- December 4, 2025
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Eddie Tobin's setup at the Haye Loft is simple: a keyboard, a mounted microphone and himself. But as evening set over Longboat Key, he cast a spell with his rendition of Billy Joel's "The Stranger" and other hits, his voice offering a raspy sweetness that wouldn't be out of place in the musical hub of Bourbon Street.
When the Euphemia Haye restaurant reopened earlier this summer, one particular announcement from new owners Rachel and Jason Ghormley caught the island's attention. They planned to bring back live music.
With Tobin's return, Euphemia Haye joins multiple Longboat Key and St. Armands Key venues featuring live musicians. It offers year-long residents the opportunity to enjoy a close-up, intimate form of entertainment.
Rachel said this aligned with their overall vision of reigniting Euphemia Haye's flame. She fell in love with the Longboat institution while growing up on the island, and she said bringing back live music was an important step.
"Enjoying music in the Haye Loft was something I enjoyed doing with my dad, especially after he started to get sick," she said. "As a matter of fact, Ray [Arpke] used to play music upstairs, and he is who my dad wanted to play at his celebration of life."
The two met at Euphemia Haye, and their family legacy of connection has continued through the generations.
"It all comes back to honoring the history of the restaurant," she said. "I believe, at one point, they had music almost every night."
Tobin played at the restaurant for years, and over the past few months, he has been tickling the ivories Monday and Tuesday nights upstairs, typically from 6 to 9 p.m.
Ghormley noted the restaurant will be closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays through the remainder of the off-season. But fans of Tobin can still catch his performances on Thursday nights until the restaurant resumes its typical hours later this fall.
"He's a fabulous entertainer," she added. "He's so charismatic, and he plays songs that people recognize, but he puts his own spin on it."
Patrons walk around the corner of the wood-paneled stairs, turn to the left and are greeted by Tobin as he spins a tale or belts out an Elton John tune.
Longboaters Ileana and Larry Comas visited one recent evening, and Tobin's playing of "Sabor a MÃ," the first song to which they danced together, delightfully surprised them.
"We went to the disco, and at the end of the night, they would do a slow song," she said, noting they've been married since 1982.
They are among the residents thrilled with the return of music at the Loft as longtime fans of artists like jazz singer Amandah Jantzen, who regularly performed there.
"We're blessed to have artists like this here, only a walk away from home," she said.
As he finds his groove, Tobin may start tapping his black and white shoes on the carpeted floor, close his eyes and gradually throw back his head, not out of any apparent pretension, but simply from getting caught up in a song like Billy Joel's "She's Always a Woman."
Tobin said his inspiration to pursue music started at a young age, when his uncle gifted him an accordion upon seeing he had a natural musical gift.
"When I was maybe four, I was kneeling on the floor, playing spoons with my aunt while a record was going around," he said. "I heard the end was coming, and I improvised a little dah, dah, dah, dah, dah! We both looked at each other, and I knew I had the music in me."
His musical prowess continued to grow as he bopped to the tunes of the jukebox at his mother's nightclub in Youngston, Ohio.
Attendees may get to hear the story of how he befriended Judith Moore, mother of singer-songwriter Pink. Or, he might delve into his travels across the country with the likes of the Forester Sisters, or how he earned a jazz piano scholarship to attend the University of Miami.
Regardless, listeners are sure to be entertained.
Further north on Longboat, artist Chad Tallman plays at Whitney's on Sundays.
Tucked into his green oasis on Whitney's patio with his guitar, Tallman brings to life tunes like "I Am the Highway" with an angelic croon.
While he enjoys working across genres, he particularly takes joy in playing '80s and '90s rock ballads.
"I'd describe it as something of an emotional journey," he said of his set.
Manager Kelli Rosenbaum said the restaurant also features Akiem Esdaile on Fridays, Joyce Corbert on some Saturdays, and special guests including DJ Milo, who debuts this Labor Day weekend.
Whitney's artists have a unique talent for getting people up and dancing when the mood is right or providing some mellow ambiance while residents enjoy a weekend cocktail, she said. She said the restaurant takes pride in being one of the island's live music venues, bringing a lot to the Key's atmosphere.
"Residents really seek out opportunities for something to enjoy outside, even in the summer," she said.
Heading south, music lovers can catch Ross David strumming his guitar on Sundays at the Lido Beach Pool and Pavilion.
The acoustic instrumentalist carved some sunshine out of summertime showers on the beach on Aug. 17. Underneath blue tarps holding off some of the drizzle, listeners gathered to hear David perform and wait out the weather.
From "Danny's Song" by Kenny Loggins to a bit of John Mayer, David plays around with slower, wistful versions of iconic songs. But he also ventures into playful takes on pop tunes, busting out the line, "Some people call me a space cowboy."
He also finds opportunities to challenge himself, learning how to play "When You Say Nothing At All" by Ronan Keating on the spot by audience request.
Continuing in the vein of laid-back island vibes, Steel Pan Dan has been offering his talents on the metallic drum for decades at Cha Cha Coconuts on St. Armands Circle.
The origins of the steel pan trace back to the 1930s in Trinidad, and its beautifully plinking melody has grown to become an iconic element in warm-weather climates.
Steel Pan Dan said he picked up the instrument after moving to Florida, guided by his experience on the xylophone.
He said there's no beating playing outdoors on the Circle when it comes to venues, and he appreciates getting to offer visitors a special experience when they're out exploring.
"The drum is a great mood setter here," he added.
Restaurant general manager Emily Ranney said not only tourists enjoy his tunes. Plenty of regulars have been coming to see him play for more than 25 years.
"We've been able to feature a lot of the same artists for years, and everyone has their favorites they'll check in on and come see," she said.
