Moundsville native
Hannah Lynch is featured on the new “Go 1st House Band:
Coffee Shop Edition” album that is available to stream today on all platforms. (Photo
Provided)

MOUNDSVILLE — A Moundsville native is one of the featured artists on a new album being released today by Go 1st Records, a record label run by West Virginia University students.

WVU student Hannah Lynch, 20, is featured on the compilation album titled “Go 1st House Band: Coffee Shop Edition.”

She sang on the album’s track “Westward” and also on the piano-decorated melodies of “Secrets.” This is the second acoustic album that WVU students have written, recorded and produced together.

“The Go 1st House Band is composed of students at West Virginia University who have all come together to create this album,” said Elizabeth Smith, album release manager for the project and featured performer on “Facade.”

She noted the creative process began last spring. Students met in small groups to compose each track together.

“The House Band provides students the opportunity to not only write music together, but also produce the music from start to finish,” Smith said.

Lynch, daughter of Amy Lynch and a John Marshall High School graduate, described being featured on the album as “an honor.”

“With the upcoming release of our GoFirst Records Mixtape later on in the spring that will feature these songs with a more in depth production process, this album felt like a great opportunity to offer my song to the public in its rawest form,” she said. “I think this version offers to the listener a reflection of the intimacy that exists between me and my guitar.

“It offers a similar atmosphere to when the song was being written,” she added.

Lynch said she has been singing for as long as she can remember.

“Growing up, I was too shy to sing in front of people — even my own family,” she said. “But in sixth grade, when I thought I was singing at home alone, my mom had heard me singing a song in my bedroom.

“She immediately threw me into the middle school choir,” Lynch continued. “I always had a unique voice compared to the other kids and I never really grasped onto the techniques we were being taught, but I still really enjoyed it.”

Lynch said it was during her choir time that she began to gain confidence to sing in front of others.

“I am very thankful for that opportunity. That time in my life helped me to find my voice,” she said.

Lynch said she penned the song’s lyrics as well as the guitar music.

“When I brought the song to my friend and talented guitarist Drew Grove, he added embellishments on top of my playing that fit the song perfectly and completed the sonic atmosphere I was striving for,” she said.

Lynch said her family including her mother, brother Isaac Renzella and grandmother, Mary Anne Lynch, have been incredibly supportive of her love of music. She is majoring in music industry and minoring in music technology at WVU. She is also an applied percussion major.

“I’m hoping to begin playing live during the spring semester. I plan to play out with my talented and great friend Drew Grove, but we also have ideas of getting a band together,” she said. “We’re excited to see what the future holds for us.”

The album can be streamed today on all platforms.

“This song, ‘Westward,’ means a lot to me. Not only is it the first song I have written that I am incredibly happy with, but also the first song that is 100% and completely my own that has been completed and recorded in full,” Lynch said. “It feels so great to be able to share my creation, my feelings, and my message with the public like this.

“I am beyond thankful for this opportunity as well as everyone who decides to take a listen. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

For years, Dusty LeGrande has added his own touch to clothing, his way of teaching people about Indigenous history.

“Clothing is a very powerful tool for having a voice even when you don’t want to vocally speak things,” he explained.

It inspired his street wear brand in 2018 called Mobilize Waskawewin.

LeGrande’s designs have hit heights he never imagined.

He’s behind the merchandise at the FIS Snowboard Big Air World Cup.

“Indigenous art is not just what you see visually. It’s infused with story and teaching,” he said.

He created Star Homie, the logo featured on the trophies.

“Last year was introducing Star Homie, he was embraced well by the fans, by the athletes and so this year we’re like, ‘OK so now let’s tell the people what he’s about,'” LeGrande said.

Star Homie is based on an old form of rock art.

It depicts the North Saskatchewan River, once a meeting place. The star represents the Cree teachings, and the circle within it, the great mystery.

“So those three elements are what creates Star Homie. You can see them around here and then you can see them within the character itself,” he explained.

“This is kind of the river part, the pieces on the head are the star and the little circle within is the great mystery. And I’ve been taught that the great mystery is what connects all of us as human beings.”

Local beadwork artists are making medallions for this year’s winners.

“I thought that would be really cool, to include, now, a new aspect of Indigenous art,” LeGrande said.

“So something that was not like anything else that was on their trophy mantle.”

LeGrande’s mark will be on more than just the merchandise.

“The different parts of the jump you’ll see different artwork, around the stadium in the digital boards will be artwork as well.”

They are designs he hopes allows people to see Indigenous history in a different way.

“With residential schools and all the discoveries and all that painful history that we hear about a lot, it’s important to also hear about the beauty and the art and the other side of it so that people can have a fuller understanding of what it means to be Indigenous,” he said.

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