For bio
information on the other players, click a name below:
Nan Gurley
Stevan Pippin
Wayne Gurley
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Bonnie Keen
(Beulah Byrd)
Author, speaker, recording artist Bonnie Keen has
emerged as one of the most compelling singer/songwriters of this
generation. Her new album, God of Many Chances, continues
the journey of faith, hope, healing, and restoration that she began with
her breathtaking solo debut, "Marked for Life."
Blessed with one of contemporary Christian music's most distinctive
voices, Bonnie is also a writer of rare insight and vulnerability. With
songs that run the gamut from soaring hymns to intimate worship arias;
from fragile, sensitive ballads to sinewy, rock-inflected barnburners,
Bonnie has the unique ability to build bridges over those boundary lines
that separate the hurting from the Healer. Indeed, the songs on God
of Many Chances create a safe place of restoration in this too
often fragmented world - a place where people can wrap Bonnie's
mellifluous vocal interpretations around their shoulders and feel welcome.
"This record speaks hope in many ways," Bonnie
asserts. "It is about being broken, embracing forgiveness, and realizing
that we do have second chances. There are so many things that happen in
life when it seems like God has left you. Everybody has that secret place
in their heart where they wonder, 'Why is God allowing this?'"
Bonnie and her friend, Suzanne Gaither Jennings
(Bill & Gloria's daughter) co-wrote the poignant song, "When God Says No"
to take on the tough questions head on. "This side of heaven I do not
think we will ever understand some of the things that happen in our
lives," Bonnie continues. "The Cross looked like the biggest 'No' in the
universe - but it was the biggest 'Yes.' I believe that God is redemptive,
and His redemption is always at work. I believe there is always another
side to what's coming, and it is always something that God intended to be
good for us."
Having walked through the rejection of divorce,
the loneliness of depression, and the desperation of single motherhood,
Bonnie knows first hand the redemptive power of God.
"The enemy would love to use depression,
heartache, loneliness, and bad situations to wipe us out. But when we take
it to the cross, God takes it and turns it into something tremendously
powerful for His kingdom and His glory. It is a humbling thing to live
long enough to see that happen over and over again."
Bonnie's fearless insight, as well as her ear for
authenticity, infuses her songs with a visceral and emotional resonance
that connects with her audience on multiple levels. The scope of her
remarkable appeal has been recognized by her peers and fans alike with
five Grammy nominations and three Dove Awards for her work with seminal
Christian vocal group, First Call, and an Emmy for her discussion of "The
Whirlpool of Depression" on the television show, On Main Street. Superstar
performers from Garth Brooks to Michael W. Smith call on Bonnie for her
remarkable vocal prowess.
But rather than fostering pride, these accolades
merely serve to reinforce Bonnie's conviction that God loves messy people,
and delights in providing second, third, fourth, and fiftieth chances. It
is a conviction that is inextricably woven throughout the fabric of
Bonnie's eagerly awaited follow-up project, God of Many Chances.
And it is a conviction she walks out in her everyday life through her work
with relief organization, World Vision, and The Blue Skies Foundation for
Fatherless Sons, the retreat center founded by Bonnie's friend, the late
Grant Cunningham. She has set up her website, www.BonnieKeen.com, as a
resource for hurting people. "If you are suffering with depression, or if
you are a single mom, or if you are someone who is going through a
divorce, or if you are dealing with loss or loneliness, you can find
resources to help you," Bonnie says.
While her confessional, debut project served to
introduce the world to Bonnie Keen - the solo artist, with God of
Many Chances Bonnie is just as quick to point the world back to
its Maker. "Watching God answer my prayers every time as a solo artist and
as a speaker gave me confidence in what God was doing through me on this
project. I took more chances both as a writer and as a singer than I had.
In every way, it has been like a rebirth, a new vista, and opportunity in
ministry."
To help with the task, Bonnie's label, Reborn
Records enlisted the aid of her husband, Grammy award winning producer
Brent King. The collaboration resulted in a project of amazing depth, and
breathtaking beauty, delivered with just the right blend of passion and
grace. Marked by multi-layered, no-boundaries song crafting, God Of
Many Chances offers a stunning collection of shimmering pop
ballads, book ended by funky, R&B-inflected cuts, reverential hymns, and a
cappella numbers which perfectly display Bonnie's unbridled creativity.
Their efforts produced a plethora of riveting
songs such as the resurrected and rejuvenated camp lullaby, "Kum-ba-ya,"
the Celtic-flavored, dance celebration, "My Beloved," and a powerful, new
rendition of the First Call classic, "Parable of the River," which
combines Bonnie's compelling storytelling ability with her signature
musical arrangements and lilting pop sensibilities. Cuts like "Lay It
Down" and "Something Is Broken" are joyous, encouraging celebrations,
while the hymns "Shall We Gather At The River" (where Bonnie is joined by
bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and his wife Sharon White), and "My Jesus I
Love Thee" are sung with awe and reverence.
As fresh as the music is, it is the lyrical depth
of Bonnie's songs, delivered with heartfelt conviction, which captures her
listeners' hearts. "I was inspired to write the title song after an
interview I had with a woman named Regina, an ex-prostitute who lives at
the Magdalene House," Bonnie explains. "I began to think about how God's
mercies are new every morning, and it is never too late for Him."
Bonnie's reputation as an engaging author,
speaker, and live performer have garnered acclaim throughout her career.
In addition to her fifteen years with First Call, Bonnie is a regular
participant with the Women of Virtue conferences, appears in the
Broadway-style musical, "Adam's Rib," (therib.com) and is working on a
television pilot that is much like "The View" for Christian women in a
roundtable discussion format. She has toured with some of Christian
music's most legendary performers, including Sandy Patty and Amy Grant,
and provided background vocals for scores of projects.
Still, it is Bonnie's ability to connect with her
audience, to see conflict through compassionate eyes, and to capture both
the subtlety and complexity of faith that evokes respect from her peers
and fans alike.
"The Lord has surrounded me with people that
understand my heart for healing, and for speaking hope," Bonnie says
simply. "When I am in concert, my time off the platform is as important as
my time on it. I don't want to be whisked away to some room. I want to sit
out with the people in the pews and go up when I am called. I don't want
to make a grand entrance. I want to be accessible. I will stay until the
last person leaves. I think that is part of what God has called me to do.
It is a small thing considering what Christ did for me."
For more information on Bonnie, visit her website:
www.bonniekeen.com
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