Britt Leoni
•8/24/2026
Six years ago, when Angie Beatty arrived on Florida's Gulf Coast, she brought with her something she's never without: Her love for music. "When you do it right, and all the chords line up, it makes the hair on your arms stand up, and you get goosebumps," Beatty said. "It takes a lot of work, and it takes everybody with the same goal. When it comes together, it's just magic." So, here at Cypress Lake Presbyterian Church, Beatty put out a call to women in her community. What started as a few voices grew into a few dozen. "They suddenly become your family, and we depend on each other," Beatty said. "We take care of each other, you come for the music, and you stay for the friendship." "Somehow, we meld together beautifully," said member Jeanne O'Connor. These ladies, including Jeanne, call themselves "Coastal Voices." They sing acapella, in a style known as "Barbershop." "Barbershop harmony is a four-part harmony," O'Connor said. "You have a melody and there's a natural harmony above it at all times." "The beauty of this music is any genre," Beatty said. "We sing stuff all the way from the 1920s all the way up to today." Barbershop is also a form of singing that, for much of its history, was reserved for men. But when it comes to convention, these ladies are more than happy to shake it off. They sing together. Compete together. And help each other through the highs and lows. "When Hurricane Ian hit, we were all taking care of each other, taking baby food and water and gasoline to each other and checking on each other," Beatty said. "You know I wouldn't have had that." Because, just like the music they make, it's not about one voice standing out. It's about every voice finding its place. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
