Al Scortino

Nominee – 1996 6th Annual LA Music Awards

Al has been playing and writing songs for over twenty years, yes, he’s old!  He was strictly a closet singer/songwriter for many years, until being lured to a jam session many moons ago at a small music store in Melbourne Fl.  One thing led to another and soon he was playing at open mics in the area.  The rest as they say, is history.  Al recently won first place for Best Contemporary Song at the North Florida Acoustic Music festival for his song “ Just Like You.”  And won second place last year at the South Florida Folk Festivus national songwriting competition. He has a been a multiple Will McLean Festival (Florida Song) award winner for his song crafting, and several time finalist in the South Florida Folk Festivals Song Writing competition in the past.   Al has also been a finalist at the Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival in Abingdon, MD and the Flat Rock Music Festival in Flat Rock, NC. Al plays acoustic and electric guitars, Hawaiian and lap steel guitar, and dobro. Prior to forming the very popular Florida folk group, The Ashley Gang, with his compadre Paul Garfinkel, Al released two solo recordings.  Mr. Singer in 1995, and The Promised Land in 1998. His songs tell stories about simple folk and places, from the local fisherman making a trip down the River Road to a band of notorious early twentieth century Florida outlaws, who were gunned down in Sebastian, called the Ashley Gang!