Bonnie Keen
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Multiple Grammy nominee and Dove Award winning singer and songwriter Bonnie Keen has released her fourth solo project - and her first-ever self-titled album - signaling what she calls a return to her core sound and a “deeply personal collection of songs.”
“My producer Larry Hall suggested a self-title and when I found the definition, I agreed,” Keen said. “Self-titled albums can be released later in an artist’s career, sometimes signifying a fresh start, a return to their core sound, or a particularly personal collection of songs. That’s exactly what this...
Read More Multiple Grammy nominee and Dove Award winning singer and songwriter Bonnie Keen has released her fourth solo project - and her first-ever self-titled album - signaling what she calls a return to her core sound and a “deeply personal collection of songs.”
“My producer Larry Hall suggested a self-title and when I found the definition, I agreed,” Keen said. “Self-titled albums can be released later in an artist’s career, sometimes signifying a fresh start, a return to their core sound, or a particularly personal collection of songs. That’s exactly what this is for me.”
The album features eight original songs written or co-written by Keen along with four cover tunes, including duets and collaborations with some of Christian music’s most respected musicians and producers. Hall - a world-class arranger and multi-instrumentalist whose credits include Russ Taff, Randy Travis, and John Schneider among others - produced and arranged the project. Award-winning guitarist Phil Keaggy, Grammy nominated vocalist Kathy Troccoli, sought-after musicians Tom Hemby, Gary Lunn, Jonathan Crone, and Dave Cleveland, all lend their musical gifts throughout the album.
Among the standout tracks is “Cry Like a Bell,” a song inspired by the global crisis of child trafficking. Keen said she wanted to write a song “that would bring focus to this evil and encourage people to get involved on any possible level with rescuing these children.”
“‘Cry Like a Bell’ is my cry through music to try and shine a light into this hellish darkness,” Keen said. “After sharing the song in concert, I heard stories from adults who were trafficked by their own parents-people who have survived and been rescued. Somebody’s daughter and son have names and faces, and I want to be part of the army of organizations rescuing and redeeming their lives. We can all cry like a clear bell of Christ for the freedom of these tortured children.”
Another highlight, “Gethsemane Brave,” is a call to believers for faith and courage. “It’s my call to all Christ followers to be courageous, to be willing to suffer for our faith in this specific time we are living through,” Keen said. “We are witnessing a rise in violence worldwide against Christianity, and even here in America. In the U.S., we’ve been cushioned and coddled, but Jesus’ bravery in Gethsemane inspires me to live ‘Gethsemane Brave’ in my own life—with wobbly knees yet determined faith.” She added that having Phil Keaggy play guitar on the track was “an enormous gift.”
Keen’s duet with longtime friend and popular artist Kathy Troccoli on “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” showcases the two vocalists on a classic favorite. “Having her stunning voice on the duet means the world to me,” Keen said.
Other personal tracks include “God Will Love You,” a lullaby-like song written for Keen’s grandchildren, Anna and Wyatt. “I wanted to write something they could listen to as toddlers and also find comfort in as adults,” she said.
Keen also delivers an ambitious a cappella version of Sting’s “If I Ever Lose My Faith in You,” performing all the lead and background vocals herself. “It was a wild dream come true,” she said. “Larry came in with a killer chart that was one of the most challenging and rewarding arrangements imaginable.”
Another emotional centerpiece, “Adeste Fidelis,” co-written with Lowell Alexander, was inspired by Frederick Buechner’s The Hungering Dark. Keen recorded the song entirely without instrumentation, allowing Hall to build the orchestration around her unmetered vocal line.
Outside the recording studio, Keen continues to use her voice in multiple arenas. She co-hosts the “Women Who Dare to Believe” podcast with Nan Gurley, inspired by their original musical about 22 women from the Bible. The podcast, available on YouTube and all major streaming platforms, explores the lives and lessons of these women of faith.
Keen says this project has been many years in the making, as well as many travails.
“It was 2021 when the entire music industry was in flux after Covid, and I was also in the middle of a difficult season in my personal life,” says Keen. “The timing of my collaboration with Larry was God-led on many levels. He and I had worked together touring with Russ Taff through many bus trips and in the studio together on various projects for many years. I dedicated the project to his wife, Susan Booher Hall, who passed away before we completed it. To have his production skills and Susan's constant encouragement has been a humbling and deeply healing experience.”
