Ray Mansfield – Page 4

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

Messenger – Bringin’ The Message – 1978

If you’re looking for some Funky Jazz this is the album for you. This was the second and last album from Messenger. I checked and none of the members of the band seem to have done anything more except for Rick Riso who had 2 albums in the 80’s and one in the 90’s. He also had a whole bunch of albums with his wife. Other than that I couldn’t really find out much about this band. Like I say the album has a Jazz infused Funk feel and is actually really well done. Pity this band didn’t keep on as they did know what they were doing.

Tracklist
1 – Bringin’ The Message – 2:57
2 – Our Love Will Grow – 4:40
3 – Livin’ In Love – 2:44
4 – Pressin’ On – 3:47
5 – Song In The Night – 3:51
6 – Changin’ Me – 4:16
7 – All You Need – 3:20
8 – I Still Love You – 5:08
9 – Now Is The Time – 3:16
10 – Home To You – 4:25

Credits
Acoustic Bass – Dave Marotta
Arranged By – Messenger
Arranged By [Strings] – Clark Gassman
Arranged By [Vocals] – Si Simonson
Artwork, Design – Thel
Backing Vocals – Rebecca Sue Sherburn
Drums – Mike Feller
Electric Bass – Dave Marotta
Executive-Producer – Bill Cole
Flugelhorn, Trumpet – Jerry Hey
Keyboards – Si Simonson
Lacquer Cut By [KP in runouts] – KP
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar – Rick Riso
Percussion – Fred Petry, Mike Feller
Producer – Rick Riso, Si Simonson
Saxophone – Kim Hutchcroft
Strings – L.A. Superstrings, Sidney Sharp
Tenor Saxophone – Larry Williams
Trombone – Bill Reichenbach
Vibraphone – Larry Troxel (tracks: B5)

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Recorded At – Martinsound
Recorded At – United Western Studios
Mastered At – Capitol Mastering

The David Coate Group – State Of The Heart – 1985

I’ve had this album sitting around for awhile (5 years) and not listened to it. For some reason I had visions of this being an easy listening album. Yes it does lean easy listening but there are some great tracks on this album. “Walking in the Light” is a great little rock & roll track that deserves a second listen. Also “Wait Just a Minute” is definitely a radio ready 80’s pop tune. This was the second self released album for David and now I’m looking forward to the first one. This album would be his last 80’s album but he went on to record 8 more albums over the years including as recently as 2023.

1 – Star of the East – 4:28
2 – The Battle – 4:20
3 – Standing Together – 3:24
4 – Don’t Lose Heart – 3:14
5 – Walking in the Light – 4:19
6 – Wait Just a Minute – 5:36
7 – I Believe – 2:54
8 – Wanderer – 4:43
9 – Breaking Away – 5:48

Desert Water Band – Come Closer – 1980

I can not find anything about this band nor can I find that any of the members did any other recorded work. So given that lets just talk about the album. This is a Jesus music album but not like most of them This one has a far more rock sound. There are hints of The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd all through the album and quite frankly this is one of the best Jesus music albums I have stumbled on. It was actually on a real label, Mag Records, but this is the only one from them that they released. It was 1980 however and Jesus music was on it’s way out for a more 80’s pop sound. Too bad we didn’t get more from these guys and I feel they could have probably progressed like SCB into an excellent 80’s band.

Tracklist
1 – King Of My Dreams – 2:54
2 – Come Closer – 4:05
3 – Because I Love You – 3:06
4 – Delight – 2:40
5 – An Appeal – 3:19
6 – No Apologies – 3:33
7 – I Still Believe – 2:28
8 – Find Your Way – 3:58
9 – He’s Coming – 2:41
10 – It’s Yours Not Mine – 1:33

Credits
Bass Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Lonnie Klepper
Drums, Strings, Keyboards, Vocals – Wayne Hagar
Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Dennis Baker

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Recording Services Of W.N.C. – RSR-1114

Sleepy Ray & The Mighty Blood – Where The Highway Turns – 1996

This is Raymond McDonald’s second album and this one got picked up by Crystal Lewis and her husband Brian Ray’s record label Metro One. On his first album he dabbled with a Stevie Ray Vaughan sound but this album he really embraced it. Now I’m not saying the whole album is SRV sounding in fact it’s not but the best tracks have an SRV vibe. That is except for the best track “It’s Only Tuesday” which has a blues sound all it’s own. Unfortunately this is the last album we would get from Ray but the good news is that he still posts of himself on YouTube as the Sr. Pastor at The Vineyard Church of Conroe. He picks up the guitar and leads the congregation in some fantastic rock licks now and then. This is well within my top 50 CCM albums.

Tracklist
1 – Underneath Your Mighty Blood – 3:45
2 – My Answer – 4:06
3 – It’s A Loving Thang – 4:16
4 – You All Along – 4:33
5 – Cadillacs To Heaven – 3:16
6 – You’ve Gone Bitter – 2:51
7 – Where The Highway Turns – 6:40
8 – In The Way Up Down The Road – 4:36
9 – Swing #9 – 3:06
10 – It’s Only Tuesday – 2:44
11 – God Is So Good – 7:23

Credits
A&R – Tim Taber
Acoustic Guitar – Chris Lizotte
Art Direction – Sheri Neville
Bass Guitar – Bobby McDonald
Drums, Percussion – Kevin Jarvis
Engineer – Ken Woodward
Engineer [Additional] – Leo Song
Engineer [Assistant] – Marianne Kleine
Executive-Producer – Chris Wimber
Lead Vocals, Guitar – Raymond McDonald
Mastered By – Robert Vosgien
Mixed By – Michael Dumas
Producer [Additional], Organ [B-3], Piano – Ralph Jordan
Producer [Assistant] – Bobby McDonald, Kevin Jarvis
Producer, Art Direction – Raymond McDonald

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Vineyard Music Group
Copyright © – Vineyard Music Group
Distributed By – Diamante Music Group

Billy Crockett – In These Days Live – 1997

In 1997 Billy self released this live album of all his best songs. It was recorded Live between October 16th to 24th at University Baptist Church Ft Worth, Wilshire Baptist Church Dallas, Riverbend Church Austin, Custer Road United Methodist Church Plano, and on August 24th 1996 at First Baptist Church Duncanville. The album has 18 tracks which is a really good value for a self released album. Producer Billy Crockett says on the liner notes that the album was kept “raw and real”. Personally I think it’s very well recorded, engineered and produced but I know what he meant in that the album is just basic instruments and is relatively acoustic. So if you like Billy this is a definite must listen.

Tracklist
1 – How Good You Are – 4:10
2 – Walkin’ Home – 4:06
3 – The Bottom of Life – 3:34
4 – Couch Potato – 4:17
5 – The Wake Up Song – 2:47
6 – Song and Dance – 4:01
7 – 41 Lawnmowers – 5:02
8 – All Together – 5:16
9 – Storybook Dreams – 4:23
10 – The Crockosaurus – 1:28
11 – Bogart’s Independence – 3:17
12 – Elena – 6:46
13 – The Time is Now – 4:16
14 – Portrait of Love – 4:39
15 – Love Carrier – 3:57
16 – Best of Friends – 5:06
17 – Thankful Boys and Girls – 4:20
18 – A Father’s Love – 2:39

Credits
Accordion, Vocals – Jim Rommel
Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals – Billy Crockett
Mastered By – Sam Loy
Mixed By – Gordon Garrison
Producer – Billy Crockett
Recorded By – Gordon Garrison
Vocals – Milton Brasher

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Walking Angel Records
Copyright © – Walking Angel Records
Distributed By – Walking Angel

DC Talk – DC Talk – 1989

DC Talk started in 1987 by Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max Smith though the real story started the year before when Toby and Michael performed the song Heavenbound for their fellow students at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The song was a huge hit and the band immediately sold out 3000 copies of their actual first demo “Christian Rhymes to a Rhythm” (Coming soon to the channel). Kevin subsequently joined the band and they recorded a 10 track demo. It was also very successful and some how Eddie DeGarmo over at ForeFront Records heard of them and decided to rerelease their demo minus 2 tracks as their first album. This is that first album. It was very popular as I guess the industry was looking for a new sound. While there were rap groups before them none of them had quite this sound.

Tracklist
1 – Heavenbound – 3:53
2 – Gah Ta Be – 3:58
3 – Final Days – 4:08
4 – The King (Allelujah) – 4:10
5 – Spinnin’ Round – 3:48
6 – Voices Praise Him – 3:51
7 – Time Ta Jam – 2:02
8 – He Loves Me – 5:11

Credits
Cover, Design – Jon Timian
Engineer, Mixed By – E. Q. Monroe, Richard Hartine, Ron W. Griffin
Executive-Producer – Dan R. Brock
Human Beatbox – Mike Valliere
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Photography By – Jon Timian, Steve Eastham
Producer – Ron W. Griffin, Toby McKeehan
Rap – Toby McKeehan
Vocals – Kevin Smith, Michael Tait

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Starsong Communications
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.
Copyright © – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.
Recorded At – Horizon Recording Studios
Recorded At – OmniSound Studios
Recorded At – Crosstown Recorders
Mastered At – Mastermix
Published By – Up In The Mix Music

Jon Gibson – Standing On The One – 1983

Not many people know that Jon Gibson actually had a secular release before he moved to the Christian genre. Jon was already knee deep in the secular music industry when he became a Christian in the early 80’s. Because of this he went ahead and released this soulful secular release on Constellation Records. The album didn’t do that well but Constellation did spend the money for a music video which we will upload to our music video channel. Jon was torn between his faith and the secular music industry and decided he needed to perform Christian music so this was his only secular album and he went on to join with Frontline Records in 1985.

Tracklist
1 – Start It All Again – 4:55
2 – She Told Me So – 5:33
3 – Standing On The One – 4:47
4 – That Ain`t No Way To Live – 3:12
5 – Are You Gonna Stay With Me Again – 4:35
6 – I Love Her Anyway – 3:48
7 – It’s True – 3:07
8 – So In Love With You – 4:37
9 – Nation In Need – 3:50
10 – She Told Me So (Radio Mix)

Credits
Ben Bridges – Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic)
Bill Wolfer – Composer, Fender Rhodes, Keyboards, Producer, Programming, Soloist, Synthesizer
Bily Greary – Vocals
Brenda MeKeel – Composer, Shouts, Vocals
Carrie Lucas – Composer
Chris Whorf – Art Direction
Clifford Colter – Composer, Piano
Crystal Blake – Vocals (Background)
Ed Sanders – Composer, Engineer, Mixing
Ernie Watts – Sax (Alto), Soloist
Greg Doty – Guitar
Harry Maslin – Shouts, Vocals
Herb Trawick – Shouts, Vocals
Irvin Dugan – Vocals
Joey Gallo – Synthesizer, Synthesizer Bass
Johanna Vigoda – Vocals
John “4 Daddman” Robinson – Drums
John Robinson – Drums
John VanNest – Shouts, Vocals
Jon Gibson – Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals (Background)
Jonathan Moffett – Drums
Ken Rarick – Composer
Larry Williams – Sax (Alto)
Marvin Morrow – Composer
Micki Free – Guitar
Nathan Watts – Bass, Guitar (Bass)
Phillip Ingram – Vocals (Background)
Sneaky Pete – Guitar (Steel)
Stephen Geyer – Composer
Stewart Whitmore – Digital Engineer
Tom Slocum – Shouts, Vocals
Tony Lewis – Drums
W.G. Snuffy Walden – Guitar
Wayne O. Millstein – Percussion, Vocals

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Constellation Records
Copyright © – Constellation Records
Manufactured By – Elektra/Asylum Records
Distributed By – Elektra/Asylum Records
Designed At – Art Hotel
Recorded At – Allen Zentz Recording
Recorded At – Image Recording Studios
Recorded At – Digital Magnetics
Mixed At – Image Recording Studios
Mastered At – Allen Zentz Mastering
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix – △4912
Pressed By – Allied Record Company – B-18366
Pressed By – Allied Record Company – B-18367

Full Armor – Limited Edition 1988 4-Song E.P

This is all we got from Full Armor which is a total shame because these guys were pretty good. They were a metal band leaning to more glam part of the genre. They had this one 4 song EP and an appearance on a metal sampler “White Metal Invasion” the next year. Now I’d like to tell you more about the band but I can’t because I can’t find any info on them. This is complicated by the fact that there are at least 2 modern Christian bands with the same name but they do not have the same members. So we are left with the EP which may be a good thing because you can just enjoy some really good metal.

Tracklist
1 – White Knights – 2:45
2 – His Love – 4:14
3 – Start – 4:44
4 – Too and Fro – 3:55

Credits
Vincent Van Voltenburg – Voices, keys
Rex Michaels – Guitars, keys
Dion James – Bass
T.T. Townsend – Drums

Companies, etc.
Engineered – Mars studio.