Tag: 1982

Mike Warnke – Higher Education – 1982

The humour continues as Mike is joined by his wife, at the time, for his 6th album.

It should be noted that Warnke was revealed as a liar and fraudster in 1991 by Cornerstone magazine. This recording is offered as a historic record of what was being listened to in the Christian community in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Credits
Art Direction – McConnell Graphics
Engineer – Carl Frost
Engineer [Second] – Eric Tarleton
Mastered By – Glenn Meadows
Photography By – Mark Tucker
Producer – Neal Joseph

Companies, etc.
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.
Mastered At – Masterfonics

Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart – Brand New Start – 1982

While Mylon grew up playing Gospel music in his family band he decided to go the secular music route. He had some success in the 70’s and became well known in the industry. With that success came a somewhat rougher lifestyle than Mylon was familiar with. In 1980 Mylon came back into the fold after attending a Second Chapter of Acts concert. He actually became a janitor at his church in Atlanta, Mt. Paran Church of God. Nothing like a bit of humbling to move you to a stronger relationship with God. Mylon contacted Degarmo & Key as he wanted to enter the CCM industry and subsequently did some writing and sang backup on their “This Ain’t Hollywood” album. In turn Degarmo & Key stepped up to help Mylon with this album. Interestingly the band was assembled from his bible study group at his church and in 1982 this album appeared on the market. Now I do have to make bit of a disclaimer. If you are familiar with MYlon’s work later in the 80’s this album is going to be a little different. While it is well written and played it leans far more Easy Listening than his later work. So if you don’t care about that sit down and give the album a listen and hear where it all started over for Mylon.

Tracklist
1 – Stranger To Danger – 4:46
2 – Child Of The Father – 3:33
3 – You Comfort Me – 2:47
4 – Waitin’ On Heaven – 3:25
5 – Broken Heart – 4:30
6 – The Light – 3:58
7 – Our Desire – 3:35
8 – To Be Real – 3:03
9 – Inner Mission/A Brand New Start – 5:03

Credits
Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals – Jack Holder
Backing Vocals – Debbie Cathey, Jimi Jamison
Drums – John Hampton
Electric Bass, Acoustic Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion – Joe Hardy
Engineer – Joe Hardy
Guitar – Mike Adams
Lead Guitar, Classical Guitar, Resonator Guitar [Dobro], Congas – Dean Harrington
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Organ, Synthesizer – Ed DeGarmo
Piano, Keyboards [Rhodes], Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Stan Coates
Producer – Dean Harrington, Joe Hardy, Mylon LeFevre
Saxophone – Andrew Love
Trombone – Ben Cauley
Trumpet – Jack Hale
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Phil Driscoll (tracks: B2)
Vocals – Mylon LeFevre

Companies, etc.
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Recorded At – Axis Sound Studio
Recorded At – Mastersound Studios, Atlanta
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering

Ben Antell Band – Waters – 1982

Ben Antell Put together this Finnish band in 1980 and they set to learning and rehearsing several songs Ben had written. In 1981 they went into Rexi studio where they recorded this album. As they were paying for the studio time they kept it to two days but this meant that many songs had to be completely recorded “Live”. The album “Waters” was subsequently released in Sweden, Finland, and Canada. Unfortunately the studio burnt down so the only remaining copy of the studio recording was on 1/4 inch tape. They were able to remix it as best they could do and it has been re-released on Spotify and other locations. I would describe it as having a late 70’s sound with very strong lead guitars. This was all we got from them apart from a 2006 release but it’s worth taking the time to listen to.

Tracklist
1 – You’re So Real – 3:50
2 – Au 24 – 3:18
3 – Nardus Op2 – 7:42
4 – Waters – 6:39
5 – Quo – 4:31
6 – Always One – 4:38
7 – The Calling Of The Night-Bird – 7:21
8 – Mountain “I Am” – 6:04

Credits
Mikko Rintanen – Keyboards
Sixten Sandvik – Drums / Percussion
Henrik Berg – Bass
Heikki Koivisto – Lead Guitar
Ben Antell – Lead and Rhythm Guitar, Vocals

Gideon’s Army – Rock & Roll For Your Soul – 1982

San Francisco Bay Area’s Gideon’s Army got their start ministering in the prison system both juvenile and adult throughout California. After many years they finally put out this album in 1982. The album was released on Santa Ana’s Calvary Chapel’s own label “Asaph Records”. This was the second album on the label and as such was not well promoted or known outside of the local California area. Later this label would actually get much better known but in 1982 it was barely known. The band have a strong Late 70’s Southern Rock sound that I think was rather unique for the CCM market. One of the other strange things about the album is the length of some of the songs. There are 4 tracks over the 5 minute mark which was a little more common in the mid 70’s. Because of this the album is limited to only 8 tracks. This album is very unique and you should give it a listen if not just for the historical sound of it.

Tracklist
1 – Light – 6:17
2 – Dream – 4:28
3 – Lift Your Heart – 4:33
4 – What Is Love – 7:12
5 – Better Days – 6:35
6 – On The Move – 3:39
7 – New Man – 6:32
8 – Can You Still Turn Away? – 4:41

Credits
Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Rob Carey
Backing Vocals – Ron Davis
Drums, Lead Vocals – Jerry Anderson
Lead Guitar – Dave Angeles
Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Mike Banke
Lead Vocals, Bass – Mark Greves
Organ, Synthesizer, Backing Vocals – Doug Naruo
Percussion – Tom Long
Trumpet – Jim Gabel, Rob Brockman

Mark Heard – Victims of the Age – 1982

I do not cry very often. I will cry in a movie before I cry about things in my own life. I have only cried once at a funeral, but never have I cried when hearing about the death of someone I did not know extremely well. Except on August 17th 1992 when I had learned of the death the previous day of Christian artist Mark Heard. And I don’t know why… Perhaps I was so moved by his music and felt such a connection to it that his death simply moved me. Or I have considered I was familiar enough with the story of his life and trials and struggles he endured for his art that I felt an empathy previously unknown. Sometime I believe it is because I realized the world lost a beautiful soul, a loving man and brilliant artist…and the world didn’t even know it. That is the great shame of the life and death of Mark Heard. It is a shame that most of the world had no idea who the man was and what an amazing collection of art he had created in his 20 years as a musician, poet, producer and performer. “Victims of the Age” was the second album of Mark’s that I would own (though I now own them all) and its consistently carried theme of city life and isolation and the ever-present Gospel ring as true today as it did in 1982. Plus I firmly believe that Victims, more than any other Heard release, walked the very fine line between commercially accessible and artistically intriguing as any other.

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Victims Of The Age – 3:14
2 – City Life Won’t Let Up – 3:40
3 – Faces In Cabs – 3:22
4 – Nothing Is Bothering Me – 4:22
5 – Some Folks’ World – 4:32
6 – Growing Up Blind – 4:57
7 – Dancing At The Policeman’s Ball – 3:53
8 – Everybody Loves A Holy War – 4:24
9 – Heart Of Hearts – 3:14

Credits
Backing Vocals – Larry Norman, Leslie Phillips
Bass, Backing Vocals – Billy Batstone
Drums – John Mehler
Electric Guitar, Lead Guitar, Slide Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Harmonica, Accordion [Accordian], Mandolin – Mark Heard
Engineer – Bill Cobb
Engineer, Photography By – Janet Sue Heard
Keyboards – Carl Pickhardt, Tom Howard
Mastered By – Bernie Grundman
Producer, Engineer, Mixed By, Arranged By, Design [Cover] – Mark Heard
Tambourine, Shaker – Harry Stinson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Home Sweet Home Records
Copyright (c) – Home Sweet Home Records
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Recorded At – Poiema Studios
Recorded At – Gold Mine Studio West
Mixed At – Wilder Bros. Studios, Los Angeles
Mastered At – A&M Mastering Studios

Keith Green – Songs For The Shepherd – 1982

This was the last album Keith recorded before his untimely death later in the same year it was released. He passed away in a plane crash in July of 1982 in an airplane crash that also claimed the lives of his two children, Josiah, and Bethany. His wife was not on the flight and lives in California and continues Mark’s ministry entitled Last Day Ministries. It is unfortunate that this album has that sad piece of news forever attached to it. Lucky for us however there were more recordings made by Keith over previous years so we were able to enjoy more music from him after his passing. Now I will be perfectly clear, Keith does not do my style of music but I know good music when I hear it and this is good music. Probably his best work. That said can anyone explain to me why he didn’t have one chart single off an album this good and especially given the unfortunate attention this album received? I am usually critical of the CCM business because they ignored the up and coming young acts on their charts, but this time I’m critical because they ignored an album that anyone could hear had several chart songs on it. Oh well we are left to enjoy the album and remember Keith as an excellent musician and man of great devotion.

Tracklist
1 – The Lord Is My Shepherd – 4:10
2 – You Are The One! – 2:39
3 – How Majestic Is Thy Name – 3:59
4 – Draw Me – 3:47
5 – Glory Lord Jesus – 3:20
6 – There Is A Redeemer – 3:11
7 – The Promise Song – 3:21
8 – Until That Final Day – 4:38
9 – Jesus Is Lord Of All – 2:32
10 – O God Our Lord – 3:49
11 – I Will Give Thanks To The Lord – 1:47
12 – Holy, Holy, Holy – 3:40

Credits
Arranged By [Strings], Conductor – Harlan Rogers
Arranged By [Tracks] – Bill Maxwell, Keith Green
Backing Vocals – Alphanette Silas, Howard Smith, Keith Green, Linda McCrary
Bass – Abraham Laboriel
Concertmaster – Sidney Sax
Design [Inner Sleeve Design] – Pretty Good Graphics
Design, Layout – Stan Evenson Design
Drums – Bill Maxwell
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Harlan Rogers
Engineer – Gordon Shryock
Engineer [Assistant] – Wally Grant
Engineer [Orchestra] – Keith Grant
Engineer [Overdubs] – Peter Hayden, Willie Harlan
Guitar – Hadley Hockensmith
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Mixed By – Bill Maxwell, Gordon Shryock, Keith Green
Mixed By [Assistant] – Wally Grant
Percussion – Alex Acuña, Bill Maxwell
Photography By – Mark Hanauer
Piano – Keith Green
Producer – Bill Maxwell, Keith Green
Strings, Orchestra – The London National Philharmonic Orchestra
Synthesizer – Tom Keene

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Last Days Ministries
Recorded At – Weddington Studios
Recorded At – Olympic Studios
Overdubbed At – Paramount Recorders
Overdubbed At – International Automated Media
Mixed At – Weddington Studios
Mastered At – MCA Whitney Recording Studios
Published By – Birdwing Music
Mastered At – Sheffield Lab Matrix

Kenny Marks – Follow Him – 1982

After Marks graduated from Messiah College in Philadelphia in 1971 he began to perform with Billy Graham’s Afterglow Concert Series and actually did so for almost 10 years. In 1981 he participated in a project/album called “Premiere Performance” by Myrrh Records. The album was actually a fan vote project where fans would vote for their favourite artist and that artist would get an album deal. Kenny won that competition with the song “You Don’t Have To Try To Be Somebody”. That song appears on this album and I actually don’t find it to one of the stronger tracks on the album but it was 1981 and I was listening to Resurrection band at the time so my taste wasn’t exactly aimed at Kenny’s music. Kenny apparently wrote the whole album and while the writing was good it was not the strong writing that he had on later albums. The album had all the best CCM studio musicians of the time but the one odd inclusion was Dan Huff who was at the same time working on the introductory WhiteHeart album. I find it kind of surprising that there wasn’t a CCM charting song on this album. Given that it was 1982 there are several tracks that could have comfortably sat on the charts.

Tracklist
1 – Lean On Him – 3:37
2 – Lovin’ Me For Myself – 2:55
3 – You Need Love – 3:06
4 – You Don’t Have To Try And Be Somebody – 3:13
5 – In The Middle Of The Night – 3:34
6 – He’ll Finish What He Started – 3:11
7 – Follow Him – 3:23
8 – I Give It All To You – 4:35
9 – Ringin’ The Bells – 2:52
10 – When I Least Expect It – 3:10

Credits
Arranged By – Don Hart
Backing Vocals – Diana DeWitt Hanna, Doana Cooper, Keith Thomas, Pamela Marks, Patti Leatherwood
Bass – Jimmie Lee Sloas, Mike Brignardello
Drums – Bob Gelotte, Mark Hammond, Tommy Wells
Executive-Producer – Neal Joseph
Guitar – Brent Rowan, Dann Huff, Jon Goin
Harp – Cindy Reynolds
Keyboards – Keith Thomas
Percussion – Mark Hammond, Terry McMillan
Piano – Bobby Ogdin
Producer, Keyboards – Keith Thomas
Saxophone – Dennis Solee
Vocals – Kenny Marks
Written-By – Kenny Marks

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc.
Copyright (c) – Word, Inc.

Steven Soles – Walk By Love – 1982

Steven Soles may be the most accomplished artists in CCM that very people had ever heard of. Soles was member of Bob Dylan’s famous “Rolling Thunder Revue” tour in 1975 and, along with a few friends were one of those who shared the Gospel with Dylan. Two other band members, T-Bone Burnett and David Mansfield, started the famed Alpha Band and released three amazing albums. He has also gone on to perform on albums by Dylan, T-Bone Burnett, Peter case and Elvis Costello. After The Alpha Band disbanded he recorded two solo projects for the Christian market. Both were widely critically acclaimed if not necessarily widely received. The better of those two is Walk By Love. Using a light reggae rhythm throughout the world music influence set him apart from anything else in the Christian Music world. Lyrically straight forward and yet very smart and original. The title track should have been a hit if not for the suspicious nature of Christian radio and refusal to play music that didn’t fit the normal scheme of things even if it was directly commercial.

Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/

Tracklist
1 – Walk By Love – 3:44
2 – Shepherd Of The Valley – 3:29
3 – The Last Round Up – 5:07
4 – Joy In All – 2:43
5 – The Talents – 4:32
6 – Let Him In – 3:17
7 – Standing In His Power – 3:35
8 – Love Come To You – 3:59
9 – Light Of Lights – 3:20
10 – Walk By Love (Reprise) – 1:29

Credits
Bass, Vocals – Jerry Scheff
Engineer – Bobby Macias, David Goldstein
Flute, Saxophone – Marco Macisso
Guitar, Mandolin – David Mansfield
Guitar, Vocals – Steven Soles
Keyboards, Vocals – Danny Timms
Photography, Art Direction, Design – Herbert Wheeler Worthington III
Producer – Steven Soles
Recorded By, Percussion – Larry Hirsch
Vocals – Jude Johnstone, Tommy Funderburk, Wendy Matthews
Vocals, Drums – Ron Tutt

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – Word Records (2)
Published By – Good News Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Good News Records
Printed By – Shorewood Packaging
Made By – Shorewood Packaging
Copyright (c) – Specific Gravity Music
Copyright (c) – Dunamis Music
Copyright (c) – Nophir Music
Copyright (c) – Arthur Buster Stahr Music
Recorded At – Monterey Sound Studios
Mixed At – Paramount Recording Studios

Joshua – The Hand Is Quicker Than The Eye – 1982

Joshua Paharia formed the band Joshua in 1983. Later the same year he became a Christian and the band suddenly made lyrical changes to reflect this. This is their first album and it’s pretty darn good. It straddles the hinge of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock and does it well. Strangely the album was a huge success in Japan with “November Is Going Away” making it to #1 on some Japan chart. The album was released in 1984 with 2 bonus tracks in Japan. Those bonus tracks were included in subsequent releases of the album through the years and they have also been included here.

Tracklist
1 – Falling Again – 4:19
2 – November Is Going Away – 4:57
3 – Sweet ‘Lil Hurricane – 3:11
4 – A Song For Lisa – 4:20
5 – Let’s Breakaway – 4:47
6 – Broken Dream – 3:01
7 – Flying High – 4:17
8 – Portrait Of A Woman – 4:25

Credits
Joshua Perahia – lead, rhythm & acoustic guitars, vocals
Donnie Gougeon – keyboards, backing vocals
Mahlon Hawk – bass guitars, backing vocals
Tony Zaccaglin – drums, percussion
Stephen Fontaine – lead & backing vocals

The DeGarmo & Key Band – No Turning Back – Live – 1982

This 1982 release from The Degarmo & Key Band was required listening in the early 80’s. Recorded in Oklahoma City, OK, this album sold very well and was a must have in every CCM listener’s library. The album is a great representation of their first 4 studio albums and ranges from an acoustic guitar cut or two, a strong blues song, a rather odd bass solo cut, and lots of Rock and Roll. I actually was able to attend one of the concerts on this tour and I remember really enjoying it. Perhaps one of the most Rock & Roll shows I had seen to that point.

Tracklist
1 – Light Of The World – 3:58
2 – Go Tell Them – 3:52
3 – Stella, This Ain’t Hollywood – 3:21
4 – When He Comes Back – 3:01
5 – Jericho – 4:44
6 – Alleyways Of Strife – 4:06
7 – Mary – 2:54
8 – Wayfaring Stranger – 3:40
9 – Bass Solo – 3:00
10 – Enchiridion – 1:50
11 – Long Distance Runner – 4:30
12 – Matter Of Time – 4:55
13 – Emmanuel – 7:27
14 – Oklahoma Blues – 6:08
15 – Preacher I’ll Need A Friend – 5:56
16 – Over And Over – 3:45
17 – Let Him Help You Today – 9:25
18 – Love One Another – 3:50
19 – I Have Decided – 3:20

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Bill Brunt
Bass, Vocals – Tommy Cathey
Drums – Greg Morrow
Engineer – Malcolm H. Harper Jr.
Engineer [Road Engineer] – Chris Taylor
Guitar, Vocals – Tony Pilcher
Illustration – Tracy Britt
Lighting Director – Jimmy Taylor
Management – Dan Brock Associates
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Mixed By [Monitor Mix] – David Knight
Photography By [Backcover] – Vernon L. Gowdy III
Photography By [Inside] – Larry Dixon
Producer, Keyboards, Vocals, Mixed By – Ed DeGarmo
Producer, Lead Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Mixed By – Dana Key
Producer, Mixed By – Dan Brock
Production Manager [Concert Productions By] – Darlene Brock
Recorded By [Recording Crew] – Mason Harlow, Paul Stutz
Stage Manager – Terry Mackie

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lamb & Lion Records
Copyright (c) – Lamb & Lion Records
Produced For – Mint Productions (2)
Mixed At – Ardent Studios
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering