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Bonnie Keen uses her voice as a gifted author, speaker, and
recording artist to spread the message of hope. Emerging as
one of this generation’s most compelling singer/songwriters, Keen’s
latest CD, God of Many Chances, continues the journey
of faith, healing, and restoration that surfaced in her breathtaking
solo debut, Marked For Life. The singing career she
launched nearly 20 years ago expresses the redemptive power of God
that carried her through the rejection of divorce, loneliness of
depression, and desperation of single motherhood.
Keen began her
recording career as a founding member of the acclaimed trio First
Call, which toured the world performing material from their 12
albums. The trio accepted three Dove Awards and five Grammy
nominations during their 15 years together. While solo work will
remain a priority, the original members of First Call recently
compiled a reunion CD of hymns and will sing together in reunion
form whenever possible. Keen has toured with some of music’s most
legendary performers including Sandi Patty and Amy Grant, Russ Taff
and provided background vocals for Garth Brooks, Michael W. Smith
and many others.
In her latest book, A Ladder Out of Depression,
Keen shares the circumstances that pushed her to despair and walk
‘through molasses’ she took to regain emotional, physical, and
spiritual health. With refreshing transparency, she lifts the
secrecy and shame from an illness that plagues over 20 million
Americans. Understanding firsthand what it means to be there, Keen
discusses the types, symptoms, and treatments of depression, as well
as how loss is the common denominator that almost always triggers
the disease. She encourages others to move toward recovery by gently
nudging them to be honest about the things that have wounded them.
Keen’s
passion lies in using music and her musical theatre background to
make her keynote addresses on hope and joy, uniquely her own. Mixing
humor, with interactive videos (her evil twin argues on screen with
her live responses), Biblical truths interspersed with a musical
punchline makes Bonnie’s presentations stand out with transparent
honesty.
Keen was honored with an Emmy Award for discussing her life in
“The Whirlpool Of Depression’ on the television show On Main Street.
In 2005, Day of Discovery/Pax Network aired a special on her
ministry called, ‘A God Of Many Chances’. Known for allowing her
vulnerabilities to help others, she speaks frankly in her books,
Blessed Are The Desperate For They Will Find Hope,
God Loves Messy People (Harvest House), and contributions to
Dance of Heaven (Multnomah), Sisters..The Story Goes On
(Thomas Nelson) and What The Cross Means To Me (Harvest
House.)
Demonstrating her ability to connect to an audience with ease,
Bonnie is an ongoing participant with the Women of Virtue
conferences, appears in a Broadway-style Musical, “Adams Rib”,
appears in an comedy troupe “The Glory Bulges” and has shared vocal
prowess at events such as Gloria Gaithers Friend’s Conference, as
well as having performed on more than 4 Homecoming Gaither
Television specials. Virtue and Today’s Christian Women magazines
have featured her cover stories and she has been interviewed on many
programs produced by NBC, PBS, The 700 Club, The Grammy Awards,
Crossroads Christian Communications, LeSea Broadcasting and other
networks.
Bonnie lives in Tennessee with her husband Brent, a 4 time Grammy
award winning producer and engineer with much loved visits from her
college age children: Courtney and Graham.
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