Tag: Billy Sprague

This is the third album from Billy and the best one yet. If yo listen to Billy’s albums back to back in order you can hear the progression of quality of his music. This album continues his guitar heavy pop style. Unfortunately Sprague would take a break after this album due to his fiancé was killed in a car accident. That said Reunion Records did release a greatest hits package during his hiatus. Only have time for one track? ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ is probably the best track on the album. Bottom line, La Vie is c’est bon.

Tracklist
1 – I Gotta Hand It To You – 4:28
2 – What Goes Around Comes Around – 4:35
3 – La Vie – 3:58
4 – I Call It Love – 3:55
5 – Someone Is There – 4:49
6 – Heart Of The Infidel – 3:54
7 – You Can’t Walk The Wire – 5:13
8 – The Ultimatum – 4:20
9 – If I Know Love – 3:25
10 – A Little Broken Bread – 4:40

Credits
Gary Chapman – Producer
Jeff Moseley & Terry Hemmings – Executive Producers
Doug Scarret, Michael Pool – The Engineers
Jerry (Neil) McPherson – electric guitars
Phil Naish – keyboards
Keith Edwards – drums
Mike Brignardello – bass
Shane Keister – greasy grand on “Walk The Wire”
Gary Chapman – pedal steel,bazouki,sitar,danelectro six-string bass & shotgun solos on “The Ultimatum”

This is the second album from Billy. It is a little more pop oriented than his first album and while not as successful it is a better album. While it had 2 CCM charting singles Out Of The Blue only made it to #31 but A Heart Like Mine made it to #3. Strangely the two tracks are almost identical and I really question what Billy was thinking as he is a fantastic song writer. Did he not hear how close these 2 songs are? Anyway those aren’t the best tracks on the album anyway, just the 2 that CCM charts liked and really they had no idea about music. Most of the rest of the album is good quality Pop songs but my favourite track is Invisible Hand in which I can almost hear David Edwards, such a great song.

Tracklist
1 – Rock the Planet – 3:30
2 – Love Has No Eyes – 4:38
3 – YMISIM – 4:51
4 – A Heart Like Mine – 3:44
5 – Invisible Hand – 4:13
6 – Phantom Living – 4:36
7 – Out of the Blue – 3:47
8 – Centered on You – 4:07
9 – Better Days – 4:52

Billy Sprague got his start in the Christian music scene by being a member of Amy Grant’s band in the early 80’s. This work included a duet with Amy, “Singing A Love Song,” off Amy’s In Concert album. This relationship developed into his own record deal in 1984 with Reunion Records. Reunion brought in Michael W. Smith in to produce the album and the result of that is this album. It was a very successful release garnering 3 singles on the CCM charts. “Heavenly Father” climbed to #8, “What A Way To Go” to #22, and “Jude Doxology” to #30. I’m kind of surprised they released Jude Doxology as a single as personally I think it’s the weakest track on the album, but I never really got along with the CCM charts anyway. Obviously the album was very successful and I’m sure Reunion Records couldn’t get a second album out fast enough though it would have to wait until he was done his tour.

Tracklist
1 – What A Way To Go – 4:07
2 – Don’t Give Up – 3:55
3 – Heavenly Father – 3:31
4 – Never Be The Same – 4:59
5 – I Believe – 4:42
6 – Secret Heart – 4:29
7 – How Could You Say No – 3:28
8 – Take My Heart – 4:54
9 – Jude Doxology – 2:03

Credits
Art Direction, Design – Kent Hunter
Bass – Mike Brignardello
Drums – Mark Hammond
Engineer – Jeff Balding
Engineer [Additional] – Jim “J.B.” Baird
Engineer [Assistant] – Allen Henry, Chris Hammond, Sam Baily
Engineer, Mixed By – Brent King
Executive-Producer – Dan Harrell, Michael Blanton
Guitar, Electric Guitar – Jon Goin
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Mixed By [Assistant] – Phil Dihel
Photography By – Mark Tucker
Producer, Keyboards – Michael W. Smith

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Reunion Records
Copyright (c) – Reunion Records
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Distributed By – Word Records Limited
Distributed By – Word (Uk) Ltd.
Designed At – Thomas Ryan Design
Recorded At – Goldmine Studio, Brentwood, TN
Recorded At – Bullet Recording
Recorded At – Center Stage Studio
Mixed At – Mastermix
Mastered At – Mastermix
Pressed By – Monarch Record Mfg. Co.