HanaLena (Nash Street)

HanaLena is an acoustic country band formed by sisters Hannah and Caroline Melby. The band has formerly been called Nash Street, referring to their childhood home in the historic Nash Street garden district in Starkville, Mississippi.

Members

The group consists of: Hannah Melby (fiddle/vocals), Caroline Melby (mandolin/vocals), principally supported by Zack White (lead guitar/vocals) and Vickie Vaughn (vocals/upright bass). Hanah and Caroline first studied in the Starkville Public School Music program taught by Norman Mellin. Vickie Vaughn and Zack White are both professional musicians who studied at Belmont College of Nashville, Tennessee, where the band is now based and has been since 2010.

History

The band first appeared in 1996 as "The Goat Ropers"; in 2001, the group decided "Nash Street" was a better name. The name stuck and their popularity grew with a demanding performance schedule which included winning the Mississippi State Fair Talent Contest in 2004.[1] The group continued honing their craft playing bluegrass festivals and opening for bigger names like Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, and Jeff Bates. In 2008, Nash Street received first prize in Nashville's "Colgate Country Showdown" along with the $100,000 prize and claim to being "The Best New Act in Country Music".[2] Early in 2010, Nash Street moved from Starkville to Nashville following the release of their third CD Between Hope and Heartache and ahead of a music video Mississippi Queen.[3]

Early in the summer of 2011, Caroline and Hannah sang on The 1861 Project, a selection commemorating Sherman's March to the Sea and the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.[4]

In 2012 Caroline Melby and Hannah Melby evolved the Nash Street band into a duo and formed the HanaLena Band. The name was taken from a Facebook page.[5]

References
  1. Nash Street, Mississippi Writers and Musicians
  2. Nash Street wins national competition Archived 2012-07-14 at Archive.today, Star Herald.
  3. Nash Street releases first music video, Starkville Daily News.
  4. Starkville's Melby sisters featured in 1861 project, The Dispatch.
  5. ,
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