Category: Albums

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.

Jeff Scheetz – Woodpecker Stomp – 1990

After the relative success of Jeff’s excellent demo “Warp Speed” Pure Metal records decided it was time for a full album project. This of course is that album. Jeff’s guitar work was on display on his demo but he turned it up even one more notch for this album. The album did well, especially for a metal guitar instrumental album. The single and title track actually was the first instrumental song to make it on to the CCM rock charts. Jeff did carry over some tracks from his demo but most of these are new tracks. Now I’m gonna offer one criticism and I know Jeff’s fans are gonna bash me but here goes. Why an entirely instrumental album? He had Bill Westfall on keyboards who is an excellent vocalist though I suspect Bill wasn’t a Christian and was brought in more as a studio musician for this album so perhaps that idea wasn’t going to work. But it was 1990. There were metal vocalists everywhere and several looking for work at that time. That said Jeff’s vision was a metal acoustic album and that’s what he did and it turned out just fine.

Tracklist
1 – Woodpecker Stomp – 4:07
2 – Neo-Neo – 4:44
3 – Get Busy – 4:32
4 – Parker Street – 1:22
5 – Lost Island – 6:03
6 – House Of Stairs – 4:09
7 – Digital White – 4:15
8 – Lone Wolf – 5:23
9 – Amazing Grace – 4:13

Credits
Bass – Lance Logan
Drums – Kent Burnham
Engineer – Jon Mathias
Guitar – Jeff Scheetz
Keyboards – Bill Westfall
Producer – Jon Mathias

Companies, etc.
Record Company – Re-Flexx Records, Inc.
Licensed From – Pure Metal
Distributed By – Spectra Distribution

The Winans – Introducing – 1981

This is the introductory album from The Winans who at this point considered of 4 members of the Winan family, Ronald, Marvin, Carvin, and Michael. They were “discovered” by Andrae Crouch and he invited them into the studio to record this album. The album is an excellent soul pop album and I really enjoyed listening to it even if this isn’t my preferred style. That said I do have some criticisms for Andrae who produced the album. First of all the tracks are too long, not every track has to be over 4 minutes. I saw this album as having “superstar” production. Well it didn’t. It did have superstar engineering courtesy of Bob Cotton but that’s where it fell apart. I know Andrae was a very good producer at the time but he missed the ball on this one. The album as great as it was did not have any charting singles which was probably not helped by the track lengths. My final complaint abut the album was why on god’s green earth did Andrea pick the snooziest track on the album to put as the lead track. This album has some fantastic rhythm and soul and it should have been on display right from track 1. Instead we have to wait until track 4 to hear it.

Tracklist
1 – The Question Is – 4:40
2 – Self – 3:43
3 – Are We Really Doing Your Will? – 4:13
4 – I Know Someone – 4:03
5 – Goodness, Mercy And Grace – 4:06
6 – Fallow Ground – 4:34
7 – How Good It Feels To Be Loved – 5:37
8 – Flyin’ Away – 5:29
9 – Restoration – 4:39

Credits
Arranged By [Rhythm] – T.J. Keene
Art Direction – Dan Lienart
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Engineer [with Bob Cotton], Mixed By – Peter Haden
Engineer, Mixed By – Bob Cotton
Graphics – Rhonda Dempsey
Guitar – David Williams, Hadley Hockensmith, Wil Keene
Keyboards – T.J. Keene
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Oboe – John Phillips
Percussion – Alex Acuña, David Williams
Photography – David Randle
Producer, Arranged By [Horns], Drums, Percussion, Mixed By – Bill Maxwell
Producer, Arranged By [Vocal & Horns], Mixed By – Andraé Crouch
Saxophone, Arranged By [Horns], Flute – Steve Tavaglione
Trumpet – Allen Gregory
Vocals, Arranged By [Vocal] – The Winans
Words By, Music By – Marvin Winans

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Copyright © – Lexicon Music, Inc.
Published By – Crouch Music
Produced For – Crouch Productions
Recorded At – Paramount Recording Studios
Mixed At – Paramount Recording Studios
Mastered At – A&M Studios
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.

Ashley Cleveland – Big Town – 1991

I remember hearing about this blond with a monster voice that had appeared on “everybody’s” albums, and regularly with one of my musical heroes, John Hiatt had signed a mainstream record deal with Atlantic. But nothing prepared me for the pushing play on my CD players and the a capella vocal strains of “Soon and Very Soon” busted through the clutter of modern music with sledge hammer. Damn, what a voice! Then i was even more pleasantly surprised to discover an album rich in textures, loaded with incredible talent and filled with brilliantly conceived and produced songs. There is really not a dud on the entire project. Of course Cleveland could also sing Presbyterian Book of Church Order and make it sound like Maggies Farm. I soon discovered Cleveland was an artist and not just a voice; a singer-songwriter with credentials to spare. But still I come back to that voice. Throwing out comparisons and superlatives will do her pipes no justice. A wonderful combination of Joplin passion, Slick rock cred and a bluesy, smokey vibe that is unmatched. In all honesty this should not have been the only album of hers to make list and that oversight is purely mine. That notwithstanding her debut here stands out heads and shoulders above most of her contemporaries and like nothing else in CCM at the time. I highly recommend her recent traditional blues and Gospel projects as well.

Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Soon And Very Soon / Big Town – 5:10
2 – Love On The Mainline – 4:59
3 – Willy – 4:40
4 – I Could Learn To Love You – 7:14
5 – Tentative Man – 4:00
6 – Angel – 4:41
7 – Up From The Ether – 5:31
8 – We Can Dance – 4:40
9 – I’ll Call You – 5:41
10 – Walk To The Well – 5:22
11 – Rebecca – 5:19

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Vocals – Ashley Cleveland
Bass – Glenn Worf
Drums, Percussion – Craig Krampf
Electric Guitar – Kenny Greenberg
Keyboards – Bill Cuomo
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Craig Krampf, Niko Bolas
Producer – Craig Krampf, Niko Bolas
Recorded By – Niko Bolas

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – WEA International Inc.
Copyright © – Atlantic Recording Corporation
Copyright © – WEA International Inc.
Made By – WEA Musik GmbH
Mastered At – The Mastering Lab
Pressed By – Record Service Alsdorf

Rhythm & News – Get With The Rhythm – 1990

Rhythm & News were a great a cappella band out of Vancouver Canada. Started by 4 guys in a basement singing along to a boom box they got a few dates performing across Canada. After some very successful small shows they headed into Roy Salmond’s studio to record this album that was also produced and engineered by super producer Roy Salmond. The album has the a cappella mandatory Randy Stonehill track “Shut De Do”. Another fun track is “Pharaoh, Pharaoh” which is a reworded version of Louie, Louie made famous by The Kingsman. It is mistakenly attributed to Chuck Berry but was actually written by Richard Berry but that’s a common mistake. All in all a great album that I missed back in the day so I’m glad I heard it now.

Tracklist
1 – Get With The Rhythm – 2:46
2 – Looking For Love – 2:41
3 – Sittin’ On The Steps – 2:47
4 – Lighthouse – 5:03
5 – Rhythm Thang – 4:10
6 – Real Salvation – 4:03
7 – This Little Light Of Mine – 2:39
8 – Pharaoh, Pharaoh – 2:49
9 – Shut De Do – 2:27
10 – It’s Gonna Rain – 2:22
11 – Lord Of All – 4:47

Credits
Arranged By [Arrangements] – Rhythm & News, Roy Salmond
Design [Cover Design] – Ferris, The Warning Guy, Rick Yeager
Mixed By – Dave Slagter
Performer [Rhythm & News Is] – Brad Strelau, Doug Zimmerman, Kevin Pollard (4), Mark Batten
Photography By – Francis Cheng
Producer, Engineer, Recorded By – Roy Salmond

Companies, etc.
Copyright © – Image 7 Music Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Image 7 Music Inc.
Manufactured By – Image 7 Music Inc.
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Pressed By – Disque Americ
Recorded At – Whitewater Productions, Richmond, B.C.
Mixed At – Whitewater Productions, Richmond, B.C.
Mastered At – Future Disc
Published By – R&N Boyz Publications