Cindy Morgan was born on June 4, 1968 and grew up in Harrogate, Tennessee. In 1992 she released her debut album, REAL LIFE, which garnered her six Dove Award nominations and three #1 Christian radio hits. In 1993 she won the Dove for 'New Artist of the Year'. That same year she put out her second album, A REASON TO LIVE (Word). It was produced by Mark Hammond and executive produced by John Mays. In her current bio Cindy says: "I think what I have always desired to do as a writer and as an artist is to use music, and especially songs, to connect and encourage other people. I feel like that is my spiritual commission in life".
1. 'Picture Me in Paradise' penned by Grant Cunningham and Mark Hammond was a #1 Christian radio hit for Morgan. This upbeat pop/dance track anticipates Heaven: "I feel the arms that carry me through/Feel my heart close to You/Took some time to know how much You love me/To know how much I need You/To know how much I want to see You there/It's my destination and it's my inspiration/Just beyond this place and time/Looking at forever the pieces come together/When I picture me in Paradise (2X)".
2. Cindy co-wrote 'The Days of Innocence' with Mark Hammond. It also went to #1. It has a slow R&B groove to it and is about starting over: "So hold me tight/Oh Lord, turn the night/Take me back/Oh, how I miss the innocence/To what was right/Help me find the time/That we once had/Bring back the days of innocence.../Oh, if we just reach up to Him/And all that might have been/Cause you know that it's good/And you know that it's right/You know that He's waiting tonight".
3. Cindy, Michael Mellett, and Mark Hammond sing backing vocals on 'Storybook', a pop/dance song about romantic relationships that don't work out: "He was working his days away for next to nothing/To buy a piece of happy ever after/She decided she wanted more than he could offer/The invisible land of greener pastures/You know how the story goes/How it's bound to end/When reality awakes in never-never land/Yeah, they'll tell you that the storybook is really true/But it's gonna break their hearts living in make-believe".
4. 'Reaching In' is a great adult contemporary ballad that points to God as our hope: "So when you break, so when you fall/Can't find the strength to care at all/There is a way, there is a plan/If you'll reach out to Him/He'll be reaching in.../Life won't ever be perfect/We'll crawl more than we'll run/But don't you know strength isn't found in this life/But in His love".
5. Cindy co-wrote 'We Can Live Together' with Mark Hammond. Billy Crockett plays gut string guitar, Jerry McPherson plays electric guitar, and a five person choir is used on this #1 Christian radio hit. This pop song is a cry for unity: "This world may never be a place where all pain is severed/But there will be a day when/We can live together/We can live together.../Hope, I believe in a day/When peace will shine down on our sorrow/Hope in the heaven that waits tomorrow/Oh Lord, please bring the day when we can live together".
6. 'Love's Still Love' is a pop/dance number that reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13: "Love will endure/Love believes in you/Always forgives, always is true/Love knows no wrong/Always understands/It heals the heart, given half a chance/So love's not what we thought it was/In spite of us, Heaven's love is faithful.../Feel like dancing/When His heart touches mine/Heals my spirit/Oh, love divine".
7. The album's title track, 'A Reason to Live', is up next. It's one of four songs penned solely by Morgan and features her and Tina Hutchinson on backing vocals. This pleasant adult contemporary ballad reminds us we can't go back and relive the past: "Cause you can turn back to all the memories/But you can't turn back the clock/You can make life all it can be/But you can't make it something it's not/Oh, cause yesterday is yesterday and tomorrow is still a day away/So what do you say?/There's a reason to live today.../O Savior in Heaven/You are the music/That moves us to dance/The love that leaves nothing to chance".
8. 'Let Somebody Love You' is a pop/R&B song of spiritual invitation: "I don't know what else to say/Just know that He's here/And He won't turn away/Don't you know that Jesus waits for you?/Just reach for Him/He will reach out to you/Give you a love that longs to be true to you/Only one way you'll ever know/Only one way, just let it go".
9. 'Someone Believes in You' is a pretty adult contemporary ballad that speaks of God's love and care for us: "Oh, don't you know?/Someone believes in you/No matter who you are, no matter what you do/Oh, don't you know?/Whatever you're going through/He's got His eye on you/Better believe it's true/Someone believes in you".
10. Last up is the quiet ballad 'I Will Be Free' on which piano and strings are performed by Brian Green. It's a song of testimony: "The mountains are steep and the valleys low/And already I'm weary/But I have so far to go/Oh, and sorrow holds my hand/And suffering sings me songs/But when I close my eyes/I know to whom I belong/Who makes me strong/I will be free/I will be free to run the mountains/I will be free/Free to drink from the living fountain/Oh, I'll never turn back/Cause He waits for me/Oh, I will be free".
On A REASON TO LIVE God's love for us is declared time and again, and celebrated. He sees our true worth as individuals. He is capable changing our hearts, healing our hearts, and directing our hearts toward Him and His will and ways. Heaven is looked forward to with great joy on this project. Also, we are reminded of the importance of living in the present moment. Cindy's vocals are great, and there are five fast songs and five slow songs here. Genre-wise you will find pop/dance, adult contemporary, and R&B sounds. Fans of the pop material of Kim Boyce, Lisa Bevill, and Michael English should acquire this project which I'm rating 87%. For more info visit: www.cindymorganmusic.com or connect with her on Facebook.