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‘Swamp Sistas La La’ at the Lily Patch Farm to Support BRWIA Tour Set for June 25

Beth McKee, Susan Owen and the Swamp Sistas proudly announce: Swamp Sistas La La at The Lily Patch Farm on Saturday, June 25th, 2016 from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Tickets are available at Eventbrite.com

La La noun ˈlä-ˌlä- Definition: a musical party tradition, originated by Louisiana Creoles in the 1920s, where musicians gather, friends dance and everyone chips in for a communal cause.

On Saturday, June 25 from five until nine p.m., Mississippi native, singer songwriter Beth McKee and friends will bring the Swamp Sistas La La to Watauga county’s oldest organic farm and all are invited to attend. Swamp Sistas La La at The Lily Patch Farm will raise the roof with music, food and drink, while raising money and awareness for Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture and their upcoming farm tour.

Swamp Sistas began as a social movement in 2010, when McKee founded the group as a way to stay in touch with friends made while touring with her band across the southeastern United States. “Right away, I observed that we shared a passion for great music and locally sourced food plus a strong desire to help out in the community,” she explains. Hosting the La Las together was a natural progression. The group now has over 2,500 members and has presented eight La Las in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, most recently partnering on May 21st with Orlando Fringe Festival for an event that raised over $10,000 for local hunger relief organization, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida.

Musical performances at the Lily Patch Farm La La will include, McKee and band, local rock favorite Melissa Reaves and band, plus nationally lauded singer songwriter Terri Binion, on tour to promote her latest release “The Day After the Night Before.” Another musical element of the La Las is an in-the-round, acoustic performance known as the Swamp Sistas Songwriting Circle. Binion, Reaves and local songstress Kat Chaffin will join Beth in the Circle at the Lily Patch La La. Other performers include Inspiral Fire Tribe and AcroYoga. The $50 ticket includes a locally sourced supper of authentic Louisiana Gumbo (vegetarian option), an old south Pimiento Cheese sandwich, and a drink.

Beth drew on her Louisiana roots to conceptualize the La Las, having spent the better part of a decade in New Orleans as a member of the band Evangeline. Post Evangeline, her first release was a tribute to Louisiana songwriter Bobby Charles who penned “Walking to New Orleans” and “See You Later Alligator.” When she’s not touring, McKee divides her time between Florida and North Carolina these days, but her Louisiana roots continue to invade her music and the spirit of the La Las.

Beth established herself as a noteworthy songwriter by releasing two albums of her own songs (Next to Nowhere and Sugarcane Revival) to rave reviews. Several of her songs are inspired by the Sistas and one who particularly motivates her is Susan Owen, owner/operator of The Lily Patch Farm. “Susan is a key leader of the Watauga County organic, good food movement,” Beth gushes, “and I was honored when she wanted to host a La La on her beautiful farm. When she told me about BRWIA (an organization Susan helped establish) I knew we had a La La in the making. Their work developing food sources and propagating sustainability, is a natural fit!”