From 0 to Nashville??  (<–What???) To Lay It Down and LET GOD guide you in HIS music now…

I didn’t actually start singing professionally until I was 38. I mean, I always wanted to be in music, but there was no music in my family. My parents loved listening to music. I remember at the age of 2 wanting to sing. My favorite childhood toy was the Playskool microphone radio, that you could sing along to the radio.  When I was a little girl and people would ask what do you want to be when you grow up I would always say a Country Western singer; Barbara Mandrell, to be more specific.  But I love all of it; 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s Motown, Blues, Rock, Country. 

Outside of the exposure to music from my parents and all my big sisters, the radio, vinyl, 8 tracks, cassettes, I never experienced live music until I was about 37. And the fever and desire trapped within me just grabbed ahold of an opportunity that was presented to me and I never looked back.  I never let go. In my short resume of being blessed to have music, I’ve gotten to do some pretty amazing things.  One time, I sang every song on the “A Star Is Born” (Barbara Streisand Kris Kristopherson) album at the top of my lungs out my bedroom window so that Jill Overin would tell me, ” OMG You’re too loud, knock it off!”

I took all the choir classes in junior high and high school. It seems I was just barely talented enough to make concert choir, which was an honor! I remember trying out for the senior talent show and picking a song that was totally out of my range. Michael Jackson’s “I’ll be there.” LOL I did NOT make the cut. 

My senior year we were doing the piano side voice test with our choir director because our piano player was out for the day. Those tests were horrifying because we had to do it in front of the whole class. But Mr. Fulkerson said,  “Michelle your voice is finally maturing.” I’m embarrassed to say that CRUSHED me and shut me down. I thought, “OH MY GAWD….. WHAT DID I SOUND LIKE BEFORE???” What was meant as a nice compliment, I internalized the opposite direction; and it shut me down.   

Fast forward 5 years and karaoke had just come on the scene. I had finally worked up the courage to sing karaoke for the first time ever. I practiced and practiced and practiced Shania Twain’s “What Made You Say That.” I was gearing up to sing it and I got into a major car accident. I was hit head on by a drunk driver. My world went into a tailspin. I never sang that song.  

Fast forward…. Got married had kids and just never got around to singing.  

Finally 2004/2005 after being home with the kids all day (5yr old son and 3 year old boy girl twins) and stressed to the max, my husband would come home from work and see how distraught I was and he encouraged me to get out of the house go sing karaoke… have fun!!  So I did. And the creating of a monster began! LOL

Fast forward to 2006 when my dad was on his dying bed and it was the first time I ever sang out loud to someone. My dad was very into music and entertainment. He would die shortly after that.   

Fast forward March 23rd 2007 at the age of 37, at Jerry’s bait shop in Lee’ summit. It was the first time I ever really experienced bands and live music. The band Singled Out was playing and I fell in love with Lyndsay Lou. She was so incredible and she sang all the songs I love. Mentoring and vocal coaching began there…. These incredible musicians endured my persistence in my presence and my addiction to their music. Come to find out Mark Hills thought I could sing! So they all worked with me and helped me begin the clocking of my 10,000 hours. They put a microphone in my hand and couldn’t pry it out!!! 

My dad had died 6 months before that and I genuinely believed that my dad had sent the gift of those musicians to me to bring music into my life.

So from 2008 through today I have been OH SO BLESSED to have been deemed somehow worthy to share the stage with sooooooooo many INCREDIBLE MUSICIANS!?!? It’s really rather mind blowing to me even still.  Honestly, I just feel so blessed to have ever, at all, even had the opportunity presented to me to get to sing professionally. I have many theories on why it took me so long to get to do it and how I finally got to do it. But, I finally got to do it!!  And so blessed by the number of top-notch venues that I’ve had the honor of performing at in Kansas City including Sandstone, Argosy, Worth, Starlight, and more.  And including Nashville!! I actually got to sing on the BlueBird Cafe stage not once but twice. Originally it was luck of the draw but then if you were asked to get backup (I was!!) it was a pretty great compliment!

Nashville you ask??  GREAT question. Because to this day I STILL don’t know how it came down.  One day I opened my email to what I thought was a SPAM message from SSM Nashville.  I was VERY skeptical.  Took my time responding.  Played the game.  And ended up accepting the invite to attend their Artist Development sessions.  I recorded one of their songs, “Kiss Won’t Lie” (Hey Alexa, play Michelle Hawkins music), and wrote 2 songs along side 2 amazing Nashville songwriters. From there….. I didn’t do much more.  The Sprit didn’t move me.  But it’s still MIND BLOWING to this day.  I DID come home and call a meeting of amazing musicians to join me in a Joe Bonamassa Tribute band called Last Kiss AND A Judds Tribute called Why Not Me.  Along with my tribute to Patsy Cline called Michelle Hawkins… Almost Always Patsy.

From double, triple, quadruple booked and 1000s of shows in many different configurations to today…. The LORD told me to lay the music down back in 2023.  I was disobedient and questioned Him for long time, on multiple levels.   And even though I’m laying low musically in the midst of a God driven transformation, I am forever grateful for each and every one of those who allowed me into their world of music.  

You can read more about that side of my journey under my Journey to Christ tab.  And I hope you do.  I hope you find inspiration from a lifelong tormented, self-absorbed, lost soul to a Baptized In The Holy Spirit Child of God.  Who is just along for the ride to Christ!!

If you have joined along with me throughout this journey, thank you! I hope something has spoken to you and blessed you along the way! The Holy Spirit is the most amazing and incredible Blessing ever!!

If I have stirred your demons, then I am even thankful for that, as well! Then perhaps there’s a chance you will see that operating from that realm is LESS than undesirable. Perhaps a seed was planted and you can see, through me, the joy and the peace and the love that are possible though our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

We shall see what the Lord has planned for me from here on out. ?! I’m waiting to see when and where !! I know what. And I DEFINITELY KNOW WHY AND FOR WHO!!!!!  And I will tell you it has nothing to to do with me because all glory goes to God.  ONLY…. I did NOT give it to Him like I should have.  Until NOW, PRAISE GOD!!

MAN WHAT A RIDE!!

Come listen as I sing His praise on my page dedicated to music and worship!