To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There are seasons in life, and Shannon Hawkyard is entering a season filled with HIS music.

Shannon belted out her first performance at the age seven earning her a spot on The Sunshine Kids television show. Music has surrounded her since she was a child, nevertheless it has been an enigmatic gift. Her voice has always garnered attention even though in her youth she tried hard not to be noticed, as she was extremely shy. The soulfulness and strength of her vocals placed her front and center and next to musicians and groups like The Paladins, Eric Martin of Mr. Big, Charlie Musselwhite, Little John Christly, and Josh Zee of Protein. “In those days I was a lost soul. Jesus was not yet Lord of my life and I was, well…lost. It astonishes me how aimless and destructive life is without Him.”

The Lord had plans for Shannon though, and she soon married and started a family. “I look back and I see how He was working in my life every step of the way. My husband Craig and I accepted Christ together and began raising our family in the Lord. We both felt that homeschooling was a calling that the Lord placed on our lives, and I’ve been the children’s teacher since the beginning.” Shannon homeschools all four of their children. In the midst of busy days as the keeper of their home, music re-entered Shannon‘s life. “I sang to Craig & the kids and for fun here and there, but as a new Believer years ago I started listening to Christian Music and it just spoke to me. I couldn’t get enough. I started listening to Third Day and Nicole C. Mullen, then Jeremy Camp, Joy Williams, Nichole Nordeman, Kristy Starling, Switchfoot… soon I really had no ear for secular music.”

She began singing in church and sharing her voice and His words with others. “HE changed music for me. All of my life, I loved to sing and deeply felt the words and emotion of each song I sang, but HE gave it purpose. HE brought purpose to my voice!”

Shannon has just completed putting the finishing touches on her debut CD titled “My Life Story”. "Writing my own songs was a huge leap for me since I’d never done so in the past, and all I can say is that the Lord delivered these melodies and lyrics.” The shear power of Shannon’s voice is what knocks you back in your seat, disarms you , and then allows her words to speak to your heart. "I found her voice to be crisp and powerful, yet soothing and beautifully hypnotic, "said Trinity Tate of Tate Music Group, "It was a blessing listening to the samples she’d submitted."

"My main hope for this ministry is really to further His kingdom and in so doing, to bring all Honor and Glory to Him. 1 Corinthians 10:31 instructs: ‘Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God.’ I know what happens within my heart and mind when I hear a song and it touches me deeply. My prayer is that one of my songs might do that for someone out there, and that they would come to know the Author of All. If the Lord would choose to use me at all in that…well, I don’t have the words."

Influences: Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, Nicole C. Mullen, Warren Barfield, Third Day, Beatles, Dave Matthews Band, Mahalia Jackson, Alison Krauss, Eva Cassidy and many others!