Who can say where a soul’s journey begins?
Music has always been Brenda’s passion, and an endeavor she has lovingly pursued
throughout her life. As a young woman, Brenda sang Blowin’ in the Wind by Peter Paul and Mary as her first
live vocal performance. With that simple song, she set herself on a journey that would come to define her.
Brenda Hanna’s voice can best be described as hauntingly beautiful, undeniably melodic, and compellingly
powerful. Her style has a unique way of grabbing you and pulling you in both musically and emotionally. She is
an intriguing composite of sweet and folksy, & hard edge and bluesy: She can sing from a low, dark, moody
place that takes you deep inside yourself, or she can jump into the high range and give the audience a tasty
sample of her powerhouse qualities.
A myriad of influences that read like a psychedelic musical trip (Melissa Ethridge,Bonnie Raitt,Dolly Pardon,
Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, Reba McIntyre, Kate Wolf, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, etc..) and many others
have helped shape and define her style. Brenda got serious about her musical career as a young adult living in
Lake Tahoe, but eventually settled in the Sierra Foothills with her husband and two children where she juggled
raising a family with her musical commitments. In the early years, Brenda played in a variety of musical
endeavors including; country, rock & roll, blues, an all girl rock band and acoustic duo. It’s hard to put a label
on Brenda’s music partly because in her 20 years of playing music in the Sierra Foothills she has continued to
move beyond musical boundaries.
After Brenda began performing with her husband, Neil, they found a common ground focusing on her original
songs. Together they began to weave songs from the threads of her past and present. Although Brenda’s
musical tastes have run the gamut, she eventually found her “sound” which mixes roots based folk with country-
blues and Celtic overtones. The emergence of her own personal musical identity did not come easily. She began
to identify and process the emotional wounds of her tumultuous childhood and the fresh scars of life’s frailty and
found her more authentic self. Each of Brenda’s original songs chronicles a journey. Brenda’s journey tells a
story how darkness will yield to light if one is willing to walk through the valley and climb the hill on the other
side. The balance of her life has come full circle and each song is a testament of music’s ability to heal
tremendous wounds and send the heart on a new and exciting journey.
Brenda’s first CD “Welcome To Another Day”, is a beautifully raw album that speaks to the pain and fear that
emerges when life is forever changed by life-threatening illness. What the future may hold is unclear, or if there
will even by another day.
Brenda’s new release “Soul Speaking” reminds us of the potential for personal transformation when we can face
our deepest fears, and trust our inner path. The beautiful and deeply moving music has made a significant shift.
It now comes from a place of gratitude, and from a fresh perspective on how wonderful life truly can be -
especially when we get out of the way and let our soul guide us.
Music has always been Brenda’s passion, and an endeavor she has lovingly pursued
throughout her life. As a young woman, Brenda sang Blowin’ in the Wind by Peter Paul and Mary as her first
live vocal performance. With that simple song, she set herself on a journey that would come to define her.
Brenda Hanna’s voice can best be described as hauntingly beautiful, undeniably melodic, and compellingly
powerful. Her style has a unique way of grabbing you and pulling you in both musically and emotionally. She is
an intriguing composite of sweet and folksy, & hard edge and bluesy: She can sing from a low, dark, moody
place that takes you deep inside yourself, or she can jump into the high range and give the audience a tasty
sample of her powerhouse qualities.
A myriad of influences that read like a psychedelic musical trip (Melissa Ethridge,Bonnie Raitt,Dolly Pardon,
Tracy Chapman, Joni Mitchell, Reba McIntyre, Kate Wolf, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, etc..) and many others
have helped shape and define her style. Brenda got serious about her musical career as a young adult living in
Lake Tahoe, but eventually settled in the Sierra Foothills with her husband and two children where she juggled
raising a family with her musical commitments. In the early years, Brenda played in a variety of musical
endeavors including; country, rock & roll, blues, an all girl rock band and acoustic duo. It’s hard to put a label
on Brenda’s music partly because in her 20 years of playing music in the Sierra Foothills she has continued to
move beyond musical boundaries.
After Brenda began performing with her husband, Neil, they found a common ground focusing on her original
songs. Together they began to weave songs from the threads of her past and present. Although Brenda’s
musical tastes have run the gamut, she eventually found her “sound” which mixes roots based folk with country-
blues and Celtic overtones. The emergence of her own personal musical identity did not come easily. She began
to identify and process the emotional wounds of her tumultuous childhood and the fresh scars of life’s frailty and
found her more authentic self. Each of Brenda’s original songs chronicles a journey. Brenda’s journey tells a
story how darkness will yield to light if one is willing to walk through the valley and climb the hill on the other
side. The balance of her life has come full circle and each song is a testament of music’s ability to heal
tremendous wounds and send the heart on a new and exciting journey.
Brenda’s first CD “Welcome To Another Day”, is a beautifully raw album that speaks to the pain and fear that
emerges when life is forever changed by life-threatening illness. What the future may hold is unclear, or if there
will even by another day.
Brenda’s new release “Soul Speaking” reminds us of the potential for personal transformation when we can face
our deepest fears, and trust our inner path. The beautiful and deeply moving music has made a significant shift.
It now comes from a place of gratitude, and from a fresh perspective on how wonderful life truly can be -
especially when we get out of the way and let our soul guide us.
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