Amy Bonner

Barbara Sher: As soon as you start to pursue a dream, your life wakes up and everything has meaning.A common theme among all achievements is that it all begins with doing something about that initial spark of hope, the first thoughts of a dream soon to be realized. Such is the case with aspiring singer Amy Bonner. Singing began for her as an outlet of joy and expression from early childhood. Many girls begin singing to their hairbrush in their bedroom, always in front of a mirror mind you, just in case their dance moves would need touching up for their next “Grammy Award” celebration. “Been there, done that” is a statement echoed by Amy as she has gone through the growing pains of learning this craft of her heart. Since childhood she has been a featured singer at school events, musical productions, talent shows, and church and school choirs.Growing up in the small rural town of Ottawa Illinois, Amy’s early efforts were noticed and fostered with encouragement of friends and family. Her musical roots came strongly influenced by her own family. Her grandfather, Robert (Bob) Smeets, sang in a barbershop quartet where he competed in local and state competitions. Her mother, Sonja, played French horn in high school, and her father, Rob, played trumpet and taught high school and community band when she was younger. Her younger brother, Rob, self-taught himself guitar in high school and continues to play today in bands in the Columbus, OH area. “We were always around such a variety of music,” Amy has said, “that it has just naturally become a part of who we are.”Traveling to work with vocal coach Delight Belt for 6 ½ years, and working under the careful tutelage of her now nine times state high school champion choir director Roger Amm, allowed her to begin to spread her wings of vocal flight, landing her a music scholarship at Millikin University from which she graduated in 1999 with a degree in Music Business. She always credits her early teachers, saying, “They always taught me how to stick to the basics of singing. They are a huge reason I have the voice that I have today.” With a degree under her belt and all of her strong roots pushing her forward, she then decided to pursue Music City. Persisting in the back of her mind was this spark of a dream, a dream to sing, to entertain and bring smiles to listeners of her favorite genre….country music.Residing now in Nashville, Amy is pursuing her singing and songwriting goals, networking with local writers, publishers, and producers and grooming her vocal chops downtown as a favorite among the local song halls and bars. Experience is the result of time invested, and Amy is investing heavily, now working regularly as a demo singer for studios and submitting her own songs to labels as well. But this confidence has not always come easily. “I have to admit, I was a little gun-shy in college and even when I first moved to Nashville,” she said. “There are so many talented people in this world, that it’s easy to convince yourself that you aren’t any better then all of them. But what I’ve realized is that I will never be better than everybody. I just have to contribute what talents God has given me in the way that only I can contribute them. And now, I have learned how to do that and be proud of what I can do.”Since moving to Nashville, Amy has recorded a catalog of over 20 original songs and various other demos for other writers. She has had offers for numerous development deals, but continues to wait for the right opportunity. “Timing is everything in this business and I feel like everything in my life has been preparing me for where I am now. I had lessons to learn and experience to gain before I was ready. But I am ready now,” she says. As Amy and her band prepare their 2008 summer tour schedule, she is excited to share their sound and energy with new audiences. Her music and stage craft have been strongly shaped by the influences of artists such as Barbara Mandrell, Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, and Jeffrey Steele, among many others. And her undeniable ability to captivate listeners with her live vocals is what truly sets her apart from the rest.Artists seem to burst onto the scene in the eyes of many fans, but it is usually the result of years of dedicated efforts. This vibrant, talented performer is now on the horizon of her own musical burst that will certainly lead her down a road of success.
Get more Myspace layouts at pYzam .