Maria McKee - Opelousas (Sweet Relief)

What this video is

Released in 1993 as part of Sweet Relief: A Benefit for Victoria Williams, a landmark charity compilation organized after Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The project, which also featured Pearl Jam, Lou Reed, Lucinda Williams, and Soul Asylum, raised funds for Williams' medical costs and catalyzed the creation of the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund, a lasting charity supporting musicians facing illness.…

Why it matters

A defining document of early-90s proto-Americana solidarity culture, the video captures McKee at the intersection of her cowpunk roots and mainstream crossover ambitions. The song, written by Victoria Williams — a foundational figure of the alt-folk underground — bridges Lone Justice-era cowpunk…