It’s funny how life works out. For years, songwriting couple Ken and Andi Zack-Johnson visited the 30A area on Florida’s Gulf Coast, and Andi has particularly fond memories of the picturesque Seaside Amphitheatre.

“We would come down to 30A to write songs and to get inspired—retreats with other songwriters—and every time I walked by the amphitheater, I thought how fun it would be to play a show there,” she recalled. “And I think we just threw it out to the universe because we’ve been playing there every Tuesday and Thursday for ten years.”

They play at the outdoor venue as renowned musical duo Huck and Lilly and have done so for a decade, entertaining thousands of children and their families with catchy songs that stay in your head long after the speakers have been turned off. Over ten years, they have gained a strong reputation and following for their energetic live performances and residency at the amphitheater as well as other locations such as Marina Park and weekly shows at Alys Beach and Hammock Bay.

What initially began as a side project, Huck and Lilly, has become a surprise labor of love for Ken and Andi. They have recorded two popular records: 2015’s There’s a Tree Growing in My Room and 2018’s Sunshine. Over the years, they have heard touching stories about how their music has impacted the lives of their listeners, such as a young autistic girl who danced and sang to their songs when nothing else worked.

“I always tell people that if I’d have known I’d be 53 years old singing ‘I Sat on a Porcupine,’ I’d probably have never gone to Nashville,” Ken laughed. “But having experiences like that is something we never saw coming and is such a rewarding thing.”

This summer, they are planning to release their third album, Lemonade Stand, which will treat fans with ten new Huck and Lilly songs, including the first single, “Be Good to One Another Today.”

Like much of their music, these are songs you can dance to that are inspired by 30A and its gorgeous beaches.

“Yeah, there are lots of songs about this place,” Andi said. “Living in the area has greatly influenced our music.”

The magic of this coast and its natural beauty have energized their music and captured their hearts during what was supposed to be a brief summer visit.

“We came down here for three months, and that was 10 years ago,” said Ken, who now has a home with Andi in Santa Rosa Beach. “We were only supposed to stay here for the summer.”

The duo also enjoyed the creative freedom that the children’s music genre allowed, unlike the artistic constraints of Nashville and specific genres like country.

“It’s really fun writing kids’ music because there are no boundaries as long as you keep it family-friendly,” he said. “You can write any genre. It can be a reggae song, a country song, a pop song, a blues song – creatively, it’s a lot of fun for us.”

But in addition to writing for children, Ken and Andi also think about the parents when they’re writing their songs.

“We always wanted to make music so that if you were listening to it on the way to school and you dropped the kids off, you’d keep listening to it on the way to work,” said Ken.

“And not even realize it,” Andi added.

One of these songs is “The Fiddler Crab,” which was actually written on a visit to 30A before they had moved to the region (“She thought it was a beach tarantula or something.”) and “Not a Worry in the World,” a beautiful song about living in Seaside that closes out all their live performances. There’s a strong connection to not only the surrounding water and land but the community and people who live along Scenic Highway 30A as well.

Ken and Andi are regularly recognized in public, which, unlike some artists, they are comfortable with and enjoy.

“We’d be on the beach and kids would walk by with their families and be like, ‘Huck and Lilly!,’” Andi gushed. “They recognize us in this community and we love it.”

For many of these kids, Huck and Lilly are a positive, bright first impression of music and wherever that leads.

“Until they’re about nine, we’re pretty cool,” Ken said with a chuckle. “But until then, we’re like The Beatles and that’s amazing.”

Sidenote: In celebration of their 10th anniversary, they are putting together a scrapbook featuring memories, photos, and stories from over the years. Any fan stories and photos are welcome and can be sent to huckandlilly@yahoo.com for possible inclusion.

To learn more, follow Huck and Lilly on Facebook and Instagram.