Sheena Brook ready for big Island Hopper | News, Sports, Jobs – FORT MYERS – Fort Myers Beach Talk

September 7, 2022 News Editor

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: Fort Myers Beach musician Sheena Brook will be performing four shows on Fort Myers Beach and four shows on Captiva Island for the Island Hopper Songwriters Fest this month. The Island Hopper Songwriters Fest starts on Captiva Sept. 16 and hits Fort Myers Beach Sept. 23. Photo by Nathan Mayberg

: Fort Myers Beach musician Sheena Brook will be hosting and performing several special shows on Captiva and Fort Myers Beach for the Island Hopper Songwriters Fest this month. Photo by Nathan Mayberg

Fort Myers Beach musician Sheena Brook will be performing four shows on Fort Myers Beach and four shows on Captiva Island for the Island Hopper Songwriters Fest this month. The Island Hopper Songwriters Fest starts on Captiva Sept. 16 and hits Fort Myers Beach Sept. 23. Photo by Nathan Mayberg

Fort Myers Beach musician Sheena Brook is preparing for an all-out party from Captiva to Fort Myers Beach this month during the return of the Island Hopper Songwriter’s Fest.

The singer, guitarist and pianist will be hosting a Female Empowering Musicians kickoff at Cabanas Beach Bar and Grille in Fort Myers Beach on Friday, Sept. 23 to kickstart the Island Hopper Songwriter’s Fest on Fort Myers Beach. “The F.E.M.” concert will begin at 7 p.m.

“I’m super-excited,” Brook said during a phone interview while touring in Nashville, where she spends time making music and performing. “It’s my fifth year hosting for the Island Hopper.”

Brook is the founder of Female Empowering Musicians, an organization that hosts events to allow the support of women and provides an outlet for their own special creativity.

“I love the Island Hopper. It’s nice to see our town host songwriters,” Brook said.

Fort Myers Beach musician Sheena Brook will be hosting and performing several special shows on Captiva and Fort Myers Beach for the Island Hopper Songwriters Fest this month. Photo by Nathan Mayberg

Before the festivities begin on Fort Myers Beach though, they will first land on Captiva Island and then downtown Fort Myers.

“I’m playing the whole event,” Brook said. Brook, is scheduled to perform eight shows: four on Captiva Island and four on Fort Myers Beach.

Brook, who made her name performing on “The Voice” and who has since recorded with multi-platinum artists, will start the whole festival off with a free performance at the South Seas Island Resort in Captiva on Friday, Sept. 16 with Brooke Eden beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Brook, who identifies as queer and is married to former Town of Fort Myers Beach Councilmember Summer Stockton, is looking forward to playing poolside in a free “pride live” performance at ‘Tween Waters Island Resort and Spa on Saturday, Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. She will be joined by Eden, Shane Stevens and Tyler James Bellinger for the concert.

Brook recently performed at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Bayside Park, performing a new song about sea turtles and one of her favorites “Small Town Paradise,” which is about Fort Myers Beach. Brook recently recorded several new singles in Nashville and has been rolling them out including a recent video release on YouTube. Brook said she will be releasing new singles through December.

Brook said her lyrics are influenced by her own life and experiences. “Some of them are really personal,” she said. One of her new singles, “Tongues of Angels,” deals with being a queer person raised in a strict, Pentecostal family. “I went to counseling for being gay,” she said. Her religious upbringing is also where she developed her musical roots.

Brook said she tries to keep her music upbeat.

“I’ve grown as a musician and as a writer and an artist,” Brook said. Brook said her experiences include learning to be proud of being gay. “It’s definitely a journey,” she said.

The Fort Myers native said 2020 was a tough year for her, like most other people. “I feel like we had a lot of stress in our lives,” she said. “When life is really tough, I like to be an upbeat person.”

Brook said that while the music industry can be tough and competitive, she has had support from Stockton, who handles her social media accounts. “She is super supportive,” Brook said. “Having people in your corner is really important.”

Brook will also return to Cabanas for a free concert Saturday, Sept. 24 with the group Late Night Jam, Sept. 24 at 10 p.m. Brook will play Nervous Nellie’s on Sunday, Sept. 25 at 3 p.m. with Kristen Merlin.

In addition to the Cabanas shows, Brook will be performing a number of shows on Captiva, in Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach. Her Fort Myers Beach appearances will also include a free show at the Yucatan Beach Stand Bar & Grill on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 2:30 p.m.

Other Fort Myers Beach venues participating in the Island Hopper Songwriters Fest are Matanzas on the Bay, Pierside Grill and Famous Blowfish Bar and Shucker’s.

Also, watch out for Brook on her Instagram account during the festival. She will be recording a golf cart karaoke segment she will post on Instagram where she picks up musicians in a golf cart, gives them her guitar and broadcasts them performing songs.

A full schedule of the festival is at https://www.island-hopperfest.visitfortmyers.com/schedule.