Tonya Cowart: Safe In the Harbor

It's always a shock when you hear that a friend has died. It's especially so when that friend is your age, because you realize how fragile life can be, and that tomorrow isn't promised to anyone, regardless of age. In the case of my friend Tonya Cowart, I heard about it through a Facebook message from a mutual friend in Mobile, Alabama, where Tonya lived her whole life.

(L to R) Scott, Tonya and Danny

I'll never forget the generosity that Tonya and her husband, Danny, showed me over twenty years ago when they asked me to produce their vocal group, Last Light Band--which also included Scott McLeod--in the studio. They gave me a lot of space to be creative and, basically, kicked me off into a career of producing and recording my own projects. My work on their first record gave me the confidence to head-into a very fulfilling songwriting career with Integrity Music, right there, nestled in the cozy Christian music community of Mobile.

My songwriting with Integrity drew me away from working with the Last Light Band and, eventually, my family moved to North Carolina and then to the Nashville area, where we have been living for the past ten years. A mutual friend from Mobile, who now lives in Murfreesboro, TN, and attends a church I served recently, walked up between services and handed me a cell phone. I was delighted to hear , "Hi Jamie, this is Tonya!" That was a year ago. Since then, I haven't seen or heard about Tonya, Danny or Scott until the awful news that she had passed on November 9th.

I don't know yet how she died; it doesn't matter anyway. Her voice, sweetness, vulnerability and love for God and people resonate in my memory. As a teen-age mother, she struggled through many difficulties, and even throughout her life--filled with loving family, friends and a devoted husband--the bruises from that tough journey were never far from the surface. I believe that is why she connected so well with her audiences, and that she could sing her songs with such commitment and authenticity. I am forever grateful that she recorded a song I co-wrote with Nancy Gordon called Belle of the Ball. The many awards the Last Light Band has garnered over the years publicly confirm that Tonya, Danny and Scott have touched countless lives with their music.

After hearing the sad news, I watched a video of Tonya singing Safe In the Harbor. It's spine-tingling to hear her sing those lyrics, knowing she is now in Heaven and safe there in the arms of her Savior. I'll miss you, Tonya.