Kevin Smiley, Arthenia Joyner and Les Miller shine at Lightning’s Black Heritage Night

Welcome back to Sights & Sounds: the thoughts and observations from everything Bolts Nation, both on and off the ice. The Lightning held several tributes and performances for Black Heritage Night on Thursday, a memorable evening of history, distinction and yet another Bolts win. Let’s dive into the top highlights of the evening.

Florida native and rising recording artist Kevin Smiley showcases debut EP

Kevin Smiley’s rise through the country music scene has all the makings of the first act of a big screen biopic. And on his way up, he made sure to stop by AMALIE Arena for a pregame set from his debut EP Hurts Worse.

The 20-year-old singer-songwriter grew up in Okeechobee, FL listening to George Straight and a bevy of gospel—influences snuck into his standout tracks like “Heart to Break” and “Sunshine State.” He was raised in a family of church musicians, his dad being a pastor, and has all the Florida small-town charm you’d expect of him. Smiley is warm and welcoming—and talented.

He was discovered after posting a slate of covers of his favorite songs and artists on—you guessed it—TikTok during the 2020 lockdown. Just Smiley, a guitar and a phone.

“I really wasn't the greatest singer, but I'd film just to document my process of getting better,” Smiley said preshow. “I think anything I put my mind to, I can get good at…My siblings can sing, my cousins sing, my grandma sings. Everybody sings. So I was like, I got it. It's in the genetics.”

Then in 2023, Smiley got a call that put him on a flight to Las Vegas. He recorded his first song “Paralyzed” there and left a signed recording artist. He was barely 19 years old. When I ask about the transition from cow pastures and bass fishing to casino lights and fancy studios, Smiley is thoughtful in his response.

“It was interesting, I believe it was all just great timing. I was working a job and I didn't have a car. My brother was taking me to work and he got a job out of town, so he couldn't do that anymore, but it just so happened to be the exact same time that I got discovered. I was able to quit my job and focus on music full time.”

Smiley’s performance in Thunder Alley showcased a mix of emotional acoustic ballads and upbeat country pop. And look, it’s never easy playing to the large crowd of meandering hockey fans that is Thunder Alley, folks finding their nearest beverage and popping in for a song or two. But Smiley held his own—guitar in hand, Bolts jersey on his back and a bright future ahead.

“Every show is special. Still, getting in front of people, it's the craziest feeling. It's the craziest thing.”

Ceremonial puck drop guests Arthenia Joyner and Les Miller receive touching tribute with Derrick Brooks

Tampa’s Arthenia Joyner has a remarkable history as a civil rights trailblazer dating all the way back to her roots at Middleton High School in Belmont Heights.

In 1960, she participated in the sit-ins at F.W. Woolworth, her first civil rights demonstration while only a junior at Middleton. She’s since gone on to break a multitude of barriers in Florida, including becoming the first Black woman lawyer in both Hillsborough and Polk counties and the first Black woman elected as Florida’s Senate Minority Leader. She’s also the longest practicing Black female attorney in Florida history, to boot.

Joyner was joined by fellow Middleton grad and Hillsborough County Commissioner Les Miller, a Tampa native and Air Force veteran with a long history of public service spanning more than five decades. Miller also served in the Florida Senate and House of Representatives throughout the 90s and 2000s, making Florida history as the first to serve as a Democratic leader in both the State House and Senate.