Sweet Magnolia

Sweet Magnolia
$6,354
New Orleans, LA

About the Artist

Sweet Magnolia bridges New Orleans jazz roots and pop music. Led by saxophonist Meg Dwyer, a prominent figure in the New Orleans brass band scene, Sweet Magnolia began in 2021 to showcase Dwyer’s original songwriting through brass band music. “Being a brass musician, I didn’t really know how to write for any other type of ensemble,” admits Dwyer. With the addition of a keyboard player, Sweet Magnolia maintains brass band elements like tuba lines and horn solos while blending them with pop music in their debut album Miss Missed Connection.

Dwyer, with over 8 years in education as a band director and English teacher in New Orleans, is dedicated to preserving the brass band tradition. She often apprentices under and plays alongside descendants of the Andrews family and original members of the Rebirth and Treme brass bands. Her career as a sidewoman has been devoted to supporting New Orleans culture bearers, and she now creates something original with Sweet Magnolia.

Since 2021, Sweet Magnolia has made waves in the New Orleans music scene. Their debut EP Glitter in the Bathtub received international radio play. In 2023, they were selected as one of fifty artists for the Crescent City Sounds Collection. They perform annually at the 504 Craft Beer Festival and have appeared at Hammond’s Oktoberfest and the Supernova Festival. Locally, they play at venues like Le Bon Temps Roule, BJ’s, and hold a monthly residency at Carrollton Station. Their debut album, Miss Missed Connection, will be released on June 7th, 2024.