Austin-based singer/songwriter Wendy Colonna invites us to taste the sweetness of life in stories of redemption on her new release, "Nectar." With grit, grace and a sense of humor, she shares her journey of a return to innocence with southern, soulful storytelling. A fall regional release tour includes shows in Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, as well as Belgium. The album release will be followed by an extensive spring national tour. The San Antonio Express-News has noted the “soulful grit” and “tender-tough abilities” of Wendy's distinctive southern voice, which the Austin Chronicle described "smoky, alluring." The songs on “Nectar” showcase her vocal range and abilities with a natural simplicity and authenticity as she delivers the much-anticipated album in her swamp-soul style. When in college and just beginning to write songs and perform, a college class in ecology led Wendy to a life-long fascination with pollination and bees. With “Nectar” she honors the insight and perspective this gave her to observe the magic and miracles of life on planet earth. After pushing through an eight-month long illness while touring her 2010 critically- acclaimed release "We Are One," Colonna took a break from performing. On "Nectar" her songs share the surrender and grace she found there.  
"I had to step out of being jaded about the business and step into the creative vulnerable life - which is hard as an artist and as a human," she says. "The songs are an invitation to access your own personal nectar despite the scars you've collected along the journey." In the fall of 2011 a solo tour in Belgium blossomed into forming a new band, The Lazybones, there and recording a new EP, "Barefoot in Belgium." The return to a grassroots approach of making music, along with her work with the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), led Colonna back to her creative path. 
Described by the Austin American-Statesman as a "force of nature," Colonna co-produces the Holiday HAAM Jam. The compilation CD and concert are a successful, annual fundraising effort for the HAAM produced along with Shane Matt, Maven Marketing Solutions and Mark Addison of Aerie Studios.  

This project led Wendy to bring Mark on as the producer for "Nectar." He describes the songs as "spiritual and uplifting." In an excerpt from her book about the making of the album, a gift for fans who supported “Nectar” through a Pledge Music Drive, Wendy writes: Mark Addison and I had a running joke that when I was ready, we would make my “dark” record together.  I had a few songs waiting in the wings that were more melancholy than the upbeat stuff on Right Where I Belong and We Are One and they needed a place. . . So I blocked off entire days to write throughout the month of January and brought them to him in batches. We sorted through them, found ones we loved, discarded others, he shared pieces of songs he was working on and he helped me with bridges and edits on some of my pieces. I had always been sort-of afraid to co-write songs, but with Mark it was easy and fun.  We wanted to make sure they were all songs I could tour solo or with a full band when we recorded them and to make sure every instrument on board supported the song.   In mid-March in the middle of the longest spring I’ve ever seen in Central Texas in Mark’s studio out in the country on the top of a hill surrounded on all sides by endless fields of Texas wildflowers we cut 9 basic tracks in 3 days with Rob Hooper, Dave Madden, Michael Stevens and Billy Masters. Our audience were Mark’s four dogs, Maggie, Kayla, Harley and Eddie and the breezes and tunes flowed.  The guys hadn’t really heard the songs and hadn’t ever worked together so everyone was fully attentive and we found the sweet spot.  Everything about this album happened with ease and steadiness. Hard work, fine talent, no drama, kindness and all in service to the songs. So our “dark” record kept tapping into a sweet deep well. I had grieved a lot over the previous few years and realized there was strength in the vulnerability and beauty in the scars. It was ok to be exposed. So many of my favorite artists are right there walking that line between shameless personal confession and creative metaphor. I had always been afraid to go there in song and I really wanted to stand on the edge and look out from these songs in this way. Two of the songs are Mark’s own masterpieces. Three are co-writes and the rest came through me. Some are fiction; some draw on experiences and others are prayers.  Mark has 35 years of experience recording and producing music, and is a keyboardist, guitarist, bassist and published songwriter. His recent credits include "Absence of Blame" (Sara Hickman), "Animal Boy" (Matt the Electrician), "Bound to Love" (Jess Klein), "Love Songs For And Against" and "Calico Girl" (Guy Forsyth), with whom he wrote the radio-ready single 'Long Long Time' as well as four other tracks. Addison also produced Irish singer-songwriter Mundy's "Raining Down Arrows," which debuted at number one on the Irish charts and has achieved platinum status there. In the late 90's, Mark was the lead singer/guitarist for EMI/Guardian recording artist The Borrowers; he is also a published songwriter with cuts by Gene Simmons, Joan Baez, Cher, Paul Thorn, Willy Porter, Hansen, Maia Sharp, Kitty Gordon and others. 

Colonna grew up in a Southwest Louisiana working class home of Italian and Cajun ancestry and has been performing since 1997. She has released five critically acclaimed studio albums and a live album and DVD recorded in the legendary Antone's in Austin, Texas - her home since 2000. Since early accolades, such as being named the "Best Singer Songwriter in Austin" by the Austin American-Statesman and called "Best New Artist" by Jody Denberg (formerly KGSR, now KUTX), Wendy has toured nationally and internationally. She's the winner of multiple songwriting contests including Indiegirl, Int'l Acoustic Music Awards, 100% Music, Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest, Independent Music Songwriting Contest, and  International Acoustic Music Award, and the grand prize winner in Famecast Talent Competition. She has been a National Association for Campus Activities (NACA) National Showcasing Artist. Additionally Colonna's music has been featured in Central Texas Time Warner Cable ads and on John Platt's "On Your radar" series on WFUV, NYC. The City of Austin honored Wendy by proclaiming April 26, 2012 "Wendy Colonna Day." 
On top of keeping a busy schedule, touring the U.S. and internationally, Wendy is also an avid yoga practitioner, athlete and community leader.
 Dean Lofton