Some artists simply sing songs, sharing subjects that are either real or imagined. Others engage in flights of fantasy or, conversely, offer their own views on the state of society with regard to what they perceive as worldly wisdom.

Texas-bred singer/songwriter Helene Cronin describes herself as a “story-singer.” Hers is a musical mission born from experience, as well as a desire to bring to life stories and ideas that resonate with genuine emotion and, in their wake, impart lessons that her listeners can absorb within their own life experiences. It’s a direction and determination she’s pursued over the course of her career, and for that matter, most of her own life as well. It’s flourished and been nourished ever since she borrowed her brother’s guitar and taught herself how to play.

For Helene, cultivating that connection is rooted in a deeply personal perspective. 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.”

That comment made an immediate impression. “I can't really think of a better reason to keep doing what I do,” she reflects. “And to keep believing there's a higher purpose for me writing one more song that only a few people might ever hear.”