A very merry State of Sound: Sarah Fierek, Donna Re'nee and REYNA

Published December 15, 2023 at 10:20 AM CST

(Clockwise from left) REYNA, Sarah Fierek and Donna Re'nee joined us for a very merry (and local) episode of "State of Sound."

This is the time of year for holiday specials, and ours takes on a bit of the flavor of those vintage shows from decades past — the ones where a host would end up "snowed in" and just so happen to stumble on some of their famous friends. Well, we skipped the facade since the weather outside was far from frightful (52 degrees in mid-December is ridiculous) but did welcome a trio of talented acts to our stage:

Sarah Fierek — A ghost of Radio Milwaukee past, if you will, Fierek was a longtime team member at our Walker's Point studios and brings a nice mix of modern and traditional to this performance.
Donna Re'nee — Holidays are all about family, and Re'nee's roots are deeply embedded in music. The youngest daughter of late jazz trumpeter Don Lewis, she went the guitar route (self-taught, no less) and fills the space with those warm tones — and a helping of funk — during her set.
REYNA — The sisterly duo is a favorite around our Walker's Point studios and just celebrated the release of their new EP in the same performance space we use for State of Sound. Despite the quick return, they still had enough time to cook up a new Christmas song that leads off their set.

In addition to the artists who shared their gifts on stage and over the air, we had one more unplanned guest join us for the episode. Scroll through the gallery below to see our surprise visitor, and keep your ears open to see what the new year brings for State of Sound in 2024.