"Helena Nash is a voice to listen for."
Steve Clarke, Acoustic Planet Radio, Erin ON, Canada

"Nash's voice is so soulful it magically transforms whatever she sings."
Len Righi, The Morning Call, Allentown, PA, USA

Helena Nash has emerged as one of the finest harmony singers on the acoustic folk stage today. Her evocative voice and shimmering harmonies create a soulful, modern sound with an ancient backbone.

Now based in Venice, California, in a house without wheels, Helena's touring years with folk & soul duo Helena Nash & Greg Greer (aka BUTTERFLY SKY) featured a shiny silver tour bus from Texas. The last album from that collaboration, "Painting A Moving Train," was recorded at Leopard Frog Studio in Kingston, ON, Canada and released in 2008.

The themes Helena touches on in her music mirror her modern yet timeless sensibility, telling stories that might have resonated in a human heart at any period of history. The eclectic sound created by Helena's 2007-2008 touring ensemble, Joe Jencks & Helena Nash, invites inventive and powerful expression of Helena's harmonies, as well as showcasing her soulful lead singing. Her luminous spirit and joy of singing shine brightly through the music. In the words of fan Jer Lesman, "I've never seen anyone glow the way Helena does when she sings." Helena is also invited in for recording projects from LA to Philly, adding her voice and harmonies to other artists' albums and recording projects.

THE BACK STORY
Steeped in the roots and folk traditions of Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Helena also holds a music degree from Monmouth College in Illinois. A former trumpet player of 16 years, she has a dedicated and diverse history as a vocalist. Helena's ensemble experience ranges from a funk-rock band to classical choirs to all manner of jazz ensembles, Dixieland, pop, madrigals, show choirs, theatrical productions, percussive improv, doo-wop, folk and soul bands.

Since the time she began to talk, Helena has harbored a love for joining her voice with others and for a making beautiful noise. A picture from the crawling era is displayed in the family album. With dad's red and silver Comet harmonica clamped in smiling mouth, Helena is happily blowing teeth marks into the instrument. Harmony singing with Dad and his guitar began around the age of four, and Helena started performing publicly soon after.

Fast forward through hundreds of ensembles and performing experiences in various educational settings over the next 20 years to find Helena in Chicago in the 1990's involved in music production at several recording facilities, as well as her mastering facility, Colossal Mastering. During this time she served for two years on the Board of Governors for the Chicago Chapter of the Recording Academy ("The Grammy People").

After a 10-year stint in Chicago, in 2003 Helena hit the road, touring full-time with singer-songwriter Greg Greer. They converted a shiny silver Kerrville Lines coach bus and called it home for the next three years. Billed as BUTTERFLY SKY, the duo lived and played music all over Texas, the Northeast and the Midwest, bringing their signature harmonies to such venues as Steel City Coffee House near Philly, Jefferson Freedom Café in Fort Worth, Texas, and Anderson Fair in Houston. The album "TURN" was released during this time.

PAINTING A MOVING TRAIN (2008)
In 2008 Helena Nash & Greg Greer released "Painting A Moving Train," recorded in Canada at Leopard Frog Studio with producer/engineer Chris Coleman. Capturing 13 favorite songs from the 2003-2007 touring years, the album is a rich weaving of flavors ranging from the tight two-part harmony of "Dance Around The Fountain" and gospel-infused, layered vocals of "Wandering Seed (Where Is My Home)," to the country-flavored fiddle of "Mr. Lock Man (Mend My Love)" and the bohemian voice- and clarinet-driven, "Abby."

A hallmark of Helena's song choices and writing is a universal embracing of traditions and a celebration of human spirit. "Grace of God," track five on the album, is written in English, Arabic, Sanskrit, Italian and Cherokee, and speaks of "a spirit living through us all/that doesn't want a name." Also penned by Helena, "Wandering Seed (Where Is My Home)" is a gospel-infused soul piece about the search for home and nourishment: "Where is my home/Where do I belong/Where am I going/How can I stay strong/Where is my home/Where can I breathe/Bless me with water/Plant this wandering seed."

"Painting A Moving Train" is available online at www.cdbaby.com/nashgreer or at shows across North America and Canada.

Helena Nash is a member of the American Federation of Musicians Local 1000 (AFM 1000); the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP); The North American Folk Music and Dance Alliance the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS, home of the Grammy) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

updated 6 months ago