In this special episode of Front Porch Radio, Julie is joined by Beth McKee of Swamp Sistas and Rachel Decker of Oak Hill Drifters, two Orlando-based musicians with international reach. We dive into their musical backgrounds, the inspirations behind their songs, and the unique connections music fosters within the community.
The conversation touches on everything from Beth's work with Swamp Sistas and her upcoming Mardi Gras Mambo fundraiser at Will’s Pub, to a collaborative creative project in the work called Power Lines. A favorite moment comes when they chat about self-care rituals, whether it’s getting lost in the pages of James Joyce’s Ulysses or tackling the New York Times crossword puzzle. The episode wraps up with a preview of Beth McKee’s song “The Fall,” inspired by the resilience of friends overcoming loss.
About Beth McKee
If you ask Beth McKee whether she is an artist or an activist, she is likely to answer "both!" Her love for performing and community merge into a perfect force of good music and goodwill. Beth is an essential member of Orlando's music scene and as a result of her work with the Swamp Sistas La La Foundation, Inc. an organization she established in 2010, McKee has been featured in Orlando Sentinel as “One of Ten People who Make Orlando a Better Place to Liv, in Orlando Weekly as “One of fourteen artists who are reshaping the Orlando music scene” and in Orlando Magazine as a “Woman of the Year.”
Downbeat Magazine states that Beth “honors blues, r&b, gospel and Southern rock traditions just as surely as she gives them contemporary voice in her fresh-as-a-Gulf-breeze music” and PopMatters states, "McKee's songwriting evokes the best of the past and the many influences she has gained on her travels throughout the American South." Her albums have made several "Best of" lists, and her latest EP, “Monday After Sunday” (June, 2022) is a six-song journey through all of her roots and exploring the joy and anguish of the American South.
About Rachel Decker
Rachel Decker is the frontwoman of Oak Hill Drifters and one-half of the alt-country duo Rachel & George. Rachel’s love for country music took root early, beginning in second grade when she sang her first solo from atop a pile of hay bales. Since then, she’s taken that passion to stages across the country and around the world, playing rockabilly festivals and breathing life into vintage Americana sounds. With a voice that channels the spirit of classic country and a presence that lights up every stage, Rachel is a true force in the roots music scene.
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