WHO WE ARE
“Refreshing”is the word most often used to describe the music of WIND. WIND consists of husband and wife, Nori & Barbie Kelley, with backing vocalist Shane Faux-Dugan and drummer Kenny Hudson. To date, WIND has released a total of 20 albums and EPs, with their first album dating back to 1994. Over the years they have toured extensively across the U.S. with their music, as well as in numerous other countries.
During the pandemic in 2020 WIND began to receive airplay on various progressive rock radio shows based in both the U.K. & U.S., resulting in an invitation to perform a live set in Britain’s “Prog & Rock Virtual Festival,” which attracted nearly 17,000 listeners. They’ve since done many live concerts & interviews on both “The Prog & Rock Show” (Rushden, England) & the “Kiss That Prog” (Shotts, Scotland) radio shows during U.K. tours from ’22-’25 as well as numerous club concerts & church worship services in both England & Scotland. WIND also tours Japan on an annual basis, typically playing around 10 engagements there each year.
Their newest album, called “The Guide,” was released in the autumn of 2025, and continues to receive high praise. An extensive article & review is forthcoming in the U.K.’s rock magazine,“PowerPlay.”
Nori Kelley
Born in Japan, but raised in Gadsden, Alabama from age 9, Nori Kelley is a veteran session musician who has worked with Jon Anderson (Yes), Dave Hope (Kansas), the late Jon Camp (Renaissance),Will McFarlane (Muscle Shoals Swampers / Bonnie Raitt), John Sussewell (Diana Ross,Alvin Lee, Bob Dylan), the Chi-Lites and others. CCM magazine once compared his guitar playing to both Mark Knopfler and Phil Keaggy. Mel Bay Publications released two of Nori’s guitar teaching projects internationally, both of which were best sellers. He also produced a number of albums in Japan from 1999-2016. Nori has produced & engineered nearly 100 album projects in all, and has played on well over a thousand recordings.
Barbie Kelley
Barbie Kelley hails from the Wilmington, Delaware area and comes from a large musical family. She began playing the flute at age 9, and now plays percussion and guitar as well. She has played & sung on hundreds of recording sessions. Her voice has a pleasant, almost Celtic-like quality, and has been compared by some to Natalie Merchant and Annie Haslam of Renaissance. Audiences love her flute playing, and WIND’s flute and guitar combination achieves nice results. Barbie has written a musical with Nori called “No Love, No Peace – The Musical, “ geared toward middle/junior high school students, dealing with issues such as bullying & suicide. It was debuted at AAST High School in Myrtle Beach, SC in 2017 and “WIND & Friends” released the musical soundtrack in 2018. Nori & Barbie hope to see it performed in more schools in the near future.
Shane Faux-Dugan
Shane Faux-Dugan (pron. Fox-Doogan) joined WIND on backing vocals in 2023. He has been playing the clarinet since he was in the 3rd grade, and went to Cab Calloway School of the Arts in Wilmington, Delaware where he majored in music for seven years. Shane has always been surrounded by musicians or musical hobbies. He’s a huge fan of war gaming, board games, RPGs, hiking and camping, and he writes short stories for fun. Shane has toured with the band in the UK and Japan, as well as a mini-tour to New York & Massachusetts. Their latest album, “The Guide,” is Shane’s second appearance on a WIND project, with 2024’s “A Night To Remember” EP being his first.
Kenny Hudson
Kenny Hudson is WIND’s newest member, joining in the summer of 2025 for the recording of “The Guide.” Kenny started working with WIND in 2024 as the sound tech for a tour in Japan before joining the band on drums for “The Guide”. He comes from a family of professional musicians, his brother and father both being drummers as well. Kenny studied under Tim Laushey who was as a student of Gene Krupa, before studying under Frank Russo while studying jazz performance/commercial music in college. In a previous band Kenny recorded a song with Mark Lettieri of Snarky Puppy but it was never released due to issues within the band. He has been performing live professionally since he was 13 and works to be a well rounded proficient drummer on all genres, but considers himself mainly a progressive rock/ jazz fusion / jam band style drummer at heart.
“Well crafted…with clever little rhythmic twists…unexpected chord changes… Barbie’s accomplished flute and whistle lines…Nori’s seasoned, song-centric guitar…what a sincere, engaging record…Nori is an assured guitarist.”
~ PROG Magazine
MORE REVIEWS
“WIND, presenting passionate music with high-flying flute, guitar acrobatics and killer chorus sections, seem to have no hard time proving they can win over even the average music listener.”
~ Shawn M. Haney, All Music Guide
“With the scene here in the UK currently picking up for progressive rock artists and artists with a folk and blues edge, the time could be right for WIND…they have the tools and the songs, they just need that little push…”
~ Nick Baldrain, Fireworks Magazine (UK)
“Best flute & guitar music in the southeast!”
~ Borders Books & Music, Atlanta
“(Nori’s) guitar playing stuns.”
~ Doug LeBlanc, CCM Magazine