Tampa’s Skipper’s Smokehouse—located at 910 Skipper Rd. Credit: Photo by Michael M. Sinclair

Rocking one of the best mullets in country music, Kenzie Wheeler has long carried the torch of twang for the Bay area. He arrives at one of Tampa’s most storied venues with a powerful vocal that’s matured even more since his big local debut at Gasparilla Music Festival 2022.

Wheeler, more George Strait than Morgan Wallen, has spent the last few weeks workshopping songs for a forthcoming album, so expect him to play a few under the Skipperdome.

The show, booked independently by the venue, comes as Skipper’s Smokehouse embarks on a new chapter where the David A. Straz Center for Performing Arts will help research, suggest and secure artists to perform under the storied oak canopy.

“We’re still fiercely independent and have 100% final say on all bookings,” Cricket Larson, the “head mullet” at Skipper’s wrote in a release. “And, of course, Skipper’s will continue to support local acts and fundraisers—just as we always have. We treasure those relationships.”

Larson added that she’s excited to see the partnership bring “More of what we love” to Skipper’s and overjoyed about Straz Center’s interest in the venue.

Tickets to see Kenzie Wheeler play Skipper’s Smokehouse in Tampa on Saturday, Aug. 30 are still available and start at $15. Readers are invited to submit their own events to Creative Loafing Tampa Bay’s things to do calendar.

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This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 3, 2025.