Rachel and George of Orlando’s Oak Hill Drifters release new single, ‘Get Up and Go’

Enjoying all this nice cool weather? It makes those nights in so much cozier. Ooh, and I bet a lot of you have your holiday decorations up too. Yeah, there’s no place like home. But we’re the lucky ones. For those without a home, the season’s much less welcoming.

The plight of the unhoused is the subject of new single “Get Up and Go” by Orlando twosome Rachel and George. Rachel Decker and George Dimitrov — known from eminent country & western band Oak Hill Drifters as well as their own duo, Decker & Dimitrov — wrote the song to accompany the release of “Breyting X Shelter,” the latest blend by DeLand coffee purveyor Breyting.

Famous for pairing their coffee with social consciousness — as well as their ties to the B-52s’ Fred Schneider — Breyting couples each of their coffee releases to a cause. “Breyting X Shelter” spotlights the problem of homelessness and raises funds to “support small, localized nonprofits that offer direct assistance … to get people to medical appointments, provide food and clothing, and get people and families out of makeshift camps and into shelters.”

Musically, “Get Up and Go” channels the desperation of the condition, pulling its swamp rock deep into the blues. Lyrically, the song takes direct inspiration from those living through it firsthand.

“The owner of the coffee company, Von Coven, went out and spoke with some folks who were living on the streets and in vans about their situation and the city’s plans (or lack thereof) for them,”says Decker.“A number of the phrases used in the song were right from these people.”

“Get Up and Go” now streams everywhere. Give it a spin and then maybe help out. You could, of course, buy some Breyting coffee. Or you could volunteer some of your time at a shelter. Trust me, you’ll walk away from it changed in a meaningful way.
You can catch Rachel and George weekly at their Wednesday night Lil Indie’s residency as Decker & Dimitrov.

Additionally, Rachel will be part of an exceptional Americana bill at Modern Music Movement’s Nashville South showcase this weekend alongside Sunday Morning Revival, Roadside Giant, Edan Archer and Kyle Keller (8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13, Stardust Video & Coffee, $10).

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This article appears in Dec 11-17, 2024.