Paula Hawley Biography

Music has been a faithful companion for Paula Hawley since early childhood - long before she begged her parents for a red guitar at age ten. In fact, her deep love of melodic music probably grew from hearing beautiful native Hawai'ian music before she was even born.

When asked about her biggest influences, she says there are many, but one hit song in particular made her want to be a singer...."Long, Long Time" as sung by Linda Ronstadt.

One summer during a college break, she sang as part of a trio that introduced her to the music of Graham Parsons and Emmylou Harris. "Their sound was completely magical and totally inspiring to me!"

Only a few weeks after watching Loretta Lynn's story, the movie Coal Miner's Daughter, Paula moved to Nashville in the middle of her senior year of college. Upon her arrival in 'Music City', she was encouraged by new friends to find her own voice and create her own music. The self-taught guitar skills she has developed since the first red guitar help define her style as an artist, drawing from folk, country and pop music.

There is a clarity and purity in her voice that makes one think ... "angelic". And, like Loretta Lynn, she prefers lyrics that are more straightforward than mysterious, paired with a memorable melody.

After several years in the local Nashville music scene, she released an independent country CD, Out From Under The Rock. The song "Change of Heart" went to #1 on the Independent Country Music chart in the spring of 1998, after "Christmas Memories" climbed into the top thirty in Dec. of '97.

Not long after that, God's hand became more of a musical inspiration than other singers or songwriters, as she was led into a healing music ministry. Following that shift, she has toured the U.S. promoting the release of two inspirational CDs, The Voice Inside (2000) and That's the Truth (2003).

In her own words, "The material for The Voice Inside came from sharing my spiritual journey in the Sunday chapel service at Cumberland Heights, a Nashville area treatment center for drug and alcohol dependence. What has turned into a sort of ministry for me started through the horror of watching my own brother nearly die from drug abuse. I was forced to face the fact that I was powerless to help, that I had no choice but to completely let go and give it to God. That experience has turned into an unexpected and incredible blessing for me, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to share it with others. Making an inspirational record had never occurred to me. Every Sunday people would ask me if I had those songs recorded - they made it a reality by encouraging my talent and enriching my spirit.

My choice of songs is inspired by the fragile threshold where healing begins. I want to promote the hope and joy available through God's love. When I'm singing, sharing this message with others, I get to witness first-hand the power music has, to infiltrate and stir a heart with the strongest walls around it. Music bypasses all the 'filters' in the brain and goes straight to the heart where it can comfort, strengthen, enlighten and heal."

That's The Truth, the much anticipated follow-up to The Voice Inside, succeeds in further carrying an uplifting and inspirational message with depth and diversity.

Paula has been blessed to have opened concerts for Diamond Rio, Patty Loveless, Chely Wright, Keith Urban and others. In addition to major concerts, her performances include a wide range of special events, conventions, churches and intimate coffeehouse-style concerts. She has also been a featured artist in a country music documentary for Japanese Public Television.

Songs of hope, healing, recovery and discovery coupled with her iintimate vocal style, allow Paula Hawley to bring comfort, inspiration and emotional healing to people from all walks of life.