Sunset Autumn Portrait Photo by Cherylann's daughter Cheyenne Autumn Mehl... singer, multi-instrumentalist, writer, mixed media artist, cross country champion, animal lover, rock climber, traveler, and just gloriously amazing at everything she does. She knows how to embrace every moment and loved one, and create wonderful gifts for all of our senses.

Cherylann Hawk, Mama SunHawk, Messenger of Love & Gratitude, has been a singer and songwriter all her life. As a small child, she used to pretend that there was a hidden microphone in a button on her shirt that allowed everyone in the world to hear her singing songs that could help people to feel better. Well, this is still her mission.

She grew up in a rural little valley in West Virginia, across the street from her beloved grandma, Mum Mum, who leased the land behind her house to Cherylann's family for a dollar a year for 20 years. Cherylann rode her horses on that land, “The Hill,” learning on her own what it felt like to be one with Mother Nature and her gentle and not so gentle beasts. She went from singing in church, to minstrels, to musicals and talent shows, to singing country music in restaurants, fairs, festivals, The Capital Music Hall in Wheeling, Nashville... and anywhere her mama could find a stage for her. And then she moved to Pittsburgh in 1996, where she has crafted her own style, inspired by the many different kinds of music to which she has been drawn... country, folk, jazz, finger-style guitar, pop, rock, children's music, and indigenous traditions from all over the world. 

In 1999, Cherylann co-founded AcoustiCafe, an organization that is still flying strong. She and Mark Willson made it the organization's mission to create events and venues where singer/songwriters and supporting musicians could network and collaborate. You can visit Mr Small's in Millvale on Monday nights to be a part of the AcoustiCafe Open Mic Monday, and get involved with AcoustiCafe sponsored events. Why is this relevant? Cherylann first encountered Kellee Maize at an AcoustiCafe songwriter's showcase she hosted at the grand opening of an artists' space in the West End in 2009... Kellee performed after that showcase had ended, so Cherylann packed up her gear while being mesmerized, inspired and intriguedby her performance... but theydidn't actually meet that day. About a year later, they met up close at the International Children's Art Gallery where Victoria Hanchin was facilitating a gathering of gods and goddesses, the first of many Peaceburgh and Owl Tribe gatherings that Cherylann attended or facilitated.

So in 2010, Cherylann had returned to Pittsburgh after traveling for 7 years with her first daughter's father, building log homes and making music up and down the east coast. She moved into the Lighthouse in Mount Oliver with Sol Shanti, where they facilitated many pot lucks, at which the annual Peaceful Gathering of Hands was first incubated and planned. And then when they moved onto the sacred land in Verona on which Cherylann still lives, they built a sweat lodge with Dakota Sioux medicine man, Sundancer and painter, Johnny Creed Coe. Cherylann has prayed, celebrated and meditated in the traditions of Dakota Sioux, Taino, Kundalini, and many other spiritual paths, and has learned much about plant medicines and the necessities of consuming healthy homegrown foods. All traditions, self care and expression, creativity, sharing, love and gratitude leads us back to our hearts, to Mother Earth, and to the Source, then connects us in all ways to heal and create together.

And so does Cherylann's music.... many of her experiences from her life's journeys have made it into her songs, some of which make it apparent which paths she was walking when she created them, some of which are created to be so generalized that folks from every walk of life can be inspired without distraction of prejudice. She has sung songs to help us to heal and deal, and to learn love and gratitude, as well as to help save the mountains from Mountaintop Removal Mining, and to help clean up this paradise we call home. Cherylann is a messenger for many different walks of life.

And now, Cherylann is offering to help you share your message in song or spoken word by helping you to create and record your heart songs, and to help you to share them on stage at open stages and showcases she hosts, or at other events or gatherings that suit your songs. As for internet marketing and such, I would refer you to others who know more than I do... as Key Bay Da Button Pusha says... “I'm learning.”

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Cherylann’s discounted recording studio time, songwriting and demo making can be used at either of her locations. She can be the engineer on Member's projects at The Nest if one is not provided by Kellee. For instance, she engineered Parker Webb's project, “Mother's Calling” there recently after he won a few hours of studio time from Kellee's offering at an event. The Goddess Nest SunHawk collaborations have begun! 

‍Synchronicity Note... A couple of days after Cherylann recorded Parker Webb at SunHawk and The Goddess Nest studios, she performed at a fundraising event for Allegheny CleanWays at... the International Children's Art Gallery, where she met Kellee Maize, and was inspired to Google Female Rapper to find her... full circle sweet sistars! Let's fly together!