Helen’s musical career started with a tour with Richard Penniman (Little Richard).  toured Canada as part of the New Supremes and Switzerland, Germany, U.S. and Italy with her sister as the Duncan Sisters. While living in Memphis, TN, she worked at Ardent Studio with William Tanner Productions as a jingle singer and on-call session singer.  She also worked at Shoe Productions as an on-call session singer and with Willie Mitchell and Al Green in the Studios.  She opened the “new” Club Handy on Beal Street and Marmalade’s in Memphis, TN.   She recorded 5 albums for Three Hats Production (THP) out of Toronto Canada when Disco was popular music. She did back-up on U2’s “ Rattle and Hum” album. She longs to sing for an appreciative audience.

​Helen has been singing since the age of four and started singing in the Baptist Church with her family.  Helen is the Musical Director for Agape Bay Area and has also served as their Choir Director. Helen joined the Oakland Center for Spiritual Living (First Church of Religious Science) in 2004 where she met Larry Steelman and was a featured soloists in the choir.  She worked as director of the Joy! Choir for the past ten years with Larry and also in a group called Shugga.  They play local clubs in the Bay. She is featured soloists in many of the Spiritual Centers in the Bay area.

Simon Russell has had the great honor of performing with The James Brown Band, El Debarge, Ziggy Modeliste, Elvin Bishop, Pete Escovedo, Vet Stone, Rose Stone, The Angels, Anika Noni Rose, Tom Politzer, Micheal Blankenship, Kevin Levar, Professor Sylvester Henderson, Sylvester Burkes, Kim Waters, John Nemeth, Mads Tolling, Tony Lindsay, Tommy Castro, David Grissom, Lady Bianca, Mitch Woods, EC Scott, Zakiya Hooker, Curtis Lawson, Beverly Stoval and many that are truly remarkable musical phenoms yet to be discovered on a grand scale commercially. In 2007 Simon Russell performed with the Soul Generals in Toronto, Ontario, Canada opening for the Morris Day and The Time.

In 2012, Simon joined Kim Waters to perform for and honor Quincy Jones on Black History Month. In 2013, Simon joined Paula Harris and the Beast of Blues who were awarded a Blues nomination and multiple Blues awards for their release “Turning On The Naughty”. Simon is also a prolific composer and songwriter with hundreds of compositions throughout his career, covering many different styles and genres.

In 2018, Simon started a music school for youth and adults called Notes Music Academy as well as a non-profit, Notes for Change, both helping the community to develop and flourish their artistic expression through music education and mentorship.