We recently connected with Beth McKee and have shared our conversation below.
Beth, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
I founded and lead a non-profit organization dedicated to community service and supporting marginalized artists. The Swamp Sistas La La Foundation uses music and other media to raise money for community causes while creating gig opportunities, networking and mentorship for emerging artists, with an emphasis on women, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC creatives.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a southern roots singer-songwriter, piano and accordion player. I grew up in the deep south, Jackson Mississippi, and fell in love with the blues as a teen. By my mid-20s I’d moved to Austin Texas and was playing in a band there. Before long I was recruited to join the New Orleans-based all-female country-cajun band Evangeline and we were quickly signed to MCA records and toured extensively releasing two albums. Performing, writing and recording in that scenario was the most educational experience I’d ever had and I fell in love with the process. Performing came easy for me but it takes tremendous focus and discipline to write and record something you can continue to be proud of for years to come.
I also loved living in New Orleans, not just for the local scene– but for the supportive musical community–greats like Allen Toussaint and Art Neville were not only accessible but encouraging and kind. These supportive artists influenced me greatly. Post-Evangeline project “N.O. Angels” brought Cuban drummer Juan Perez to New Orleans from Orlando and he and I became musically and romantically involved. When Juan returned to Florida to care for his aging mother, I joined him, and he introduced me to musicians who’d been on the fringe of the early southern rock scene; guys who’d grown up with the Allman Brothers, Tom Petty, and Gram Parsons. The move to Florida added rock to my roots. My desire to perform, write and record persisted and I have independently released six records and built my own home recording studio where I also help others with their recordings.
Remembering the community of supportive New Orleans musicians, in 2010, I decided such an alliance of artists was needed in Orlando and beyond. I wanted to connect with and support female peers and include community service as part of the group’s mission. Thus was born the grassroots movement Swamp Sistas. As the founding principal of the non-profit Swamp Sistas La La Foundation, I mobilize an ever-growing coalition of more than 2,800 creatives of all ages and genres, along with friends and supporters of all genders. In 2022, the Swamp Sistas launched an initiative to be more inclusive and diverse, actively seeking more POC and LGBTQ artists to join the collective. Artistically, we collaborate, mentor, and perform. Philanthropically, we organize to raise money and awareness for targeted local causes like childhood hunger and organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
The music business has seen so many changes over the past 20 years and the onus of supporting creatives is more important than ever. While streaming services enable us to independently share our music, monetization is much more difficult. Most independent artists have relied heavily on live appearances to earn a modest living. With COVID-19 epidemic causing live performances to cease for a period, the return to live performances as main income generators has been slow and arduous. I think society can best support artists by attending performances, by supporting organizations that nurture and bolster artists, buying merch at live gigs, signing up for email lists, sharing playlists of music they appreciate, and engaging with artists’ social media posts. Independent artists rely on grassroots methods and friends and every little bit helps.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
My creative journey has expanded from my own music, which I continue to write, record and perform. Additionally, I seek to bolster the music community, my peers, and the community at large. I constantly seek collaboration, whether with a songwriter I have something to learn from or one I feel I can share something with for their own process. With the Swamp Sistas La La Foundation, I work to make sure marginalized artists’ voices are heard and that’s very important to me. The foundation is currently developing a songwriting program for children in marginalized communities. The Siblings’ Circle is a free program for LGBTQ+ and allied youth and will provide a space to develop self-expression and coping skills through songwriting, gain new perspectives from shared experiences with the group, and nurture a sense of self-worth as participants present and perform their completed songs.
We also host Song Swaps and Socials for local songwriters to workshop their material in a safe and supportive environment. Additionally, the foundation presents an annual event dubbed the Swamp Sistas La La, to raise money for community causes and organizations while providing a paying gig and promotional opportunities for emerging and established artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bethmckee.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/bethmckee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BethMcKeeBand
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethmckee/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/bethmckee
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BethMcKee
- Other: I was torn about whether to share my sites or the Swamp Sistas sites so here are those – Website- https://www.swampsistas.com/ Instagram- https://instagram.com/swampsistas Twitter- https://twitter.com/swampsistas Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/SwampSistas Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@SwampSistas
Image Credits
JIm Leatherman, Allison Isley, Jim Hartzell