: I’d like to think I’m a pretty good soccer goalkeeper, but my USA didn’t even call me for the World Cup…soooo
The Stranded Island Record: Alcest – Ecailles de Lune
The Must Listen Track: I only have one album out from my old rock band “ill Angelic” from 15 years ago…everything new, I haven’t released yet. I would recommend a live listen of my song Nightmares.
Laura Lonero
A returning soul to the stage, Laura Lonero creates a sanctuary for the seekers and the dreamers. Her music is folk with a flicker of fire, woven from the kind of honest lyrics and messy truths that make a room of strangers feel like a circle of old friends. With a dreamy, captivating presence, she invites you to linger in the stories she tells and always leaves you yearning for just one more song. Lucky for us, she comes back just to do that, give us more!
As a returning artist, how does the intimacy of a place like the Krazy Kup Loft change the way you deliver a song compared to a loud venue or a festival stage?
The intimate atmosphere of the Krazy Kup Loft definitely changes how I deliver a song. In a small, quiet room where people are truly listening, I feel a little more vulnerable, and that allows me to perform with more emotion and honesty. In louder venues or festival settings, I tend to get a little distracted and feel like I need to project my voice more just to be heard, and sometimes that can take away from the tenderness of a song. At the Loft, I can lean into those quieter moments and connect more deeply with both the music and the audience. As a songwriter, that’s a really special experience.
When people walk away from your set at the Songwriters Circle, what is the one ‘feeling’ or ‘truth’ you hope stays with them for the drive home?
I would like my music to connect with people somewhere emotionally and creatively, leaving them feeling inspired and less alone in the world.
Rapid fire questions:
The Shower Song: vocal exercises or singing gibberish to new guitar progressions
The Boat Name: Hakuna Matata
The Fantasy Duet: With Lord Huron
The Useless Talent: Pan flipping my eggs
The Stranded Island Record: Anything by Lord Huron
The Must Listen Track: Acoustic Series Vol. 1
Joe Gavin
Tucked away in Lakeland, Joe Gavin paints landscapes with nothing but six strings and a heartbeat. A master of the fingerstyle tradition, his music is a percussive, melodic dance that feels less like a performance and more like a soulful pilgrimage. Influenced by the legends but guided by his own spirit, Joe’s guitar work carries the weight of a thousand stories; some can be found on his acclaimed Woodsongs feature, and others are waiting to be told in his upcoming collection of original works.
What is something people often get wrong about you based on your stage persona or the way your music sounds?
I can’t think of anything that people get wrong about my personality, but people often think that I’m a classical guitarist.
When people walk away from your set at the Songwriters Circle, what is the one ‘feeling’ or ‘truth’ you hope stays with them for the drive home?
That there is hope and beauty in our world. That they would take it in and dwell on those things which are good and beneficial to the heart. That there is beauty and hope to be found, even in difficult circumstances.
Rapid fire questions:
The Shower Song: I rarely sing in the shower. When I do, it’s just something that I’ve recently listened to.
The Boat Name: The Cynthia Diane, which is the name of my older sister who died when I was 10 days old.
The Fantasy Duet: Phil Keaggy and me.
The Useless Talent: I can spin books and other objects on my finger. I don’t know, it could come in handy one day!
The Stranded Island Record: Beyond Nature by Phil Keaggy. This is one of the most beautiful recordings of the acoustic guitar I have ever heard.
The Must Listen Track: Summit of Leaves. It’s the only one so far, though I am working on my next one currently.
Irelynn
At just 12 years old, Irelynn possesses a soul wired for melody and a heart that speaks in the language of song. A Tampa native with a spirit as vibrant as a Florida sunset, she weaves a musical universe that feels like a shared secret. Irelynn balances whimsical wonder with a raw, powerful indie-pop edge. Leaving you with the sapphire hues of her single “True Blue” or the brave, soaring melodies of her newest chapter, “If I Fall.” Her songs invite us all to watch a fairytale unfold in real-time.
If the 10-year-old version of you could see you standing on the stage today, what would they be most surprised or proud to see?
Just me being brave enough to be up on stage and how far I’ve come so “swiftly.” When I first stepped on a stage in April of 2025, I had no idea what to expect. Since then, it has been a whirlwind. I started going to open mics, and people took notice right away. I didn’t expect the attention to be so strong so quickly. I was fortunate enough to meet some great people who have been a guiding light for me. So, I guess my ten-year-old self would be surprised to see how far I’ve come so fast.
When people walk away from your set at the Songwriters Circle, what is the one ‘feeling’ or ‘truth’ you hope stays with them for the drive home?
When people leave my show, I want them to feel like it was worth coming to my show to the point where they are excited to see me again.
Rapid fire questions:
The Shower Song: Oddly enough, I don’t sing in the shower. I think in the shower.
The Boat Name: Irelynn Vibes
The Fantasy Duet: Taylor Swift
The Useless Talent: crossing my eyes
The Stranded on an Island: 1989 by Taylor Swift
The Must Listen Track: I have no album to recommend…yet…but I’m working on it. House On The Hill is my favorite that I have written so far. Her father says stay tuned; she writes about 5-7songs a week. She’s a machine!
Plant City has become the grassroots of original music, and this organically grown show is right here in your own backyard. Mark your calendars for June 20 and come help celebrate the voices that make this town unique. There is no cost to enter, just the simple price of your attention. We’ll see you in the loft.
Call to artists: Your Voice, Your Story, Your Stage.
The Songwriters Circle is always looking for new voices to feature at both locations. If you are a performing songwriter with original stories to tell, Sarah Mae Gunn invites you to apply for an upcoming round.
How to Apply: To be considered for a future showcase, please visit The Songwriters Circle Facebook page and follow the link to the official Registration Form.
What to Prepare: Be ready to share a link to your original work or a video of you performing.
Whether you’ve been writing for decades or just finished your first song, there is a place for you in The Songwriters Circle.