ACMA Songwriters Showcase at The Collaboratory

The Collaboratory has partnered with the ACMA (Americana Community Music Association) to present FREE concerts featuring all-original music by talented local singer-songwriters. 🌟

Because of the anticipated, cold weather, this show has been moved INSIDE

The ACMA, a Fort Myers–based nonprofit, is dedicated to supporting original music. Each showcase features three artists sharing their songs, the stories behind them, and the experiences that inspired them—much like the Island Hopper Festival or Nashville’s Bluebird Café.

Expect an evening of professional-quality Americana music blending blues, roots, folk, bluegrass, and country.

📍 Free Parking.        ⏰ 6:30–8:00 PM

Come support local music and enjoy a night you won’t forget!

   John Craddock,   Ray Cerbone,  Fred Ball

John Lawrence Craddock is an Americana singer, songwriter, and storyteller with a distinctive bluesy style. His music weaves relatable stories with deep, soulful vocals, carried by rich and colorful guitar playing that is undeniably his own. Whether you’re drawn to songs that make you laugh or cry, melodies that invite you to sing along, or guitar work that impresses even seasoned musicians, his work has something for everyone. His music is a reflection of sixty years of life experience, shaped by the legendary multi-genre artists whose timeless influence continues to inspire today.  www.JohnLawrenceCraddock.com

Ray Cerbone is one of the founding members of the Fort Myers ACMA (Americana Community Music Association), Ray began playing guitar during the late 60’s folk scene. With the support and inspiration of fellow local and touring musicians, he began writing and playing in earnest in 2010. Traveling a long road in a short time, his music encompasses many genres, including Americana, Folk, Blues, Ballads, and a little bit of Country. His storyteller style takes the listener to another place in time, his music and lyrics bringing evocative insights into the many sides of life. Ray is also a singer-songwriter’s song-singer. That is, he does interpretive covers of other great originals by little-known but very talented artists using his own creative touch. His inventive fingerstyle guitar is uniquely diverse and easy-on-the-ears.

Ray’s first CD “How Much Time”  has received glowing reviews and is being featured on KEOS Radio in Austin, Texas, 98.1 as well as others.  He has shared the stage with Jaime Michaels, Pierce Pettis, Muriel Anderson, Rebecca Folsom, Jefferson Ross, Brian Smalley, as well as Roy Schneider and Kim Mayfield (The Reckless Saints), and Robin  O’Herin.  He has performed at several Florida Folk Festivals in SW, Central, and Northern Florida as well as house concerts, and the BMI sponsored “Island Hopper Festival” in Ft. Myers.

Rays second CD, “Nobodys Hero”,  which was released at the end of 2024, was very well received and is being played in rotation by several radio stations stateside and in the British Isles.  This second effort is full on Americana and contains moving songs about the deeper side of life. Reviews of this record can be found on the website.

Ray fronted “The Apocalypse Blues Revue”. A hard hitting blues rock band formed by Shannon Larkin and Tony Rombola of “Godsmack” fame. The band was signed to Mascot/Provogue records and under that sign released two full length records, both reaching number two in the blues charts.  Over 6 years the band played blues festivals and blues venues on both coasts. They opened for Steven Tyler, Robbie Krieger of  “The Doors”, The Blue Oyster Cult, and did two tours with Kenny Wayne Shepherd.  Another record is in the works and slated for a release in 2026.

Fred Ball told us, I got my musical start in Greenwich Village in the early 60s during “The Great Folk Scare”. Played primarily folk music until the late 60s when I started playing in a wedding band (if I ever have to play “The Shadow of Your Smile” again I might throw up). 

Married my wife (and 2 kids) now of 42 years and stopped playing in 1979 until 2005 when a friend who knew me from my job of teaching guitar at a local music store persuaded me to take my guitar out of mothballs and join him on stage for a few numbers. Foolish me thought it would all come back…..it did not! I did make the show and played a couple of songs (badly) but was now bitten by the bug.

I recommitted myself to returning to form and have played steadily since then. I started to “play out” around 2008 and took vocal lessons since I been principally a guitar player in my bands. I ran a number of open mics in CT as well as played out as a solo “singer songwriter”.

Songwriting has become my passion and I spend time each day in pursuit of that! As a resident “old guy” my hands are now showing the ravages of age but will play until I cannot! You have to love what you do……..and I do