“Went back in the house and picked up this guitar; somehow my fingers found their way to my heart.” In one line, Bonnie Bishop sums up a lifetime of experience crammed into only a few short years. After a successful career on the Americana and Texas music circuits including four albums, critical acclaim and a nomination for Vocal Performance of the Year at the Lone Star Music Awards, Bonnie came off the road and moved to Nashville to pursue a songwriting career.

She married and divorced during this touring hiatus, only to write her way through the heartache and find fortitude and faith among her instruments. “Not ‘Cause I Wanted To,” a song resulting from this period, was cut by her musical hero Bonnie Raitt for the new album releasing April 10, 2012.

An admitted underdog at heart and in her career, Bonnie joyfully returns to the road this spring in support of her new album, Free. She’s full of life and reinvigorated, excited to meet new fans and reconnect with those who’ve supported her for years. The new material, combined with her personal journey, prove that unapologetically honest music – and an unflinchingly authentic heart - will always find a place.

Her soulful compositions and raspy voice outlive her personal reinvention as she finds driving rock rhythms in her guitar and on her piano – the latest addition to her cadre of talent. Bonnie wrote the new material with a simple notion in mind: You have to love yourself before you can fully love and be loved by anyone else.

Three parts Gavin Degraw, Janis Joplin and Bonnie Raitt, with a splash of Grace Potter and a shot of Robert Earl Keen, Bonnie’s affecting lyrics and musical prowess underscore her ability to encourage and validate the listener. Her stories of survival and redemption, often weighted subject matter, find their way into empowering and anthemic songs fit for anyone’s personal theme song playlist.

“My music evolved because I fundamentally changed,” said Bonnie. “My experiences in the last few years, however painful, taught me humility and personal accountability. I learned how strong my faith in God was when I actually had to rely on it, not just profess it. I learned the art of gratitude and forgiving myself. Most everyone needs to know all of this is possible.”

Her story is fully told in the new material releasing this fall. Whether she’s performing an intimate, one-woman show or rocking out with a full band, Bonnie’s music will shake your core, lift you up and bring you back around to the bright side.

Bonnie frequently writes with the most lauded songwriters in Nashville and has several cuts with major recording artists. Her albums include Things I Know (2009), Live at Magnolia Avenue Saloon (2006), Soft to the Touch (2005) and Long Way Home (2004).

When she’s not touring, Bonnie lives in Nashville. Her creativity also comes to life in the kitchen where she’s perfecting a style of healthy cuisine as unique as her music. Bonnie’s house family is incredibly well fed and entertained.