Paula Vega Vondenstein

Winners of the coveted 2019 Josie Music Award for Gospel/Christian Duo, Bible Belt Blues (Paula and Harold Vondenstein) is gaining momentum with the production of three Christian albums, extensive media coverage and charting on indie radio stations.

Known for their bold, Biblically sound lyrics, Bible Belt Blues is setting the stage for a new wave of Christian music. The duo has dared to tread where others feared to go, addressing topics like sin, repentence and salvation in their songs. They desribe themselves as Evangelist Songwriters, saving souls one song at a time.

Bible Belt Blues’ music is both fresh and original with its musical roots distinctly early Mississippi Bentonia blues with a bit of 70’s retro mixed in for good measure. After intensive study of the history of Mississippi’s blues for over two years, Bible Belt Blues was officially created September of 2018 when Paula convinced her musician husband, Harold, to let her craft the lyrics first. Disturbed over a growing number of Christian songs where the lyrics lack depth and where the music is overpowering the lyrics, Paula was eager to make her mark in the field of Christian music while simultaneously making an eternal difference for the Kingdom of God.

Paula crafts the lyrics first which sets the tonality and structure for each song making each one a musical work of art, yet remaining true to their own distinct genre, Bible Belt Blues, which falls under the sub-genre of Gospel Blues. Being led by the Holy Spirit of God, her husband, Harold, crafts the music around the lyrics adding numerous tracks on a looper, creating the illusion of a band which includes his vocals, guitar, “weeping” harmonica, drums, and special effects.

“God has given each of us our own distinct gifts which work together beautifully when crafting songs,” remarks Harold. “We literally craft the songs together, I do the vocals, guitar, harmonica, and everything tech which includes mixing, mastering, and building our website and YouTube Channel: Bible Belt Blues. Paula is the lyricist for all of our songs, my vocal coach, our music producer, mixing editor, and does everything in regards to graphic design, marketing, media, and securing radio airplay. Paula is naturally very outgoing and will talk to anyone. Give her an mp3 boom box and some business cards, and she is a walking talking billboard for our music. I am a bit more reserved. I prayed to God to give me boldness, and He gave me Paula.”

A major door opened up for Bible Belt Blues in early March of 2019 when they were taken into the Bill and Kat Radio’s family with their Gospel Blues Hour Syndicated Program which airs on 30 stations, across 6 genres, and in 4 countries. Bible Belt Blues’ very first album, “I’m Not Ashamed to Be a Christian,” released on Jan. 5, 2019, has already placed twice on the Roots Music Report for the Top 50 Christian Albums (#47 and #26). Six of the songs from this album have received radio airplay, an amazing accomplishment for a very first album. Their much anticipated second album, “My God, My God,” released on June 1, 2019, and has already received radio airplay with two of their songs.  Subsequently, their second album has also placed once on the Roots Music Report for the Top 50 Christian Albums (#27) and once at (#8) for Top 50 Mississippi Albums). 

Another pivotal door opened up for Bible Belt Blues on June 4, 2019 when they secured the finalist nomination for the 2019 Josie Music Awards as Duo/Band for the Gospel/ Christian/ Inspirational music genre after 23,000+ nominations were submitted across all genres. A 2nd tier finalist nomination came through on June 19th for Bible Belt Blues for Gospel/ Christian/ Inspirational Entertainer of the Year! After calming down from receiving two nominations that only seemed to be a distant dream, Paula and Harold are quick to give glory to God, “Only God could have opened that door for us. Harold and I are both humbled and honored.” Looking forward to that big day on September 21, 2019 for the Fifth Annual Josie Music Awards at the Dollywood Theatre in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Paula and Harold stay confident in securing that coveted award. Meanwhile Bible Belt Blues is focusing on securing bookings for their music at local churches, colleges, schools, and for special events. 

Paula and Harold Vega Vondenstein take their calling as Christian musicians seriously, believing that a song can soften a hardened heart to be receptive to the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is their heartfelt desire to be used by God in a mighty way and believe that creating Christian songs with bold, biblically sound lyrics can do just that. According to Paula Vega Vondenstein, “It’s the lyrics that make a song Christian; the bolder, the better. Soft and fluffy lyrics do not win souls for Christ.” 

(BibleBeltBlues.com) https://biblebeltblues.hearnow.com/