Biography
Nicole Cooley Woodruff, known by the nickname of Nico (pronounced NEE-ko) performs a variety of music accompanying herself with rhythm guitar and playing traditional folk songs, originals, and covers. With lead guitar from Walt Flythe they are a soothing addition to cozy acoustic venues. Both also work in other larger ensembles and are always looking for new environments to create and play music including recording opportunities and performance opportunities.
Nico and Walt are local to southern Virginia but also travel the Eastern Seaboard to North Carolina, South Carolina, as far north as Pennsylvania, and as far south as Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.
Nico says, "The inspiration for my collection of songs can be traced through my life."
Born in South Alabama she grew up with a musical family surrounded by traditional songs and great album collections. As a child, she loved music and was always singing. By high school she learned C flute and first performed publicly in high school symphonic band, marching band, and jazz band.
Also around 15 years of age, Nico was inspired by listening to her relatives play music and began to learn to play guitar. She says, "I taught myself Beatles and Joni Mitchell songs... and traditional songs. My lifelong affinity for Scottish and Celtic music might be guessed by looking at my red hair."
In New Orleans in the late 1980s Nico played music in the New Orleans French Quarter both as a busker and in "The Old Artist's Cafe" and was sometimes called "Joni Junior" due to frequent renditions of Joni Mitchell songs.
Life led her to Maryland, where she performed with several bands including the Washington (DC) Area Music (Wammie) Award nominated group KIVA where she was a strong presence on many of their albums. At that time Nico began to perform at a myriad of venues including festivals, coffee shops, and wedding receptions.
In 1997 Nico aced the vocal audition to sing for "The Washington (DC) Revels" which she is still proud of as a great accomplishment even though she wasn't able to accept the position due to other creative obligations.
In summer of 2004 Nico was drawn to the music and art culture of Floyd, VA. She's been enjoying playing local venues there, and meeting and collaborating with other musicians in the Shenandoah Valley area and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
In June of 2005 in South Carolina, Nico had the opportunity to open for "Triple Lindy" and "The Dave Nelson Band."
Nico was voted "Best of Floyd County Virginia! The Floyd Press readers' choice 2006 category Music/Entertainment." Nico is listed on FloydMusic.com along with quite a few other local artists and has a song on "The Music of Floyd" (FMS World) Compilation CD.
Nico is also listed in the April 3, 2008 "New River Voice" magazine as one of the "10 Musical Acts You Should Know." For more information go to: http://newrivervoice.com/archives/1097
Nico currently sings every year in the Stone People's Chorus at Four Quarters Interfaith Sanctuary. For more information go to: www.4QF.org
Nico's current independent CD release is titled "Postcards From Floyd." She has several new recording projects are in the works. Nico performed and made a live recording with KIVA on Saturday, August 8, 2009 which was be KIVA's 20th Anniversary Reunion Concert! KIVA is also featuring Nico's original song Sea Called on their next album!
New sound clips can be heard at Nico's myspace page (myspace.com/nicolecooleywoodruff) hotlinked at the very bottom of this page. You can also visit the website mentioned at the end of the discography below for audio clips of older material from when Nico was in KIVA credited as Nicole Cooley.
Instrumentation
Nico is a vocalist singing lead/backup/harmony vocals and she also plays rhythm guitar and incidental percussion instruments such as chimes and shakers. She also plays C flute and an unusual instrument the bowed psaltery (related to the dulcimer.) Walt plays lead guitar and flutes.
Discography
Postcards From Floyd
(Nico Woodruff) with Atticus Stoval - lead guitar. 2006
The Music of Floyd Compilation
(Nico Woodruff) with Connie Kolb - native flute. 2006
Folk Remedies
(Nico Woodruff) 2005
KIVA, Live At the Forest Inn
(Nicole Cooley) 1997
KIVA, Finding the Balance Within
(Nicole Cooley) 1994
KIVA, Mother Wisdom
(Nicole Cooley) 1994
KIVA, Alchemy
(Nicole Cooley) 1993
Tribe of Spirit, Voice of the Drum
(Nicole Cooley) 1993
KIVA, Renewal
(Nicole Cooley) 1991
Visit: www.KIVAsong.com (For audio clips of recordings Nico participated in with KIVA. You'll hear Nico singing high harmonies and co lead vocals as well as playing rhythm guitar and C flute. Check Nico's sonicbids press tab to see what parts she played on which KIVA albums. You can also click the hotlink below to hear audio on Nico's myspace page.
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/nicolecooleywoodruff |