In The Round with Roger Jokela, Pete Mroz, Thom Shepherd & Coley McCabe

Singer/Songwriter Roger Jokela is a Wisconsin native and a veteran of the Nashville music scene who has made the move to the Florida Keys to continue his musical journey.  Influenced by songwriters such as John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, Todd Snider, Bob Wills, Lyle Lovett and Jimmy Buffett, Roger's music is a blend of country, trop rock and western swing that will keep your foot tapping and your face smiling!

When someone is unshakably dedicated, brimming with talent, and gifted as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and performer, you might assume that he’s in the music business. But make no mistake, whether he’s picking his way through a songwriting session, commanding the stage at a local venue, or performing to a riveted national audience as Blake Shelton’s chosen team member on “The Voice,” Pete Mroz is most definitely in the peoplebusiness. “To me, all the touring, the playing, and the songwriting are really about touching people,” he says. “I love that human connection, and I just love to make people smile.” A man on a mission, Mroz is out to experience the world of new people and move them with his music. As his show-stopping, chair-turning performances on “The Voice” vividly demonstrate, he has the depth of soul and the soaring vocal chops to pull it off. That high-profile turn on the national stage was part of a natural progression that started when his dad pushed him onstage for an impromptu karaoke performance of the Beatles’ “Yesterday” on the eve of his 18th birthday. Bolstered by the positive response of that karaoke crowd, Mroz packed his bags for Nashville and went to work mastering his craft in writer’s rooms, on stages, and in countless studio sessions, recording and releasing six indie projects in the process. It was in his early days in Music City that he joined a songwriters group called the Young Writers and met another young hopeful by the name of Blake Shelton. Their spontaneous on-air “Voice” reunion became one of the real highlights of the show’s 20th season. Pounding the pavement up and down Nashville’s Music Row, Mroz was rarely seen without his guitar, an instrument that provided constant companionship and inspiration, and became an essential part of his creative process. When it comes to guitars, Mroz clearly can’t help himself. “I admit it, I just love guitars,” he laughs. “I like to say I’m married to my voice, but I have a love affair with my guitar.” Mroz credits his dad, a mechanical engineer and professional race car driver, for instilling in him the persistence, confidence, and poise to stand tall in front of a nationwide, network TV audience, wowing celebrity judges and a loyal fan base that has exploded since his Voice appearances. “I do think I get it from my father,” he says. “A lot of my fixing stuff comes from my dad, along with that speedway driver’s ability to think on my feet and react quickly to unexpected challenges.” Born in Indiana, Mroz lived a nomadic childhood, residing in 15 different states before his eventual move to Nashville. That could explain the deep sense of longing that lifts his best songs and the powerful way he inhabits every lyric he delivers. These hectic days, when the touring stops, Pete Mroz knows exactly where his home is and where his heart is. “This music monster can sometimes pull you away from the things that are really important,” he says. “I love to get out and play, but I couldn’t do any of this if it wasn’t for my wonderful wife. With two boys and another one on the way, someone has to pick up the load. But I intend to be present for them, to live in the light, and to remember to be thankful for all of it.”  - Peter Cronin

A veteran of Nashville’s Music Row, Thom Shepherd is the writer of five #1 singles including “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Riding with Private Malone,” and “My Texas.”  He’s the writer of over 10 radio singles, two Grammy nominated songs, and has had over 100 songs recorded by Blake Shelton, George Jones, Pat Green, Kevin Fowler, Easton Corbin, Montgomery Gentry, Craig Morgan, Colt Ford, and many more.

Thom is currently a songwriter, video host, and content creator at 8 Track Entertainment in Nashville. 

After years of touring all over the country, Thom and his wife, artist Coley McCabe, have settled in Mount Juliet, TN. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri and spent his high school years in Virginia before moving to Nashville in 1993 after graduating from George Mason University.

The I AM A WOMAN singer is also a platinum-selling songwriter, Coley has played the Grand Ole Opry stage 6 times, has had several songs placed in feature films, co-starred in the romantic comedy Alabama Love Story, is a former RCA recording artist, had one of her songs recorded by the legendary Loretta Lynn, currently tours with her husband as the duo THOM & COLEY taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster with their songs, storytelling, and onstage chemistry.

Billboard Magazine said: "Her voice has an unusual texture, part velvet - part grit, that bolsters with emotional substance."