Beth McKee

Beth McKee, a vocalist and composer originally from Jackson, Mississippi, spent her childhood moving across the American South. She also performs on piano, organ, and accordion, and her style remains rooted in the region’s musical traditions that range from blues and R&B to Cajun, rock & roll, zydeco, and soul.

Her first album, I’m That Way, appeared in 2010 and spotlighted her vocal and instrumental strengths through an entire set of songs by Louisiana legend Bobby Charles. Issued on her own and carried by the veteran independent Burnside Records, the recording reached listeners through McKee’s expansive, sincere, and forthright singing during live shows.

Her second release, Next to Nowhere, came out in early 2012 as a collection written entirely by McKee. Prompted by her husband, drummer Juan Perez, she gathered friends and relatives—including guitarist Tommy Malone of the Subdudes—to play on the sessions and handled distribution herself. The album drew favorable national notices and earned steady airplay on AAA and satellite radio.