Feb. 28 At The Rockin’ H Ranch
New Name, New Venue, New Date, New Event
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County proudly announces the return of the Third Annual Songwriters and Storytellers presented by Beth and Steve Svopa and Brown & Brown Insurance, a country-themed music event. This fundraising dinner and dancing event will make you feel like you are in the hit television series Yellowstone. This event was the first of its kind on the Treasure Coast in its debut year, 2023, and it is set for Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Rockin’ H Ranch in Palm City. Due to popular demand, there is a new venue, a new name, and an earlier date. The event benefits the workforce development programs that the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County have established to expand career opportunities beyond high school graduation.
Set on a farm in Palm City, guests will have a cocktail hour on the front lawn with a view of cattle and horses. Appetizers will be served by the members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County “Fork in the Road” Culinary Program. This year, our radio sponsor, 103.1 WIRK, will feature two radio deejays as our emcees, Moriah and Eddie-E.
Then, dust off your boots and get ready for a country-themed evening as the Rockin’ H Ranch transforms into a country bash. From the delicious country dinner made and served by the culinary members, guests will also have the opportunity for fun photos before the concert begins. “Songwriters and Storytellers” is a unique, intimate musical experience that offers a “behind-the-music” concert that spotlights some of the best singer/songwriters, including Ricky Young,who has established himself as a student of the craft of songwriting, securing coveted co-writes with Luke Combs, Zac Brown Band, Lee Brice, Love and Theft, and Dave Gibson. Young’s first single, Could You Love Me Again, hit the radio in February of 2013. His YouTube channel has over two million views.
Young collaborated with long-time friend and Carolina crooner, Lee Brice, on a gritty country rock track titled I Carry It With Me. Young has toured and played nationwide since 2001 and has opened up for artists like Eric Church, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Lee Brice, Jerrod Niemann, Eli Young Band, Darius Rucker, Montgomery Gentry, Tyler Farr, Parmalee, Craig Campbell, Chase Rice, and many more.
In 2015, at a Nashville songwriters’ round, Young met a young new singer-songwriter from North Carolina named Luke Combs. The two hit it off, and Young asked Combs to join his tour. They wrote songs while touring, including a tune Shell Shocked that landed on Young’s Shock Moves EP in 2016. As it turns out, this was Combs’ first time touring as a Nashville singer-songwriter-artist. It all worked out for Luke Combs! Young says that being a small part of Luke’s career has been one of the most gratifying parts of moving to Nashville. Most recently, Young partook in a year-long residency at Flora-bama, where he played over 150 gigs since 2020. He now resides in Jupiter, Fla., where he writes along the coast and is living his best “pretired” life.
Our next featured artist is Cade Walker, a Stuart native who made the bold move to Nashville at just 19 years old. A country and country-rock songwriter, Cade found early success when he co-wrote the song Drunk, Stoned, Or Sober by artist Josh David. He was also selected for ASCAP’s prestigious 2026 GPS Songwriter Program, further cementing his rising status in the industry.
Joining Young and Walker is a name to remember: Jordan Oaks. New England-born and raised American singer-songwriter, Jordan Oaks, has accumulated over 290 thousand streams and 13 million active listeners on just one single in just two years of its release date. Derived by inspiring country legends such as Merle Haggard and George Strait, Oaks is reviving these ’90s traditional artists with his own deep-rooted music by incorporating the southern classics with elements of his own. In 2021, with his hit single, Oaks stepped into the spotlight of country music on several national sites, securing Number 13 on Country music charts and Top 4 on iTunes. Oaks’s ability to revive ’90s traditional music is highly acknowledged by his audience and fellow artists. He lives by “These Roots Run Deep,” a phrase that reflects his values and appreciation of where he came from and where he is headed.
Following dinner, the night will explode with Jordan Oaks and his band as they play ’90s country and today’s country hits as guests boot scoot and boogie the night away.
members include Dan Bettencourt, Missi Campbell, Aislynn Mooney, Jackie Rea, Jennifer
Sardone-Shiner, Meghan Shirey, and Sarah Testa. Photo by May Ann Ketchum
The evening will culminate in a silent and live auction, and guests will learn about the impact the clubs have on the local community of students. Funds raised will support the mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County: enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. This event will directly benefit the Workforce Development program. The program is the only pre-apprenticeship program of its kind, teaching essential employment skills to our youth to create a direct pipeline to employment—and employers. Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County offers comprehensive training, providing hands-on learning opportunities through their Skilled Trades Program, Career Exploration and Virtual Training, Culinary Programs, Manufacturing 4.0, and Futures in Fashion. The primary goal of the Workforce Development initiative is to ensure that every young individual has equal access to resources and career opportunities after graduation.
The event is cochaired by Beth Garcia Svopa (board member) and Andrew Kennedy. Committee members include Dan Bettencourt, Missi Campbell, Aislynn Mooney, Jackie Rea, Jennifer Sardone-Shiner, Meghan Shirey, and Sarah Testa. Sponsors include Beth and Steve Svopa, Brown & Brown Insurance, Proctor Construction Company, FPL, Alpha Door & Hardware, Architectural Design Collaborative, 103.1 WIRK, Stuart Magazine, and JSS Marketing & PR.
Tickets are $300, and sponsorship opportunities are available online at https://www.bgcmartin.org/songwriters-storytellers-2026. For more information, visit or call Meghan Shirey at (772) 545-1255 or [email protected].
Calendar Listing
Feb. 28, at 6 p.m. – Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County Third Annual Songwriters and Storytellers. The best of singer/songwriters include Ricky Young, Cade Walker, and Jordan Oaks. This incredible acoustic performance will also include the stories behind favorite country music songs. There will be music, dancing, and silent and live auctions, and guests will enjoy a dinner provided by the culinary members at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County with their food truck, The Fork-in-the Road.
Event Committee: Beth Garcia Svopa (board member) and Andrew Kennedy. Committee members include Dan Bettencourt, Missi Campbell, Aislynn Mooney, Jackie Rea, Jennifer Sardone-Shiner, Meghan Shirey, and Sarah Testa. Photo by May Ann Ketchum
Beth Garcia Svopa and Andrew Kennedy. Photo by May Ann Ketchum
