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Paula Hawley
Biography
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Music has been a faithful
companion for Paula Hawley since early
childhood. It started long before she
begged her parents for a red guitar at age
ten. Her love of music probably goes back
as far as hearing beautiful native
Hawai'ian music before she was even born.
When asked about her
biggest influences, she says there are
many, but there was one particular song
that made her want to be a
singer...."Long, Long Time" as sung by
Linda Ronstadt. Since then, her musical
path has taken plenty of twists and
turns.
One summer, she sang as
part of a trio that introduced her to the
music of Graham Parsons and Emmylou
Harris. She says, "Their sound was
completely magical and had a huge
influence on me!"
Another friend led her to
Loretta Lynn's story, as portrayed in
Coal Miner's
Daughter, which inspired her move
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.
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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).
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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.
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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."
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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.
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