
5 minute read
FREELY AUTHENTIC
week where I wake up every day.”
“Places like Porky’s (Bayside Restaurant) – that restaurant will turn over four times in my threehour gig, and I get an entire room of people to tell stories and talk to,” he said. “I don’t have to go out into crowds and pretend to be somebody I’m not, and I don’t ever have to put on a show face. And I don’t sell anything – I make my money playing live, and when I put music out there, I put it out there because I want people to have it.”
Cory Young doesn’t carry himself like a musician who’s shared stages with the Coral Reefer Band. He doesn’t boast about the fact that 10-time CMA Musician of the Year Mac McAnally has graced his recordings. He doesn’t even brag about the fact that he’s kicked cancer’s … well, a word we can’t print here.
On the contrary, he’s more than happy to pull up a chair after one of his sets and strike up a conversation with anyone about anything, from ChatGPT to the history of absinthe – no, really, take it from us. And although he’s cemented himself as one of the most talented entertainers in the Keys, he doesn’t charge a dime for his music.
The winding story that brought the tunesmith from Hawaii to Michigan to Nashville (twice) and around the country on a national tour in between two stints in Boot Key Harbor could fill this page on its own. Now on his second stay in the Keys, beginning right before the 2020 pandemic, he “(doesn’t) really have any desire to leave.”
“I don’t want to be Kenny Chesney. I don’t want to be Jimmy Buffett,” he said, still respectfully acknowledging his major influences while enjoying the shade at Grassy Key’s Bongos Cafe before his nightly gig. “If I had a lot of money, I’d be a dick. I just know that about myself. Not by normal standards, but I wouldn’t make the same decisions that I do now.



“The vibe I’ve got is like the working man’s broke Buffett. … (Jimmy) is the root of creating this whole lifestyle, but when he left and was on big mega yachts and flying on jets, now you’ve lost the authenticity that to me is the most important thing in life.”
The concept of authenticity, especially in a world invaded more and more each day by deepfake and A.I. technologies, continually resurfaced over the course of Keys Weekly’s interview with Young that lasted nearly an hour. For him, the ability to continually pen and release songs that draw from the true essence of the lifestyle that he lives to this day – rather than hopping on a plane and writing a song in Nashville after a week’s vacation in the Keys – drives his artistic focus.
And even with record deals and opportunities to share major stages around the country over the decades, Young said his happiness comes from living “humbly and simply” – as he pointed to his 2013 Kia “with metal straps holding the fender on.”
Where some would tire of bar gigs with repetitive setlists, Young tests himself each night with wildly varied combinations of songs – infusing his core trop-rock sets with anything from Snoop Dogg’s “Gin and Juice” to Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” – and creates differing acoustic tapestries woven from the same basic tune. For him, the beauty of his musical career today lies in the energy from his crowds each night, most of whom “work all year to spend one
Young’s outlook on life moving forward can be summed up by the title track from his 2016 album, “Life Looks Best,” now also a pervasive hashtag on his social media.
“The song says ‘life looks best from a bar in Key West,’ but the slogan means that life looks best wherever you’re happy,” he said.
Pressed to pinpoint his “I Made It” moment in an industry that so many define with benchmarks of record sales, highdollar purchases and mainstream awards, Young’s explanation was perfectly simple:
“My goal is to have enough money that I can take my wife out to dinner and not worry about it, but never have enough that I don’t think about the bill. I’m comfortable enough to take care of my modest needs without worry.”
To follow Young’s schedule and discover his music for yourself, visit facebook.com/coryyoungmusic or search for “Cory Young” on your favorite streaming platform.











No matter how many individuals appear in the pages of each edition of Keys Weekly, there are always so many more of our community members who deserve to be recognized. In an effort to shine a spotlight on more of the incredible individuals who live and work in these islands, Keys Weekly is proud to spotlight our Neighbor of the Week feature, dedicated to celebrating a community member with each issue.
This week’s neighbor is a proud supporter of the Keys’ (un)official pastime. You can find Erich Cochrane at the newly-revamped Banana Bay Resort’s Pointe Bar, where he slings drinks for guests after a day on the water and sets the scene for a perfect sunset.

ERICH COCHRANE Bartender, Banana Bay Resort
How did you end up in the Keys? The resort I was working at was being remodeled, so I originally came down to Hawks Cay in 2020. I came over to Banana Bay on April 10 of this year.
What’s your hype song? “Favorite Song” by Toosii. The worst song is “Let It Go” from Frozen.
If there was one chore you could never do again, what would it be? Laundry.
What’s something most people don’t know about you? I’m jumping out of an airplane next week.
Would you rather: A) every stoplight you come to for the rest of your life is red when you first get there, or B) once per year you turn into a loaf of bread for 24 hours. I’d rather turn into bread, I’m not stopping.
Have you ever had a brush with death? We were motoring a barge on the intercoastal. Everything went black and I fell over the side of the barge. I was floating unconscious for a minute. I was in the hospital for two days, and every test came back negative. I actually woke up in the water (when it happened), and I went, “Where’s my sunglasses?”
What’s your most embarrassing moment? Waking up after a drunken stupor and not knowing where I was at. I didn’t even know what town I was in. I lived in Seminole, and I woke up in Clearwater.
Any weird food combinations you love? Totino’s pizza with parmesan cheese and Cool Whip. We did that back in the day when we were good. It’s so good. It’s Ninja Turtles, bro.
What’s your best “hot take?” Check out my Facebook. There are plenty on there.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? From my mom: Don’t be silly, wrap the willy.
What’s your superpower? I can remember everyone’s names after the first time I meet them.
CAPRICE
1-year-old female domestic shorthair.

Looking for: Plenty of snuggles. I love attention. Turnoffs: I am glad to be off the streets – I’m a housecat for life.