Husband & Wife Folkgrass Duo Admiral Radio Talk Upcoming Album, Dream Gig, Latest Single ‘Swoon’ & More

By Charlie Hooker on July 8, 2026

Emerging within the South Carolina folkgrass/Americana scene is husband and wife duo, Admiral Radio, who embraces the lighter side of love with their new single, “Swoon,” which is available today via Too Fine Records.

The track serves as the pair’s latest appetizer for their forthcoming full-length album, Heirloom, due to greet listeners on September 9th, 2026.

Comprised of Coty Hoover and Becca Smith, Admiral Radio has developed a reputation for blending harmonies, heartfelt storytelling, and lived-in songwriting. Named after an old wooden radio, the band traces its roots back to waiting tables together in South Carolina’s Lowcountry before building a grassroots following through tireless touring, independent releases, and resonant live performances.

Their new toe-tappin’ number, “Swoon,” is a playful take on falling head over heels. Fueled by upbeat energy, sassy fiddle licks, and piano keys janglin’ like an old Western dance hall, the song captures the courage it takes to put yourself out there when you’re falling in love.

Their upcoming album, Heirloom, marks the duo’s first project with Too Fine Records, a Nashville-based label created by longtime managers connected to artists including Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, Ellie Holcomb, and Judah & the Lion.

We got to chat with the couple about how their relationship affects their music, “Swoon,” their forthcoming album, and much more.

So could you tell us how Admiral Radio came to be?

Becca and I met back in 2014 while we were working at the same restaurant in Charleston, SC. At that time, Becca had already been writing and performing her own music around town, while I pretty much just played guitar at home. Long story short, I started going to her gigs to support her, ended up learning her songs, she helped me sing harmonies (still does), and eventually we started writing together – though it took us about five years to actually write our first song. Too busy fallin’ in love and all that.

The husband and wife dynamic is always an interesting one in a band. How does the songwriting process work, and how might it affect everyday life together?

The great part about us working together is that we’ve always worked together. We met working at the same restaurant. You learn a lot about someone when you work and travel together, luckily we get along really well and always try to be each others’ biggest cheerleader. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows, but at the end of the day we’re grateful to be able to do what we love together.

As far as songwriting goes, it really varies. A lot of our songs start independently and then once we’ve taken them as far as we can, we come to the other for help. Sometimes we just sit down together and a song comes out five minutes later. The beauty of songwriting is that it’s different every time.

I see you’ve got your upcoming album, Heirloom, set for release in September. What can you tell us about the name of the album and how it correlates to the songs?

Well, the word “heirloom” basically implies that something is being passed down. So much of what we own has been passed down to us. Furniture, instruments, clothes, art. Even our band name. There are a few songs on the album that tell stories from both of our families that we’re really proud to share. This will be our first time ever releasing vinyl, and the artwork and design are so special because they feature artwork by Becca’s dad who unfortunately passed away before he could hear it.

It’s also your first label release. What makes Too Fine Records a good fit for y’all?

We truly could not be happier. We feel so fortunate to work with this incredible team – we never even thought we’d have a team, much less that it would be led by some of the key players at Triple 8 Management. Every step of this relationship has felt so collaborative, and we are grateful for their input and for believing in us. We love our Too Fine family.

Your brand new single, “Swoon,” has hit streaming today, July 8th. What made you decide on this song for a single, and what’s the backstory?

We actually wrote this song back in 2023, and I don’t think we ever intended on recording it, much less releasing it as a single. When we were going through our list of potential songs for the album, we sent around 20 to the label. They were very upfront about the fact that as the artists, they’d trust our judgement, but we were incredibly grateful to get their feedback on the songs.

I think for us, “Swoon” was kind of a fun tune we wrote and then forgot about, but we decided to send it anyway. We were surprised to hear that they loved it, and after taking it to the studio, it is truly so fun. It’s a honky-tonkin’, toe-tappin’ good time and we’re proud of it! Perfect song to kick off the summer.

What has been your favorite/the most rewarding part of making this album?

Hands down, the best part of making this album has been working with our friends. After narrowing down the tracklist, the next decision was where we were going to record. Too Fine was so great about giving us options of producers in Nashville that they thought we’d be a great fit for (and we hope to work with all of them at some point), but we landed on working with our friends back home in Columbia, SC at Archer Avenue Studio. We have so much talent in South Carolina, and we’re proud to be a part of that wonderful community.

What does a dream gig look like for Admiral Radio?

A dream gig for us is to have an attentive audience that is engaged, willing to feel all the feels with us, and is open to having a damn good time. Also, the Ryman.

Listen on Spotify

What are one or two pinnacle moments for the band?

Two pinnacle moments for us would have to be winning the 2026 Cayamo Soundcheck and signing our first record deal. Cayamo was such a dreamy experience and there were a lot of really incredible artists that entered. We knew we were the underdogs at that festival and did everything we could to be squeaky wheels (the Admiral Radio “philosophy”).

We started making music together in 2019 and were immediately put on “pause” during the pandemic (like everyone else), and we often have to remind ourselves that 2019 Becca and Coty would freak out if they knew about these special opportunities we’ve had lately. Ray Wylie Hubbard has a great lyric that sums it up: “And the days that I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, well, I have really good days.”

What might you have planned post-album release? Any tours lined up, album release shows, or other notable things fans should know?

Yes! We’re celebrating this release with ‘The Heirloom Tour,’ which will span the Midwest and Southeast from late summer through the fall. We have some really exciting festival announcements coming soon.