“...I think they may have created a whole new genre...”
— Rex Bell, Jazz Pianist, Composer, and Owner Infrared Studio
Musically, the rock and classical worlds hold the most sway over the progressive sound of Finding Butterflies but a love of folk melodies especially those of Celtic traditions has also found its way into the heart of their music. With vocal expression reminiscent of Candice Night, Jon Anderson, and Annie Haslam the music of Finding Butterflies relies on a richly layered harmonic context alongside uniquely featured virtuosic instrumental breaks of guitar, whistle, and flute.
From Don’s days as guitarist and vocalist for Third Stone to Lisa’s more traditional education in the classical world, the pair has shared significant success both there as well as with Zao, a group who earned both local and regional popularity with their high energy rock shows. As members of Zao, the pair “cut their songwriting chops” with such fan favorites as Unsung Hero, Fire, and Lost Without You, and then went on to write and perform acoustic favorites such as There Will Be Change, One More Time, and Edges. These eclectic experiences as well as the duo’s extensive travels in North America and Europe have influenced the pair as they have become Finding Butterflies. Lisa most recently served as Creative Consultant for Virgo, a jazz project composed by Rex Bell and recorded by the Rex Bell Trio. Lisa conceptualized the project, supervised the artwork, wrote the extended liner notes, and played flute for this project that was featured on WKRB Radio in Brooklyn.
As for artists who have influenced the pair, Don's sound and style are most definitely rooted in the musical musings of Ritchie Blackmore, Steve Howe, and Steve Morse. Lisa's eclectic background makes pinpointing an influence more difficult. She has listened extensively to Kansas, Yes, Heart, Led Zeppelin, Rush, Brazilian Jazz Artist Angelina Assad, the Beatles and of course a bevy of Irish singers. Fans have compared the duo to Blackmore's Night and early Heart among others.
Finding Butterflies was delighted to present their first offering in March 2017 - an EP aptly entitled "Finding Butterflies, and in 2018, the pair followed with the release of their 2nd EP, "Crows." The duo then released six singles across 2018, 2019, and 2020. In 2021 Finding Butterflies released Iron Cross, another single channeling the Celtic spirit. Lyrics for each song can be found on the Music page of the Finding Butterflies website.