This week SOTD is featuring songs about Tampa Bay. WMNF Song of the Day exists to promote new, live, and local music. Every weekday, SOTD brings you a new song and information about upcoming events. You can help WMNF by contributing to the WMNF Summer Fund Drive.
The WMNF Song of the Day for June 9, 2026 is “I Remember Tampa” by Baluga.
Mike Baluja, born Miguel Baluja Jr. on April 29, 1957, in South Tampa, is an independently produced singer-songwriter who has released nine CDs over the past decade and earned a degree in Mass Communications from University of South Florida. Writing songs since 1976 at the age of 17, Baluja spent years crafting heartfelt music before seriously recording his work around 2000, often blending simple acoustic arrangements with loops and sampled rhythms.
Baluja’s song “I Remember Tampa” stands out as a deeply personal love letter to his hometown, driven by a vibrant calypso-salsa beat and rich nostalgia. The lyrics paint vivid images of McFarlane Park, moss-filled trees, and beloved landmarks and memories tied to old Tampa. The accompanying video features scenes from the Tampa Bay Rowdies, Elvis Presley, the “Old Sombrero” stadium, and Jai aLai. Mike shares this line with all who reminisce about Tampa, “I remember Tampa and she remembers me”.
You can find more Baluja songs on Bandcamp.