Maria Luisa McKee (born August 17, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter whose work connects country rock, roots music, soul, alternative rock, gospel, and highly dramatic pop. Known for her powerful high-register voice and emotionally direct performances, she first gained attention as the lead singer and principal songwriter of Lone Justice before developing a varied solo career.
McKee was raised in Los Angeles and began performing in the city's roots-music community in the early 1980s. In 1982, she co-founded Lone Justice with guitarist Ryan Hedgecock. The band became part of a Los Angeles scene that blended country, rockabilly, punk, and rock and roll, a sound later associated with the emerging Americana movement. Lone Justice quickly built a reputation for energetic live shows, and the group attracted support from artists including Linda Ronstadt. After signing with Geffen Records, the band released its self-titled debut in 1985. The album featured McKee's commanding vocals and songs such as "Ways to Be Wicked" and "Sweet, Sweet Baby (I'm Falling)," but its polished production did not fully capture the intensity of the band's club performances.
Lone Justice followed with Shelter in 1986. By then, McKee and Hedgecock were the only remaining original members, and the album moved toward a broader rock sound. The group disbanded in 1987, leaving behind two studio albums that later became influential touchstones for roots rock and alternative country. McKee also wrote "A Good Heart," which became a major 1985 hit for Feargal Sharkey, establishing her reputation as a songwriter beyond her own recordings.
Her solo debut, Maria McKee, appeared in 1989. Produced by Mitchell Froom, the album expanded her musical palette with sophisticated arrangements while retaining elements of country and roots rock. Its success in Europe helped establish McKee as a solo artist. Her most visible commercial moment followed in 1990, when she recorded "Show Me Heaven" for the soundtrack of the film *Days of Thunder*. The song reached number one in the United Kingdom and several other European countries, bringing her voice to a mainstream audience.
McKee's second solo album, You Gotta Sin to Get Saved, was released in 1993. Produced by George Drakoulias, it returned to a more explicitly roots-oriented approach and is widely regarded as one of her strongest and most fully realized records. In 1994, she contributed "If Love Is a Red Dress (Hang Me in Rags)" to Quentin Tarantino's *Pulp Fiction*. The song's fiery combination of blues, rock, and country further demonstrated her ability to turn intense, character-driven material into distinctive performance pieces.
On Life Is Sweet (1996), McKee moved into more experimental territory and played all of the guitar parts. The album's rougher textures and unconventional arrangements marked a significant departure from the polished sound of her early solo work. She later pursued an increasingly independent path with High Dive (2003), Peddlin' Dreams (2005), and Late December (2007), records that explored intimate songwriting, acoustic textures, and a broad range of American musical traditions.
After a long recording gap, McKee returned with La Vita Nuova in 2020. The album presented an expansive and poetic work shaped by themes of desire, transformation, and artistic renewal. In 2024, she reunited with original Lone Justice members for Viva Lone Justice, an album built from earlier recordings and completed with later overdubs. The project reaffirmed the vitality of the band's original musical identity while adding a new chapter to McKee's continuing career.