About
Musical bonding begins when you are young. As toddlers, Hannah and Caroline Melby were listening to their daddy play harmonica to Tennessee Waltz and his own rendition of “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” while mom was taking the girls to the symphony concerts on the MSU campus, ballets, and to elementary school plays performed by her 5th grade music students. The girls naturally were drawn to the performing arts, but had a special interest in music. Coming from a college town and getting their education in an arts oriented public school in the south, there were many opportunities to hear and experience a diversity of musical styles. That’s one reason you can count on hearing that blend in their music. There’s a definite bluegrass, old time, and folk influence in their expertise of instrumentation, but the Mississippi blues heritage along with some energizing complex syncopated rhythms of jazz and soulful harmonies give their music a signature sound.
“There were no boundaries between cultures in our childhood. Sunday morning, we would be surrounded by a gospel choir. That afternoon I would be performing in a classical piano recital, and that night we would be in the middle of a bluegrass jam. There was no end to the musical diversity my parents exposed us to. We thrived on that diversity.” –Caroline
Nash Street began as a band in 1996 because of the desire to compete in a bluegrass and old time string band contest. The name “Nash Street” seemed fitting for the band since they grew up on that very street in their hometown of Starkville, MS. Their love for the stage and making music as a group was evident from the start and their desire to perform civically or competitively was fueled. Hannah received arts grants to study under seasoned fiddlers, while Caroline took lessons with Mr. Larry Wallace, one of Jimmy Martin’s “Sunny Mountain Boys”. Playing as a 4-piece band with stand up bass and guitar additions, the sisters were afforded many opportunities to travel and meet other young musicians doing similar activities on the weekends. There were quite a few proms, Friday night High School Football games, and “date parties” missed during their younger days, but it all seemed worth the sacrifice to travel and enjoy the crowd response to something they were creatively producing. They were continuing to get more and more attention and the performances moved from square dances to theater concerts quickly.
“Music has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. When little kids get asked what they want to be when they grow up they usually respond with a doctor, actress, firefighter, or an astronaut. Their answer then changes as they get older and figure out what they truly want to do in life. My answer has never changed. I believe music is in my blood. It is a passion of mine that has turned into a lifestyle and a career.” –Hannah.
The teenagers’ hard work began to pay off as the band accelerated towards their goal. Nash Street won talent competitions at the Mississippi State Fair, Neshoba County Fair, and placed 4th in the local Colgate Country Showdown while they were still in high school. Their first thrill of the “big stage” was when the band was invited to perform at Tim McGraw’s “Swampstock” benefit concert in his hometown of Rayville, LA. There they met some gifted new friends and were inspired by their musicianship and thrill of entertaining the crowd. Their second effort at the Colgate Country Showdown resulted in the National Championship, beating 50,000 competitors with a reward of $100,000, and title, “Best New Act in Country Music”.
“The Colgate Country Showdown was a surreal experience in itself. The fact that we got to stand on country music’s original stage was indescribable. The moment you walk on stage at the Ryman you are transported to another time where Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Roy AcCuff, and Johnny Cash ruled the stages and the airwaves. The classics start running through your head and you realize that your feet are on the same stage as performers you have admired all your life. No other stage can compare.” –Hannah
The Melby sisters had the desire and drive to study music greats from every genre such as Chris Thile, Ricky Skaggs, Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, Rolling Stones, and many more. From this, they began to pull their goal into focus as to what it would take to move forward.
It was apparent that even though their roots were deep in Mississippi’s rich heritage, the time had come to share their talent with another region and enjoy the musical saturation that Nashville, Tennessee had to offer. The kick-off to the move began with the addition of a music video created by Distant Lands Productions in Murfreesboro, TN. The beauty and elegance of the old steamboat, The Delta Queen, provided the backdrop along with the Tennessee River for a music video that reflects the charm and talent of these singers and instrumentalists.
Nashville has been the opportune place for the Nash Street musicians to song-write with many of the top composers in country music. The camaraderie of fellow musicians has inspired successful co-writes and has boosted the band’s attractiveness to the music industry.
“I especially enjoy the writing process of music. It is an amazing feeling to watch a song go from a catchy melody stuck in my head to a polished song performed in front of a crowd.” –Caroline
“When I was younger I used to dream what it must feel like for Garth Brooks to start singing a song and have his fans singing every word. Although it wasn’t 50,000 fans, I remember looking out from the stage playing a song we had written and seeing fans in the audience looking back at me singing every word. That feeling is indescribable. It makes everything worth your effort to see the joy in the faces of strangers you’ve never met connecting to music we wrote that had our heart and soul poured into it.” –Hannah
Since being in Nashville the band has become a known professional quality band that has been heard playing to crowds at Rippy’s, the famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, Cadillac Ranch, 3rd and Linsley, 12th and Porter, among other popular performance venues. They’ve also been performing guests at the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Reunion of Professional Entertainers, Ernest Tubb Record Shop’s Midnight Jamboree, CMA Music Fest, Warner Park’s Full Moon Pickin’ Party, Music City Roots, and Nashville’s Women’s 5K marathon. In the fall of 2011, Hannah and Caroline were invited to play on a compilation album, “The 1861 Project.” It is a collection of new songs that reflect the feelings and sentiments of those who experienced the Civil War. The two girls joined some heavy hitters such as Marty Stuart and John Anderson on this project and have enjoyed being associated with such fine musicians that are a part of the album.
Some of the national acts Nash Street has performed with include Little Big Town, Faith Hill, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Blackhawk, Billy Gilman, Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, Rhonda Vincent, Mountain Heart, Claire Lynch, Chris Young, Clay Walker, Daryl Worley, Jeff Bates, Shelly Fairchild, The Grascals, Charlie Louvin, LeAnn Rimes, Eric Church, Josh Kelley, and many more. Nash Street has also been exposed to top media exposure through such avenues as WGN TV in Chicago, IL, FamilyNet TV in Atlanta, GA, and the Daily Buzz in Orlando, FL. Features in publications include numerous highlights in Country Weekly Magazine, The Nashville Music Guide, Maverick Magazine, Mississippi Magazine, and Life on the Water Magazine.
The band continued to evolve through the years, allowing each new member to add to the musical melting pot Nash Street was brewing. Through the many changes, Nash Street has made a total of four albums. These albums include: “Live at the Princess Theater,” “Never Lost, Not Forgotten,” “Carry On,” and “Between Hope and Heartache.”
Recently, the sisters took center stage. Since the change, Hannah and Caroline have been busy creating a fresh, new sound while still keeping a firm grasp on their roots. If you find yourself at a Nash Street concert in the near future, be prepared to be sonically intrigued, mentally pleased, and permanently hooked.
