Heather Pierson Duo – Piano-Based Folk and Blues

“Heather is like two great acts in one, sliding from sweet acoustic Appalachian old-timey vibe with Patty Griffinesque lyrics to brassy New Orleans blues piano with a bone thrown to Bessie Smith.” – DC Bloom | Lone Star Music Magazine

”Heather is a musicians’ musician.  Best piano-based folk since early Joni Mitchell.  And there’s a great message here.” – Ken Nagelberg | WHYR*** HEATHER PIERSON – HONEST, HEARTFELT, SOULFUL

Heather Pierson is a New Hampshire-based singer/songwriter, pianist, song leader, and performer with a passion for cultivating joy, both onstage and off.  With a toe in each of the realms of New Orleans jazz, blues, vocal chants, instrumental piano, and folk, her multi-genre songwriting places her firmly in a category all her own, one honed by decades of diligent practice and curious exploration.  Whether solo, as a duo, with her trio, or in a community sing, Heather’s live performances feature her belltone vocals, ease at the piano, and are infused with happiness, honest self-reflection, and a genuine desire to connect and share from the heart.  Heather’s trio, with partner Shawn Nadeau on bass and harmony vocals and Craig Bryan on drums/percussion and harmony vocals, performs a rich variety of Heather’s originals, jazz and blues standards, and unique re-workings of familiar classics.  Their live performances are a joyful, skillful, and dynamic expression of their deep friendship.  This trio is also known for their beloved annual Charlie Brown Christmas tour, wherein they present their interpretations of the work of the late great jazz pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi.

Heather, along with fellow singer/songwriter/song leader Bernice Martin, are co-creators of Heart Songs & Circle Songs, a community singing project that has produced two albums and songbooks of original community singing repertoire now being taught by song leaders and choir directors around the world.   Both online and in person, Heather and Bernice teach and share their songs in concert, community sing, morning worship, and workshop format with choirs, churches, organizations, and hearts around the world.  A third songbook volume is currently in the works, as well as two more albums’ worth of original songs for community singing. In 2022, Heather reconnected with a friend of nearly thirty years, Leah Boyd, to form a new musical duo, Peaceful Means.  They weave together original songs and uplifting arrangements of choice covers with their voices and accompanying piano, acoustic strings, and percussion to create music as an invitation to remember and to cultivate the joy, peace, and connection that are available in every moment, kindled by their individual commitment to nonviolent practices and to sharing the creative fruits of that searching.  Their debut album of original songs is planned for a fall 2023 release.

In nearly 25 years on her own record label, Vessel Recordings, Heather has released fifteen albums and several singles of original music reflecting her boundless creativity.  Throughout her colorful career, her eclectic skill set continues to propel her onto concert hall stages and into coffeehouses, clubs, living rooms, churches, and everywhere else she is invited to share her songs and herself.  Her nearly non-stop performance schedule speaks of her tireless work ethic and endless devotion to her crafts. Defying genre and classification and yet fully embracing all musical styles, Heather is an artist who speaks the language of music in as many dialects as her abilities will allow. Her life’s work is to share her love of music and her gratitude for life with others–one song, one heart, and one moment at a time.

Visit her site here: HeatherPierson.com