Island Rhythm

09/01/2026

The Island Rhythm website started as a place to sell shirts. Nothing wrong with that, but after a while it felt too small for what this had become.

The new site is starting to look more like what I had in my head all along. Part shop, part record bin, part roadside bulletin board, part roadhouse.

The clothes are still there, but now the book has a place of its own. The Rhythm Wire brings in music, culture, food and travel stories three times a week, and the shop features one rotating product instead of throwing a wall of merchandise at you.

There is still more to build. The artist and venue side is part of where this is going, but it isn’t there yet. No reason to pretend the work is finished.

I never wanted another generic apoarel store. I wanted something built from music, real places and the people met along the way. It is evolving, but it finally feels less like a storefront and more like Island Rhythm.

Link in the bio…

Peace be the journey…

09/01/2026

The Island Rhythm website started as a place to sell shirts. Nothing wrong with that, but after a while it felt too small for what this had become.

The new site is starting to look more like what I had in my head all along. Part shop, part record bin, part roadside bulletin board, part roadhouse.

The clothes are still there, but now the book has a place of its own. The Rhythm Wire brings in music, culture, food and travel stories three times a week, and the shop features one rotating product instead of throwing a wall of merchandise at you.

There is still more to build. The artist and venue side is part of where this is going, but it isn’t there yet. No reason to pretend the work is finished.

I never wanted another generic apparel store. I wanted something built from music, real places and the people met along the way. It is evolving, but it finally feels less like a storefront and more like Island Rhythm.

https://theislandrhythm.com/

Peace be the journey.

Discover vibrant island-inspired fashion at The Island Rhythm. Shop unique apparel that blends tropical vibes with modern style.

08/25/2026

Some people make music. Some people leave a little more light in the world than they found.

Dolly Parton did both.

She came out of the Tennessee mountains with very little except a gift for telling stories, and somehow never forgot where she came from. She wrote songs that became part of our lives, made generations laugh, gave millions of kids their first books, and proved you could be wildly successful without becoming hard.

The rhinestones were fun. The voice was unmistakable. But I think what people will remember most is the heart underneath all of it.

There will never be another Dolly.

Rest easy, beautiful soul. ❤️

Peace be the journey.

08/24/2026

There’s something about dropping the needle on a record that’s been spinning for almost 50 years.

Culture’s Two Sevens Clash. Released in 1977, and still one of those records that explains roots reggae better than I ever could.

A little crackle, a little wear, exactly how it should be.

What’s one record you’ll never get tired of hearing?

Peace be the journey...

08/21/2026

Dan Kelly Music tonight Island Root Kava Bar Satellite Beach. It’s what happening.

08/13/2026

Solid group of people check out their music wherever you get your streaming from.

08/13/2026

It is always amazing to see artist do what they love.

08/08/2026

This weekends adventures: Reggae on the Rock.

Island Rhythm won’t have a booth this time. I’ll just be walking around, checking out an amazing lineup, catching some music and enjoying the weekend.

If you see me, say hi. Seriously.

I’m bringing a backpack full of Island Rhythm T-shirts to give away, so don’t be a stranger. You might walk away with a shirt.

See you on the island. 🌴

Peace be the journey.

08/04/2026

People ask me what it’s like to receive a transplant.

I still don’t know how to answer that.

I almost didn’t publish these. Some things feel too personal, and some moments refuse to fit inside words.

These two essays are the closest I’ve come.

The Hardest Letter. Parts One and Two.

Peace be the journey...

08/01/2026

August 1 | Emancipation Day

Some days in reggae history aren’t about an album release or a birthday. They’re about understanding why the music exists in the first place.

August 1 marks Emancipation Day across much of the Caribbean, remembering the beginning of the end of slavery in the British Empire. You can’t separate that history from reggae. The music didn’t appear out of nowhere. It grew from struggle, faith, resilience, and the belief that tomorrow could be better than today.

That’s why roots reggae has always felt different to me. Underneath the bass line and the one drop is a conversation about freedom, identity, justice, and hope. Those themes are just as relevant today as they were when the first records came out of Kingston.

If you’ve got a little time today, pull out a Burning Spear record. Put on some Culture. Spin Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, or The Gladiators. Don’t just hear the music. Listen to what they’re trying to tell us.

History gave reggae its voice. Reggae keeps telling the story.

Peace be the journey...