THE BAND
MUSICIAN BIOS
Caroline Heldman
// lead vocals
CAROLINE sang "allelujah" as her first word, began formal vocal training at the age of three, and was a paid soloist by the age of five. As a teenager, she toured the West Coast with the popular rock band, Selah. Caroline has crooned in some of the hottest clubs in New York City, including; the legendary CBGB's and The Gaslight with The Problems and Silicone Sirens. Her vocal stylization has graced over thirty albums as a studio musician,
and she was a principal performer in professional theater productions of Chicago, A Little Night Music, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Brighton Beach Memoirs. She studied classical voice for two decades with the distinguished Oral Peru, and performed in numerous operas before returning to her first love: grunge metal. Caroline lived just a few blocks away from
the infamous rock clubs in Seattle during the rise of grunge,
and didn't miss a moment in the mosh pit! Since living in Los Angeles, she has sung lead for many Los Angeles projects and bands of note, but her love of AIC's music inspired her to create the Allison Chains tribute project. As the band's front person, Caroline takes an immediate hold of the audience, and doesn't let go. All of the classical training, rock and roll experience, and theatrical performance credentials meld into a powerful and haunting rocker persona on stage. Her undeniable power, edgey growls, and distinctive "snarl to a scream" vocals come together to transform her into the passionate performer that is the deep and moody essence of Alice In Chains' front man, Layne Staley. Caroline is also a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do who holds two national championship titles. She is also a well-known and respected political pundit, activist, and book author. Her work has been featured in the top journals in her field.
Felicia Villani
// guitar-backing vocals
FELICIA began playing guitar at the age of 9, and played her first paid gig at the age of 13. She is a creative lead guitarist and a member of the Gibson Guitars Family of Artists. Felicia studied music and acting at University of Colorado Boulder. Along with musical theater, she was influenced by classic & progressive
rock and blues music. She looked up to guitarists such as David Gilmour, Nancy Wilson, Davy Johnston, Bonnie Raitt, Jimi Page
and Prince. While still a university student, she joined the rock
band Snowblind, and was soon gigging full time. She gained experience recording at local studios, and playing shows across the Western states. She moved to Michigan and performed and recorded with original bands; Isis, Infrared, and The Music Zoo, all from the Detroit-Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the Ontario province of Canada music scenes. After a return to Colorado, she co-founded the band Surrender Dorothy, performed full time in regional clubs and completed an USO DOD international tour, playing concerts for United States military troops deployed across Asia, British Indian Ocean Territory, and Australia. Felicia later moved to Los Angeles, played and recorded with the band MIX, and signed with Asha Records, as a member of r&b funk band, Soul Instinct. She worked as a session guitarist and vocalist for producer Gloria Jones-Bolan, (Motown, Capitol (EMI), at Rusk Studios and Hit City. After gaining some cred by playing many of L.A.'s live venues such as The Viper Room, Whiskey A Go Go, and The Knitting Factory, she ranked among L.A. rock musicians by winning the 2008 Rock City News Award for Best Female Guitarist. Felicia is also a club DJ/remixer in the house music genre, a 4th degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a three time Southern California Grand Champion in kata, weapons, and sparring.
Amelia "P-Nut" Gioello
// bass
P-NUT developed an interest in playing the Guitar at the age of fifteen and she later expanded her interest to include playing drums. She finally settled in with the bass as her main focus in her early twenties after being recruited to play bass in a Los Angeles based all girl punk band named Female Chauvinist Pigs. For a decade P-Nut kept a full time schedule with the band, touring locally as well as regionally throughout the United States. The band released two full length albums and later morphed into a new band, minus 1 member, as Kill Kitty Kill. P-Nut's musical background includes a music degree from Southern California's Harbor College, hands-on work in many recording studios, and a good collection of live show credits with various bands, including national touring with the metal core band, Resistant Culture. Throughout her musician's life, she has been influenced by a wide range of musical styles.
P-Nut's musical versatility ranges from the hard hitting heaviness of metal, the bravado of classic punk, the technical and mental aspects of progressive rock, and the organic nature of classic rock, roots, and independent music. Holding down the low end for Allison Chains is a natural fit for P-Nut, who is no stranger to drop down tunings, hard driving riffs, and melodic sensibility. She is solid as a rock, and her bass playing hits you right smack in the face with no apology. Her current instruments in her bass arsenal include her two vintage 80's Aria Pro II basses, her Fender Aerodyne and her trusty Ibanez Ergodyne. She prefers Ampeg amplification. P-Nut credits her main musical influence as the actual instrument itself. Her love for the bass guitar drives her forward to learn and experience more with her craft everyday.
Shaina Mikee Keiths
// drums
Shaina Mikee Keiths (born Shaina Leigh Ann Fober) was raised between Pittsburgh, PA & Boston, MA where she
developed her deep passion for rock music and hard-hitting stage attitude. Shaina is a classically trained percussionist who at a young age sat first chair in the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony. In the summer of 2011, Shaina received the most sought-after scholarship to Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA after completing their 5-week summer performance program and blowing the committee away during her talent-‐ based audition. She majored in contemporary writing and production with a special field of focus of arranging and studied drumming under the likes of Jackie Santos and Rod Morganstein. Shaina is currently the house drummer at the infamous Viper Room and is endorsed by Soultone Cymbals. She also plays the reoccurring character Echo, in the FX series Mayans (season 3, 2021), where she plays guitar and sings G.G. Allin’s “Shoot, Knife, Strangle, Beat, and Crucify.” Shaina has performed and toured the U.S. and internationally with The Monkees, Jefferson Starship, David Ellefson of Megadeth, Victor Wooten, and Boots Electric (aka Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal). As a session musician she has recorded and worked with Grammy winners Eric Delegard, Matthew Ellard (producer/ engineer of Radiohead, Motorhead, Weezer, etc.), Gary Gramolini (founding guitarist of John Cafferty and The Beaver Brown Band), Daniel Day (bassist of Brian McKnight) and Tiny Tavares (singer of Tavares). Her musical idols and influences include; Keith Moon, RingoStarr, Ginger Baker, John Bonham, Taylor Hawkins, David Bowie, Josh Homme, Keith Richards, and Joan Jett.
ALLISON CHAINS
// on tour moments
