The Debut of Swim Meet & the Release of Their First Single “Oh Girl”
Swim Meet is an indie rock band created by Danny Clayton and Heather Alpine Bech, hailing from Black Mountain, North Carolina. The duo have been collaborating for almost seven years, having toured the Southeastern United States with other local musicians playing at festivals and venues such as The Pour House (Raleigh, NC), Isis (Asheville, NC), Preservation Pub (Knoxville, TN), The Grey Eagle (Asheville, NC), Awendaw Green (Awendaw, SC), Oscar Blues (Brevard, NC), The Station (Carrboro, NC), The Cave (Chapel Hill, NC), Vello Fellow (Greenville, SC), Surf Bar (Folly Beach, SC), On The Rox (Richmond, VA), Taste of Charlotte (Charlotte, NC), Steppin’ Out Festival (Blacksburg, VA), and Fall for Greenville (Greenville, SC). Since the world was shut down in 2020, they have spent their time in the studio finalizing songs and recordings.
Their debut release, “Oh Girl”, was written after the loss of their Labrador Retriever named Bernie, who was 17 years of age. Alpine adopted Bernie at 8 weeks old, and at that moment Bernie became one of the greatest loves that filled Alpine’s heart. She also had a sweet “goofball” side to her, which brought much laughter and lightheartedness into their lives daily. But as for most of us when we lose a loved one, Bernie’s death was heartbreaking and took quite some time for Alpine to feel any sense of joy again. Deep sadness and heartache tarried every day and many songs were written for Bernie during this time in order to not only cope with such sorrow, but also to realize just how profound Bernie’s love touched Alpine’s core.
Bernie & Alpine, 2015.
“More of a feel good sound, ‘Oh Girl’ memorializes the joy and love that Bernie gave to our whole family, including Martha” (the husky sister of Bernie and the name sake for their rock band, Martha's Freedom). “This is a song to honor Bernie's life, a friend who gave a sense of belonging and unconditional love.”
Bernie & Freckles. 2013
Death is tragic. Something we all wish did not exist. For many, when they lose someone close to them, it causes a very deep and profound change within. Where the search for answers regarding our existence becomes ever more intense, moving beyond just accepting the rhetoric of others, or the consoling comments of unexplored religious and spiritual hopefuls. It can spark a deep desire to know truth within a human being, to know what real love and existence is all about. It was this spark, because of Bernie and Martha, two amazing canine companions, that opened Alpine’s heart and mind to explore the reality of God, whom she would come to know as the Father, the one true Creator of all.
“More of a feel good sound, ‘Oh Girl’ memorializes the joy and love that Bernie gave to our whole family, including Martha. This is a song to honor Bernie’s life, a friend who gave a sense of belonging and unconditional love.”
The band will be releasing a “Lost Pet Album” in the near future, with consoling songs for those who too have lost furfriends.
Visit their website at: https://www.treehavenmedia.net/swimmeet
Alpine looks forward in grateful expectation to the day when she will hold her babies again, in the light of the love of the Father of All.
