about us
Coty Hoover
grew up in the rolling hills of Lake Wylie in upstate South Carolina. Inspired by his Paw Paw, he picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play in his high school years. Coty is the first of his family to earn a Bachelor's degree, majoring in Spanish language at College of Charleston. Soon thereafter, he went on to attend the University of South Carolina for a Masters in Spanish. A Renaissance man, Coty has expanded his musical abilities to reach a variety of instruments.
Becca Smith
is a native of Columbia, South Carolina. She grew up in a musical home and, as legend has it, she sang in the crib as a baby. Becca began playing guitar by the time she was 10, and shortly afterwards began her journey as a songwriter. She also attended College of Charleston, where she double-majored in German and Arts Management. After college, Becca released her self-produced debut album, entitled I-26, in July of 2018. She was also awarded Charleston City Paper's "Best Singer-Songwriter" of '18.
About the Radio...
Founded in 1934, Admiral Corp. and was once one of America's top producers of radios, TVs, and phonographs. At the height of World War II, Admiral was the weekly sponsor for CBS Radio Network's Sunday evening program,World News Today. But as cheaper, foreign imports made their way into the American economy, Admiral began to crumble. They would be bought and sold to a long list of buyers, eventually fading from the U.S. market.
As fate would have it, Becca's late grandfather was actually a salesman for Admiral. In fact, he was awarded "Top Salesman of the Year" for the state of South Carolina and even won a trip to Rio with his wife through the company, pictured above. The award you see in the picture to the right sits atop of Becca and Coty's very own Admiral radio today. How's that for divine intervention? Although her grandfather passed away many years before she was born, Becca and Coty are proud to help him continue the Admiral legacy.
Some could say that Becca and Coty are both old souls. Heck, maybe that's why they get along so well. Just about everything in their house comes with a story. In early 2018, Becca was on the hunt for a vintage radio. After a little digging, she found one tucked away in the back of a dusty antique store in Columbia, SC. As she and her dad loaded it up into the back of his pickup truck, he noticed something. It was an Admiral Radio.
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It didn't mean much to her at the time, but it turns out that she had a family connection. "My dad used to work for Admiral," her dad said. It was serendipitous. She immediately felt a connection to the radio and began doing some research on it.
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For Becca and Coty, the name Admiral Radio has acquired new significance. In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get lost in the noise. When they think of their '41 Admiral radio, they picture the folks of that era gathered around their radios at night, listening to the evening news. They think of the times those people shared as they huddled 'round together. They imagine a different place and time.
And as a band, this duo has created a timeless style and classic sound that speaks for itself. In an age where adding mechanized bells and whistles are the norm, Admiral Radio opts for a more natural feel by getting back to the basics of good songwriting and music with heart. Their favorite venues are the quiet coffee shops and intimate spaces, where listeners can be still and do what they do best - listen.
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Photos with Admiral Radio with radio by Apollo's Bow. Headshot photos by Everett Zuraw.
Background photo by Taylor Czerwinski.