You can take Helms out of Virginia, but you can’t take Virginia out of Helms. His songwriting incorporates waltzes, ballads, and old-school rhythms that once formed the backbone of Appalachian dances but have become rare in modern roots music. Songs like “Fool’s Gold,” “Voices Shot,” and “Ballad of the Bondurant Boys” pay tribute to those traditions, while tracks like “Welcome to the Freak Show” serve as a mission statement, reminding us that regardless of background, geography, or circumstance, everyone deserves a seat at the table. “Backwoods or suburbs, you know we are all just the same,” he sings, “‘cause no matter where you come from, we all got red blood and it’s coursing through all of our veins.”
