Month: September 2024

Wayne Watson – New Lives For Old – 1982

This is Wayne’s third album and was really the one that gave us a glimpse of what was to come for him. While he had a CCM charting single on his previous album this album is where he really broke out with 3 CCM charting singles. “New Lives For Old” made it to #5, “The Sacrifice” to #6, and “People Of God made it to #21. This would be the album that put Wayne on the path to superstardom in the CCM genre. Oh and did I mention he was still producing all The Harvest albums at this point. Pretty good to be producing another bands successful albums while putting out your own and touring. At this point Wayne was certainly one of the hardest working members of the industry. The album continues his easy listening style but that genre of CCM was where most the money was so I don’t blame him.

Tracklist
1 – All The King’s Men – 4:02
2 – The Sacrifice – 4:48
3 – Roll On – 3:09
4 – People Of God – 3:03
5 – Take All Of Me – 3:54
6 – New Lives For Old – 5:19
7 – Never Give Up – 4:05
8 – In Those Eyes – 4:37
9 – The Greatest Is Love – 4:13
10 – Light Of The World – 3:01

Credits
Accordion – Jim Alderman
Arranged By [Strings], Conductor – Don Wyrtzen
Art Direction – Bob McConnell
Bass Guitar – Darrell Cook
Classical Guitar – Rex Thomas
Drums – Keith Edwards, Terry Westbrook
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Jerry McPhereson
Engineer [Strings] – Bob Whyley
Executive-Producer – Phil Brower
Mastered By – JL
Percussion – Russell Dunlap
Photography By – Ken Kim
Piano [Acoustic], Electric Piano – Allen Mesko
Producer, Arranged By, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Wayne Watson
Producer, Arranged By, Engineer, Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals – Brian Tankersley
Recorder – Fletch Wiley
Synthesizer [Yamaha CS-80] – Paul Mills

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Singspiration
Copyright © – Singspiration
Recorded At – Rivendell Sound Recorders
Recorded At – Pinebrook Recording Studio
Mastered At – Masterfonics
Pressed By – Electrosound Group Midwest, Inc.

Messenger – The New Has Come – 1976

Well it’s time for some Jazz infused seventies soul again. I’m still unable to find any background on the band but this album included member Rick Riso who is relatively well known as far as CCM goes. So we will have to stick to talking abut the album. I actually prefer this one to their second album as it seems a little mo0re raw which makes this style sound a little more interesting. If you like your CCM a little funky and pretty soulful this is the one for you.

Tracklist
1 – The New Has Come – 4:01
2 – I Feel Secure – 4:05
3 – Jesus Died For Me – 3:49
4 – I Love My Jesus – 3:39
5 – My Savior’s Love – 4:20
6 – Set Your Mind – 4:03
7 – Take My Yoke Upon You – 3:24
8 – Fill Me With Your Spirit – 3:53
9 – Wings Of Salvation – 3:54
10 – Live In Jesus’ Light – 4:03

Credits
Rick Riso – Vocals & Guitars
Si Simonson – Keyboards
Jim DeLong – Drums & Percussion

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Light Records
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Pressed By – Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Santa Maria
Mastered At – Capitol Mastering

The Gossetts – We Are One – 1971

This is a great early 70’s recording of a group of Siblings from Canada and if you are a fan of this era of CCM you will recognize the two brothers, Donnie and Michael, as the main members of legendary Canadian band Salvation Air Force. They are joined on this album by their sisters Jeanne and Judy and their father Rev. Don E. Gossett produced the album rounding out the family affair. At this time of this recording the siblings were performing across western Canada and being welcomed into several churches and while I grew up in western Canada unfortunately they never visited my church. This album is pretty easy listening but does have a very good cover of Oh Happy Day made famous by the Edwin Hawkins Singers. Donnie and Michael would go on to have a more Rock & Roll oriented career in the industry but unfortunately Michael passed away in 2019. Donnie continues to make and perform music to this day and has a pretty popular YouTube channel. If you like your 70’s CCM on the easy listening side this is one you need to listen to.

Tracklist
1 – The Man – 5:02
2 – My God Can Do Anything – 2:05
3 – Prepare My Heart – 2:21
4 – Had It Not Been – 2:23
5 – Oh Happy Day – 5:34
6 – I’ve Got Confidence – 3:45
7 – My Jesus Is All – 2:40
8 – Sheltered In The Arms Of God – 2:36
9 – Introduction To A Friend – 1:21
10 – Pass Me Not – 4:17
11 – Give Me Jesus – 1:46

Credits
Backing Vocals – Jeanne Gossett
Bass Guitar, Lead Vocals – Michael Gossett
Drums – Chuck Kenyon
Engineer – Mike Flicker, Si Garber, Terry Gottlieb
Executive Producer – Rev. Don E. Gossett
Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals – Donnie Gossett
Lead Vocals – Judy Gossett
Photography – Dick Reynolds
Piano – Cheryl Holmes
Rhythm Guitar – Leon Rogers

Scott Wesley Brown – I Am A Christian – 1976

This is the second album from Scott. His first album was self released but this one was a one album deal with Gary Paxton’s Newpax records which led to a more lucrative deal with Sparrow records for his next album. While Scott was very successful on the CCM charts this album didn’t have any charting singles. This has more to do with it being on Newpax records than the quality of the record. Had this been released on Sparrow “I Am A Christian” would have easily been a top 10 single. This song is actually still a favourite of his fans all these years later. The album as you can imagine has an easy listening sound which is Scott’s style. The album also has seventies feels on several tracks and for the time and genre was a great album.

Tracklist
1 – Rejoice – 3:53
2 – Excuses – 3:39
3 – The Lone Ranger – 3:20
4 – He Has Returned – 3:22
5 – Super Star – 4:53
6 – I Am A Christian – 3:53
7 – Walk Your Talk – 3:08
8 – I Love You – 2:58
9 – Ride The Wild Horses – 3:14
10 – Love One Another – 6:29

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Michael Harris
Bass – Jack Williams, Steve Schaffer
Drums – Jerry Carrigan
Guitar – Dale Sellers, Reggie Young, Steve Gibson
Keyboards – Buddy Skipper, Ron Oates, Shane Keister
Photography By – Craig Sterling
Photography By [Back Cover] – Michael G. Borum
Producer – Bob MacKenzie, Gary S. Paxton
Producer [Assistant], Liner Notes – Randy Matthews

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Sound Stage Studios
Recorded At – Pinebrook Recording Studio
Mastered At – Masterfonics
Pressed By – GRT Record Pressing

Geoff Moore and The Distance – Home Run – 1995

Here’s the 6th album from Geoff Moore and The Distance and it’s another home run. The guys definitely had their sound perfected at this point and knew exactly what their fans wanted. There were a few baseball themed albums in the 80’s and it’s nice to see that these guys continued that theme into the 90’s. The album was pretty successful on the CCM charts with the title track making it to #24 which is pretty surprising because it’s a pretty upbeat song for those charts. “Tell Me Again” and “The Vow” also charted at #6 and #24 respectively. They also produced a music video for the title track which is fun to watch. Another great album from one of my favourite groups.

Tracklist
1 – Home Run – 4:10
2 – New Americans – 5:11
3 – Evidence Of God – 5:42
4 – Best Days – 4:30
5 – The Vow – 4:08
6 – Love Will Save The Day – 3:50
7 – Born To Be – 4:03
8 – Come Near To Me – 5:08
9 – Tell Me Again – 4:36
10 – Nothing To Hide – 4:54
11 – We Are Waiting – 4:38

Credits
Geof Barkley – Songwriter, Keyboards, Choir Vocals
Richie Biggs – Engineer
Dan Brock – Executive Producer
Ronnie Brookshire – Engineer, Mixed
Steven Curtis Chapman – Songwriter
Chuck Conner – Drums, Choir Vocals
Eric Darken – Percussion
Eddie DeGarmo – Executive Producer
Dave Dillbeck – Engineer
Michael Gleason – Keyboards
John Hampton – Engineer
Chris Harris – Bass, Announcer
Dann Huff – Guitar
Gordon Kennedy – Guitar
Ken Love – Mastered
Phil Madeira – Songwriter
Blair Masters – Keyboards
Shawn McLean – Second Engineer
Roscoe Meek – Songwriter, Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Michael Mellett – Background Vocals
Geoff Moore – Songwriter, Vocals
Gary Mullet – Bass
Phil Naish – Producer, Keyboards, Umpire
Jimmie Lee Sloas – Producer, Songwriter, Bass
Bart Stevens – Second Engineer
Randy Thomas – Guitar
Rick Will – Mixed

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Alliance Music
Marketed By – Alliance Music
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.
Copyright © – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.

Larry Norman And Beam – Shouting In The Storm (Flevo 2) – 1998

Beam is a band from the Netherlands that Larry toured with in 1998 on a European tour. The studio sessions “Breathe In, Breathe Out” were released as a double CD, revealing their rehearsals for the tour. This is a live recording, also noted as “Flevo 2” on the CD itself. Larry’s “Live at Flevo” with Q-Stone was a success and this recording is just as good as that one. Again, Larry is fronting a tight band here, and a more modern sounding one than the 60s groups he built up in the past to perform material from the People! years and the trilogy albums that followed that. This is a solid 90s sounding band backing Larry on some of his classic songs as well as some newer ones from that era. “God part 3” is a rock version here. We have heard Larry perform and record it in almost every style imaginable, from solo acoustic/folk to studio versions with some bite. Beam adds something here that isn’t in any of the other recordings with upgraded guitar riffs. “Six Sixty Six” is changed from a 70s folk song into a 90s grunge ballad with Larry’s distinctive voice still adorning. The closing track is Larry and Beam covering “Jesus Freak” which was a 90s anthem thanks to both DC Talk and Newsboys. “Shot Down” is remembered as a piano rock song from its original In Another Land release, however there is no piano here. Beam’s full guitar sound make a great update on this classic.

Tracklist
1 – Heaven Wants To Bless You – 4:57
2 – God Part 3 – 4:09
3 – Six Sixty Six – 6:06
4 – Shot Down – 2:23
5 – Let The Rain Fall Down – 7:29
6 – Sweet Song Of Salvation – 4:58
7 – Goodbye, Farewell – 4:00
8 – Let It Go – 6:20
9 – Bombs – 8:03
10 – The Rock That Doesn’t Roll – 4:56
11 – Jesus Freak – 6:08

Credits
Bass Guitar – Hans Sigmond
Design [Booklet] – Jason Carter, Wavelength
Drums – Gert Koudijs
Engineer – Johan Van Loo
Executive-Producer – Gerrit aan’t Goor
Harmony Vocals – Beam
Lead Guitar – Robert Riekerk
Lead Vocals – Larry Norman
Mastered By – Sander van der Heiden
Mixed By – Johnny Hulst, Larry Norman
Photography By – Bea Riekerk, David Carter, Nathalie Riekerk
Producer – Larry Norman
Promotion [Concert] – Gerrit aan’t Goor
Recorded By – Alpha Mobile Studio
Rhythm Guitar – Tommy Riekerk

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – GMI Music Partners
Produced For – Solid Rock Records
Produced For – The Street Level Cafe
Produced For – White Trash Communications
Published By – Ordure Blancu Music
Published By – Universal
Published By – Alliance 4K
Mixed At – Hulst Recording Studio Zwolle
Mastered At – Wisseloord Studios

DC Talk – Christian Rhymes To A Rhythm – 1987

This is a very simple 2 side 2 track cassette that was sold by DC Talk before Kevin Max even joined the group. It is purported to have sold 3000 copies when Toby and Michael performed the song Heavenbound for their fellow students at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987. It was copied countless times and spread through the CCM industry and the band shortly after prepared a proper 10 track demo.

Tracklist
1 – Heavenbound – 3:50
2 – Always Leaning – 3:50

Credits
Performer [Uncredited] – Michael Tait, Toby McKeehan
Written-By, Producer – Toby McKeehan

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Ministries Of Tait & McKeehan

Randy Stonehill – Live at Greenbelt ’79 – 2005/2021

This album has a but of a strange history. It was recorded at Greenbelt obviously but Larry Norman released it in 2005 on his label. I don’t think Larry actually had the rights to this recording. Yes it was recorded back when Larry and Randy were getting along but in 2005 they were not doing business together. I have no idea how Larry decided he had the rights to this album but who knows what was said back in 1979. That said after Larry passed suddenly Randy owned the rights and released it himself in 2021. Anyway the version you will listen to here is a hybrid I worked over offering the best versions in my opinion. !979 was a great year in CCM music and this album displays that.

Tracklist
1 – Intro-One True Love – 4:41
2 – Keep Me Running – 5:43
3 – Teen King -4:09
4 – Lung Cancer – 4:26
5 – Venezuela – 3:10
6 – Through The Glass Darkly – 5:53
7 – The Great American Cure – 4:26
8 – You Really Got Me – 3:06
9 – Trouble Coming – 4:44
10 – Good News – 4:47
11 – Let That Tape Keep Rolling – 6:09

Gary Chapman – Sincerely Yours – 1981

This is the first album from Gary. He had already written the hit song for Amy Grant “Fathers Eye’s” so it was natural for him to get an album deal to try to recreate that success. But first lets talk a minute about Gary’s back story. Born in Waurika, Oklahoma he actually grew up in De Leon, Texas. His Father was a pastor at an Assemblies Of God church. After high school he attended Southwestern Bible College and after graduation he moved straight to Nashville. He was almost immediately hired as a guitarist for famed 60’s and 70’s CCM band The Rambos. Gary’s music writing received some attention and his first success was his song Father’s Eyes which Amy Grant performed on her 1979 album “My Father’s Eyes”. Somewhere about the time of this album he started dating Amy also and they would get married the following year. Amy actually appears on this album on the track “Anywhere” which is a duet between them. Also of interest on the album are Degarmo & Key who as well as producing the album played instruments and sang backing vocals. This album had one top 10 single with “Sincerely Yours” peaking at #4. 1981 was a good year for Gary as he also won the dove award for songwriter. Anyway as far as the album is concerned it is an easy listening effort that while not my style is definitely a great album.

Tracklist
1 – No Time At All – 4:18
2 – I Wanna Be Loved By You – 3:40
3 – Love Is A Name – 3:46
4 – Open Up My Eyes – 3:50
5 – Sincerely Yours – 3:07
6 – The Secret Of Love – 4:05
7 – Anywhere – 3:37
8 – I’d Really Like To Tell You – 3:45
9 – Feelin’ Right – 3:11
10 – One Hope – 3:54

Credits
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Andrew Love
Arranged By [Strings], Arranged By [Horns] – Carl Marsh
Backing Vocals – Gary Pigg, Jack Holder, Jimi Jamison
Baritone Saxophone – Gary Topper
Design [Album Design] – Bill Brunt
Drums – Chad Cromwell, John Hampton
Guitar [Solo] – Jack Holder
Lacquer Cut By [L.Nix in runouts], Mastered By – Larry Nix
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Gary Chapman
Photography By [Album] – Mike Borum
Piano, Electric Piano – Keith Thomas
Producer [Executive Producer] – Dan Harrell, Dan Raines, Mike Blanton
Producer, Electric Guitar, Backing Vocals – Dana Key
Producer, Organ, Synthesizer – Ed DeGarmo
Producer, Twelve-String Guitar, Bass – Joe Hardy
Strings – The Claude O’Donnell Strings
Vocals – Amy Grant

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lamb & Lion Records
Copyright © – Lamb & Lion Records
Produced For – Blanton/Harrell Productions
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Great Circle Sound
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering
Designed At – Private Eye Studio
Pressed By – PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN

Randy Matthews – Streets Of Mercy – 1987

This has to be one of the most mysterious albums I have come across and it is without a doubt the strangest album from Randy. It is his one and only album with Refuge Records. Randy put this album out in 1987 but his previous album was in 1981 on Spirit Records. A 6 year gap in albums when you are at your height is bizarre enough but then this album got completely ignored by the entire industry. I know it didn’t sell well as it took us a long time to find a copy so maybe Refuge just didn’t distribute it very well but that is strange too as Randy was a very highly respected artist. There is also radio silence on this album with no one talking about it. The internet’s a big place but this album takes an incredibly small space on it. In fact there’s very little info on what Randy was doing at this point in his career. The album itself is actually very very good and is probably now my favourite album from him. I would say the single is “The Day Death Died” which is a great rock & roll track. Probably his hardest track ever. The other highlight of the album is probably the only CCM track about Santa Claus but be warned it is a very sad song actually about abortion. That said it is a stunningly good track.

Tracklist
1 – Amazing Grace – 1:15
2 – Hearts On Ice – 3:22
3 – Grumble Alley – 3:30
4 – Ti Chapé-Kum Ba Ya – 4:33
5 – Eyes Of The Heart – 3:34
6 – Streets Of Mercy – 2:57
7 – I Wish It Were Only Make Believe – 3:55
8 – No Cross, No Crown – 3:04
9 – The Day Death Died – 3:52
10 – Nuclear Hymn – 3:27

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Cover [Concept] – Randy Matthews
Art Direction, Design – Jeff Spencer
Backing Vocals – Anthony Nelson, Demetrius Alexander, Duane Hamilton, Eddie Williams, Grace Rosenburger, Greg Tornquist, Kim Hill, Monty Matthews, Robbie Anderson, Roger M. Major
Booking – Barbara Matthews
Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar – Greg Tornquist
Engineer – Gary Wysocki
Engineer, Remix – John W. Thompson
Keyboards, Acoustic Guitar – John W. Thompson
Management – Dave Peters II, Image Communications International
Photography – Peter Nash
Producer – John Thompson

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Refuge Music Group
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Refuge Records
Copyright © – Refuge Records
Copyright © – Stowaway Music
Copyright © – Group Seven Music
Copyright © – Morning Gate Music
Recorded At – Morning Gate Studio, Franklin Tennessee