Sunday, April 19, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

Fannin County, Texas -- You are invited to Harmony House on Sunday, April 19, '26, 3-5 pm, to experience Helene Cronin's masterful songwriting talent.  She will be singing songs from her latest album, Maybe New Mexico, which has caught the attention of the songwriting community and fans.  Helene will play two 45-minute sets with a 30-minute intermission so guests can mingle, interact with Helene, purchase merch, enjoy refreshments, or take a brief walk around the property  (The early wildflowers will spread across the meadows). 

Faye and Scott, the hosts of Harmony House Concerts, will provide bottomless cups of coffee (the real  thing), various tea punches concocted by Faye, assorted cheeses and crackers, and other treats. Guests are requested to bring finger food to share with others.  Tables for snacks will be located in the master bedroom and the dining room of this 'ole house. In the breakfast room, there will be a plate for an optional $1 cash donation to help defray the hosts' expenses. 

Harmony House Concerts is located 10 miles north of Bonham and approximately 65 NE of Dallas.  Concerts are held in a reclaimed vintage home, which was moved from Bonham to its new home on Wildscape Acres (www.WildscapeAcres.com) in 1998. Faye and Scott created a venue in their home for live Americana, acoustic, and folk music (a broad range — blues, roots, Appalachian, bluegrass, etc.) 25+ years ago. They are known for the acclaimed independent singer/songwriters who have played here – e.g. the late Jimmy LaFave, Eliza Gilkyson, Hans Theessink (Dutch-born blues player), the late Chuck Pyle (the Cosmic Cowboy), John Fullbright, to name a few.  Attending a Harmony House Concert is a down-home, casual event where folks can relax, toe-tap, and enjoy the performing artist and other guests. Check out Harmony House Concerts Group on FB and join the group to receive info about upcoming events. 

Make reservations by calling 903-583-2661, leaving your name, contact info, and # of seats desired.  Faye will get back to you to confirm.  Reservations are $25 per person, cash or check made out to Helene Cronin. Guests with reservations may pay on the day of the concert at the Reservation Table inside.  Seating is limited, but once the maximum number of guests is met, Faye will keep a Waiting List.  If you make a reservation and later need to cancel, please do so as soon as possible. NO-SHOWS ARE A NO-NO!!

Texas artist Helene Cronin describes herself as a “story-singer”. She is driven by a desire to share her life through stories that are widely universal and deeply emotional. She pursues songwriting as her life’s work, sprouted during the days when she first borrowed her older brother’s guitar and taught herself a few chords. 

For Helene, cultivating connection with her listeners is important especially in these divisive times. She recalls meeting a woman after a house concert, who told her through tears, “Listening to you and your songs makes me want to be a better person.” Helene reflects, “I can't think of a better reason to keep doing what I do. And to keep believing there's a higher purpose for me writing one more song that only a few people may ever hear. Sometimes my songs remind me that I need to do better too.” 

A 2018 New Folk Winner at the Kerrville Folk Festival, Helene's style is a merger between the raw roots of Americana and the polished song-craft of Nashville's Country. Never setting out to be a ‘star’, songwriting brought her to the stage. Audiences are drawn to her vulnerability and presence. Like other more well-known troubadours, she possesses a voice as much a character as the ones that inhabit her songs. 

Helene recently released a full-length record, Maybe New Mexico, which showcases her writing with Nashville friends over the last few years. Her last album, aptly-titled Landmarks, was released Feb. 2023, followed in November by a surprise Christmas EP, Beautiful December. Her critically acclaimed 2019 full-length debut, Old Ghosts & Lost Causes, brought unanimous praise. The chorus of kudos seems to get louder with every release. She works with A-list producers and musicians, including Matt King, who helmed 2 records, Mitch Dane who produced the new project, and players like Kenny Vaughan, Byron House, Bobby Terry, Jerry Roe, Chris Powell, and Charlie Lowell.  

Helene credits King with instilling confidence and bringing out a voice she didn’t know she had. She credits Dane with nurturing and continuing the trajectory of the quality that she shoots for with any project she releases. The bar is high and she feels fortunate to work with such talent. 

Traveling often to Nashville, Helene is well-connected in that song-writing community, writing for and with other artists. She's had songs recorded by Cody Johnson ("Over Missin' You" on his album: Leather-Deluxe Edition). She also has cuts with rising star Bryan Martin, including the title track of his record Poets and Old Souls. Others who have recorded her songs include Country star Heidi Newfield, Janelle Arthur feat. The Isaacs, and more indie artists. 

Helene hosts writer rounds at Nashville's Bluebird Cafe and performs in a variety of settings, from house concerts to festivals. Some highlights of her career so far include singing her song “Lucky Me” on the Mike Huckabee TV show and performing that special song for Medal of Honor events and countless military functions.  

Robert Christgau, noted rock critic said:  Cronin is so unassuming in her electric-folk way that you may not notice the lyrical acuteness of an album where the second song goes: “Oh the one who’s more in love / Is at the mercy of / The one who doesn’t feel it as strong / And that’s how the power lines are drawn.” Or how about “I want to leave this place better than I found it / Take a breaks my heart and wrap my arms around it / I wanna put a little good out into the world / Shine a little light in the dark / I want to leave my maker’s mark?” You may think those sentiments are corny, but in part that’s because they’re true, and seldom have said truisms been put so acutely or originally.  So, if you’re still unimpressed maybe that’s because you’re an asshole. 

Robert K. Oermann of Music Row Magazine declared, "Our DisCovery Award goes to Helene Cronin, yet another example of how women are making some of our best music.” 

Jon Worley of Aiding & Abetting had this to say about the album Landmarks: “Helene Cronin…. has a sound that harkens back to… that folky, rock-inflected sound that hit its peak with Mary Chapin Carpenter. Cronin's songs, however, are somewhat immune from easy hooks, and they tend to twist instead of blossom into anthems. I love the sound of this album. Cronin's vocals, which have just enough rasp to remind listeners that an adult is singing, inhabit the music rather than float above, a fusion that makes these songs even more engrossing. Enthralling.” 

"Her vivid lyrical abilities are without question. She’s like Leonard Cohen – [She] writes with a good editing pen and produces tight, original tales, then adds an invigorating melody." ~ John Apice, Americana Highways