Genre-bending New Orleans six-piece Sweet Magnolia returns this week with “August Nights,” a bright, brass-laced single written during Hurricane Francine and inspired by the quintessential 1970s summer-camp experience. The song will be available on all major streaming services Wednesday, June 18.

Sweet Magnolia has spent the past few years carving out a distinctive niche in the Crescent City music scene, blending soul-pop songcraft with the punch of traditional New Orleans brass. Their 2024 debut LP Miss Missed Connection earned the South Arts Jazz Roads award and expanded the band’s reputation for crafting infectiously fun songs that invite crowd participation.

“This is indeed a summer song,” says saxophonist–vocalist and principal writer Meg Dwyer. “I’m usually inspired by real-life situations or feelings when I write songs, but in this case I was inspired by the setting of a novel set at a summer camp in the 1970s. I was reading The God of the Woods by Liv Moore via candlelight during Hurricane Francine last September.” That stormy evening produced the song’s chorus—August nights, July mornings, September comes without a warning—which sets up a fictional narrative about two camp counselors who fall in love only to part ways at summer’s end.

“August Nights” also marks Sweet Magnolia’s first internal co-writing effort. The second verse was penned by tuba player Ben Hillier, who co-produced the track with long-time bandmate Jeremy Phipps at Below Productions alongside Dwyer. Mike Harvey handled mixing and mastering.

In keeping with their playful spirit, Sweet Magnolia will distribute limited-edition camp pennants emblazoned with the single’s artwork. Listeners can also stream “August Nights” across all major platforms and follow the band at @sweetmagnoliamusic.

Sweet Magnolia is Meg Dwyer (saxophone, vocals), Ben Delgado (trumpet), Glennon Davalos Stanton (trombone), Ainsley Matich (keyboards, vocals), Ben Hillier (tuba), and Dane Schindler (drums).