Michael W Smith – I 2 (Eye) – 1988

Michael W. Smith is back with his 5th album and wow what an album it was. Full disclaimer, I do not like AOR BUT even I think this is a fantastic album. It sold Platinum and was #1 on the Top Contemporary Christian charts. It actually had 7 top 10 singles including 2 #1’s and 2 #2’s. Here is all of them;

Pray For Me #1
The Throne #1
On The Other Side #2
Hand Of Providence #2
I Miss The Way #4
Live And Learn #7
I Hear Leesha #7

This album had a much younger feel than earlier albums but it was approaching the end of the 80’s and that was acceptable at this point in Christian AOR music. I’m not really going to get too deep into the album as I am guessing most of you either had it or listened to it. If not I do suggest you take the time to listen to it. Reading through the credits I noticed Dann Huff (White Heart) played guitar and here’s the real surprise, Michael Sweet & Oz Fox did some background vocals. I’m not really too sure what track they appeared on but I was pretty surprised to find them here.

Tracklist
1 – Hand Of Providence – 4:33
2 – Secret Ambition – 6:26
3 – On The Other Side – 3:40
4 – All You’re Missin’ Is A Heartache – 5:39
5 – I Miss The Way – 4:35
6 – Live And Learn – 6:17
7 – I Hear Leesha – 5:26
8 – Help You Find Your Way – 5:28
9 – Ashton – 3:17
10 – The Throne – 6:49
11 – Pray For Me – 3:52

Credits
Michael W. Smith – keyboards, lead vocals, background vocals (2, 3, 6, 7, 10), horn arrangement (6), drum programming (9)
Dann Huff – guitars (1–8)
Chris Rodriguez – guitars (1, 3, 5, 6, 8), background vocals (4, 6, 8, 11)
Jerry McPherson – guitars (2, 4, 9, 10), acoustic guitar (7)
Billy Sprague – acoustic guitar (11)
Tom Hemby – guitars (6, 8, 10, 11), bass guitar (9, 11)
Mike Brignardello – bass guitar (1–5, 7, 8)
Tommy Sims – bass guitar (6)
Gary Lunn – bass guitar (10)
Paul Leim – drums (1–4, 6, 7, 8, 10)
Terry McMillan – percussion (1, 3, 5, 7, 8), harmonica (1)
Mark Hammond – drum programming (11)
Ronn Huff – string arrangements (5)
Mark O’Connor – fiddles and mandolins (9)
Wayne Kirkpatrick – background vocals (1–8, 10), acoustic guitar (3), drum programming (9)
Chris Harris – background vocals (1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10), recitation (6)
Mark Heimmerman – background vocals (2, 5)
Billy Simon – background vocals (4)
Michael Sweet – background vocals (4)
Oz Fox – background vocals (4)

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – MCA Distributing Corporation
Copyright (c) – Reunion Records, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Reunion Records, Inc.
Recorded At – The Bennett House
Recorded At – Deer Valley Studio, Franklin, TN
Recorded At – The Castle Recording Studios
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Recorded At – Sixteenth Avenue Sound
Mixed At – Sixteenth Avenue Sound
Mixed At – Masterfonics
Mastered At – Mastermix
Published By – O’Ryan Music, Inc.
Published By – Emily Boothe, Inc.
Published By – Riverstone Music, Inc.
Published By – Whitney Katherine Music, Inc.