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As a child, Tonya always loved music, yet when opportunities to learn music came along they never seemed to last long enough to grasp the concepts needed to articulate anything remotely sounding like a song. With a brief stint of clarinet and guitar, and a few years in various choirs, Tonya was able to glean a few things to take with her into the future. Always too shy to sing out in choir, it may have seemed strange to some that she would someday find her way to an auditorium stage singing her original songs.
Tonya released her debut album On The Inside in April 2002 and then she headed out on the road. She travelled the country for five months in a van, sleeping in Wal-Mart parking lots, getting to know the people, seeing what God sees. Tonya played in coffeehouses from coast to coast and then returned home in November 2002. Returning home, she worked on ministry details, getting 501(c)(3) status in July 2003. It was then on to working on recording a worship album. We Cry Out was released November 2003 with original worship songs written by Tonya and Joy Russell with arrangements by Darren Petersen. In the summer of 2005, Tonya began working on what was to be her third album, Seasons. In the midst of recording Seasons, Tonya felt like there was another project that needed to come first. So, Tonya's third album HYMNS: His Grace Untold came to be.
A few words from Tonya
Several years ago, the Lord gave me the ability to play guitar and to write songs. In all truthfulness, I can't say that I've ever sat down to write a song. Each song stems from the stories of my life and what I feel are the expressions of God's heart. The most important thing about the songs I play are that they are real. The pain, the hurt, the hope, and the victory are as close to my heart as the experiences in my life which build my testimony.
My mission is straight from the heart. It is not about drawing crowds and recording the number of people who attend and who receive Christ. I am about people. That is all. My heart is to offer hope and healing through the Gospel of salvation to a lost and hurting world in need of a Savior. God has gifted me in the area of music, so that is the platform from which I spring, but my heart is to serve people, to pray with them, to relate to them in a real way, and to not be afraid to get my hands dirty.
~tonya