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COCA Spotlight: Kim Anton keeps the BBC alive and livestreaming

“I’m out front so I don’t hear a lot of the music, but when I’m sitting there and a song picks up, I’ll usually sneak in and take a look,” says Kimberly Anton, who owns…

“I’m out front so I don’t hear a lot of the music, but when I’m sitting there and a song picks up, I’ll usually sneak in and take a look,” says Kimberly Anton, who owns the Bradfordville Blues Club with her husband Gary.

Anton is often the first face you meet when you approach the front door before entering the bustling club on Friday and Saturday nights. These days, the club sits quiet. Anton says they won’t open their doors until it is safe to do so.

In the meantime, BBC fans can tune into their “Live from the BBC” livestreams on Moose Magnificat’s all-local radio station, airing Saturday nights at 9 p.m.

“If we make one person happy by putting the music online or having these live streaming shows then that’s wonderful,” says Anton, who says listeners can hear past performances as well as live interviews with different bands. “That’s important right now, even if it puts a smile on your face or warms your heart for one second.”

Anton grew up on a steady stream of classic rock ‘n’ roll and doo-wop. When she met her husband, she discovered the blues and fell in love with its range of gospel, R& B and jazz sounds. The couple has lived in Tallahassee for 45 years and first started going out to the BBC when it was run by Dave Claytor and known as Dave’s C.C.

to preserve the history and music of the family-friendly juke joint. Anton is grateful for friends they have gained along the way.

“Everybody that comes in the door, we try to make them feel like family,” says Anton. “My reward is making everyone happy.” Anton writes thank you notes to every patron who purchases a ticket. A few years ago she started sending out birthday cards over social media to brighten up fans’ days. Most of all, she loves to listen.

Anton sits in the back room with the band as they talk about everything — from road adventures to heartwarming family tales.

She most enjoyed hearing about musician Johnny Marshall’s European tours. She says Marshall would often mention the film “Cadillac Records,” and recount what parts were true and which events he was there to witness firsthand.

Other times, Anton says stories come to her as she sits outside to welcome patrons.

“Sometimes people come out to the venue to get away and just need to talk,” says Anton. “If they’re not smiling, by the end of the night I try to get them to smile.”

During quarantine, Anton has been listening and talking with people online, and is trying to keep busy on walks around her neighborhood. The current health crisis reminds her of the AIDS and MRSA epidemics that were a part of her 28-year career as a nurse and during her time at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. She empathizes with the health care professionals who are facing the unknowns every day.

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