CD Single Review: Lonna Hardin

“Tender Mercy”
Lonna Hardin
From the Various Artists CD The New Soul
Redeemed Soul.com 2007
http://www.redeemedsoul.com/

Growing up in Texas and Michigan, Lonna Hardin sang. Sang in church, sang in the classroom, in high school hallways, at her commencement, everywhere. She soloed on a Charles Fold album, released an independent solo project in 1999, and is now a member of David V. Taylor’s Indianapolis-based Redeemed Soul.com label.

Her single, “Tender Mercy,” is a smooth-running neo-soul track that summons the comfort of the Lord to heal the emotional wounds inflicted by a lost relationship. Her vocals express a quiet dignity while the guitars evoke a ‘70s Philadelphia vibe. As such, the single could be programmed on secular radio as well as on inspirational stations.

Sounds, too, as if the pain Lonna sings about on “Tender Mercy” may come from personal experience.

“Lonna is real. Lonna is a person who has endured a lot, she knows how to struggle and Lonna knows how to be victorious over her struggles,” David V. Taylor, founder of Redeemed Soul.com, said. “She has an ‘overcoming’ personality and demeanor that appeal to people who want to go beyond life’s hurst and struggles.”