Spotlight On…….Colby T. Helms & His Tales of Misfortune On Debut Album

Photo Finish Records is proud to present Tales of Misfortune, the debut album by the rising star from the Appalachian region Colby T. Helms. Acknowledged by American Songwriter as possessing “the name, the background, and the music to become the next big thing in country” following the release of the album’s first single (“Higher Ground”), the album chronicles the artistic coming-of-age story of the 21-year-old from Boones Mill, VA.

In addition to the track, Helms has released the music video for “Mountain Brandy,” a song that draws inspiration from her childhood in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The film and song are Helms’ ode to the Appalachians who inspired him, as well as to the valleys themselves, and were directed and produced by Michael Mazza of M7 Productions.

The eight-track album covers a wide range of topics, from the ragtime-influenced “First Snow” set in a dream to the emotionally charged “Daddy’s Pocketet Knife” in which Helms mourns his late father, the man who had inspired his musical career. Along the way, the album acknowledges the mystic pull of Helms’ hometown, which keeps drawing him back, and the toll of life on the road. This album, which Helms wrote and recorded solo, features his trademark brand of bone-raw country folk, which combines the raw honesty of country storytelling with the piercing twang of bluegrass. Billy Hurt, a legendary fiddler from Boones Mill, Virginia, served as his mentor and produced the album.

When Helms says “this album delves into my teenage years growing up in rural Southwest Virginia”, it is is exactly what he describes. “When people spin this album, I hope they can experience the enchantment of my region’s sounds, landscapes, and culture.”

Helms began travelling at the age of eighteen and has since opened for a long list of artists, including Molly Tuttle, Marty Stuart, Old Crow Medicine Show, Charley Crockett, and more. He will be performing at AmericanaFest UK, MerleFest, Blue Ox Music Festival, FloydFest, Rooster Walk, and Suwanee Spring Reunion in 2024, in addition to supporting Tanner Ursey.