Jackson Free Press

Growing up with a business-minded father and schoolteacher mother, singer-songwriter Maggie Koerner knew that her education should come first. The Shreveport, La., native says she was fortunate that her parents did not make her get a job during college so that she could focus all her energy on school. She maintained a near-perfect GPA and received her bachelor's degree in psychology from Louisiana State University in Shreveport in 2009. When she decided that she wanted to pursue music instead of getting her master's degree in child counseling, though, the rules shifted.

"My dad was like, 'Well, you're going to be a waitress from 7 to 2, and then you can do your music. That's what musicians do, right? They're waitresses,'" she says.

At age 22, Koerner found herself using her psychology degree not only in her songwriting, but interestingly enough, also at work at her father's restaurant, Southfield Grill, because "sometimes people don't treat waitresses very nicely," she says.

While waiting tables in Shreveport, Koerner began putting videos on YouTube. That caught the attention of producer Brady Blade, who worked with her on her first album, "Quarter Life," which she released in 2011. During that time, she met New Orleans-based rock band The Revivalists and decided to move to New Orleans in order to progress beyond her regular four-hour bar gigs.

Koerner says she wishes she had other musicians in her family, but considers the artists with whom she performs in New Orleans her "brothers from other mothers."

"I'm really good friends with Cardinal Sons—they're from Jackson," she says. "Their drummer is my drummer, David Shirley. I write and play a lot with Joe and John Shirley. Since they're related, they have these amazing blood harmonies. I'm so envious of that."

After Koerner wrote and recorded her second album, "Neutral Ground," releasing it independently in 2013, her career began picking up momentum for a time until her regular guitar player left for Nashville.

"I kind of just put my hands up in the sky and said, 'Jesus, take the wheel on this one.' I didn't know what to do," she says. "Then, Galactic called me, like, the next week and asked me to be their singer."

Koerner toured the country as the funk and jazz jam band's lead vocalist for a year and even appeared alongside vocalists such as Macy Gray and Mavis Staples on Galactic's latest album, "Into the Deep," which hit stores in July of this year. All the while, she was writing and recording for her next album, which is still awaiting a release date and title.

For now, Koerner is back out on the road with her own music. She performs alongside Paul Thorn, the Kudzu Kings, The Marcus King Band and Sweet Crude at this year's International Gumbo Festival, which kicks off at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, at Smith Park (302 Amite St.). Tickets are $15 at the gate or $10 in advance through jacksongumbo.com.

For more information, visit maggiekoerner.com.