Delaney & Bonnie & Friends – Motel Shot – 1971

Including this album on our channel is a little bit of a stretch. We are adding it to provide context of where Bonnie Bramlett came from. She was actually had a very successful secular career in “Delaney & Bonnie” which was her and her husband Delaney. This album is one they released of entirely gospel songs so I thought it might be a good fit for the channel. This album actually reached number 13 on the Hot 100 from July 14 to 24, 1971, and was Billboard’s number 67 single of 1971. The band and their marriage ended in 1972 in part, according to Bonnie, due to drug use. Bonnie then had a solo career spanning 4 albums before her Christian release in 1981. I found the following story about Bonnie on Wikipedia and thought it would be fun to share. “While on tour with Stills in 1979, Bramlett punched Elvis Costello in the face at a hotel bar in Columbus, Ohio, after Costello referred to James Brown as a “jive-ass nier” and Ray Charles a “blind, ignorant nier.” Bramlett having brought his remarks to the attention of the press, Costello apologized at a press conference in New York City a few days later, stating he had been drunk and had been trying to be obnoxious in order to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion. According to Costello, “it became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster.”

Tracklist
1 – Where The Soul Never Dies – 3:25
2 – Will The Circle Be Unbroken – 2:42
3 – Rock Of Ages – 2:15
4 – Long Road Ahead – 3:25
5 – Faded Love – 4:03
6 – Talkin’ About Jesus – 6:40
7 – Come On In My Kitchen – 2:43
8 – Don’t Deceive Me – 3:53
9 – Never Ending Song Of Love – 3:20
10 – Sing My Way Home – 4:07
11 – Going Down The Road Feeling Bad – 5:10
12 – Lonesome & Long Way From Home – 4:00

Credits
Alto Vocals – Iva Bramlett
Engineer – Bruce Botnick, Lewis Peters, Richard Moore
Musician – Eddie James, Jim Keltner
Musician, Vocals – Ben Benay, Bobby Whitlock, Bonnie Bramlett, Carl Radle, Dave Mason, Delaney Bramlett, Duane Allman, Gram Parsons, Jay York, John Hartford, Kenny Gradney, Leon Russell, Sandy Konikoff
Photography By, Design [Album Design] – Barry Feinstein, Tom Wilkes
Photography, Design – Camouflage Productions
Producer, Arranged By – Delaney Bramlett

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Warner Bros. Records Of Canada, Ltd.
Distributed By – Warner Bros. Records Of Canada, Ltd.
Published By – Delbon
Published By – Cotillion
Published By – Metric
Published By – Hill & Range
Published By – Noma
Published By – Nice Songs
Published By – Tideland
Published By – Skyhill
Produced For – Delbon Productions
Printed By – Ever Reddy
Lacquer Cut At – RCA Studios, Toronto

Various – Country Praise (God Loves Country Music No.2) – 1982

This is kind of an odd sampler. It was actually recorded with a studio band and then the artists just doing the vocals. Mind you most of these artists were relatively unknown at the time and now for that matter. Several of them never even had a album. I am guessing the point of the sampler was to offer a Country album as that market was undeserved in the 80’s. The one treat on the album was the Bonnie Bramlett track. She was usually connected to the rock scene but she does a great country medley here.

Tracklist
1 – Maria Muldaur – Thank God – 3:45
2 – George Highfill – Make Me A Friend – 4:28
3 – Bruce Herring – What A Friend – 2:02
4 – Cindy Baxter & Dan McCorison – Clear My Mind – 2:48
5 – Von Rogers – Jesus What A Wonder You Are (Jesus How Lovely You Are) – 3:35
6 – Cindy Baxter – Seek Ye First – 2:48
7 – George Highfill – Cause Me To Come – 4:09
8 – Patty Schauer – I Thank You Jesus – 2:26
9 – Bruce Herring – I Will Serve You (Thee)2:03
10 – Bonnie Bramlett – I Keep Falling In Love With Him / His Name Is Jesus – 5:05

Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Don Gerber
Backing Vocals – Becky Burns, Marty Goetz, Patty Schauer, Ricky Skaggs, Ron Tutt
Bass – Jerry Scheff
Drums – Ron Tutt
Engineer – Joe Bellamy
Executive Producer – Dave Swaney
Guitar – Randy Mitchell
Guitar, Banjo – Bernie Leadon
Guitar, Mandolin, Fiddle – David Mansfield
Harmonica – George Highfill
Keyboards – Danny Timms
Mandolin – Evan Anderson
Producer – Al Perkins
Steel Guitar, Guitar [Dobro] – Al Perkins
Vocals – Bonnie Bramlett, Bruce Herring, Cindy Baxter, Dan McCorison, George Highfill, Maria Muldaur, Patty Schauer, Ricky Skaggs, Tommy Funderburk, Von Rogers

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Maranatha! Music
Copyright (c) – Maranatha! Music
Published By – Dawntreader Music
Published By – Dimension MusicPublished By – Doulos Publishing
Published By – Maranatha Music (2)
Published By – Milene Music
Published By – William J. Gaither

Bonnie Bramlett – Step By Step – 1981

Bonnie Bramlett was a well known performer long before her foray into Christian music. Bramlett became a Christian in the late 70’s and signed a deal with Refuge records shortly. This is the only album from that relationship. In fact it was Bramlett’s last album until 2002. This album sold well in Christian circles and was well received. Refuge was hoping for a crossover with secular sales but it didn’t happen, most likely due to a distribution deal with Benson records who had no proper secular distribution network. This album has a strong southern feel and it’s host of high quality studio musicians makes it very high quality. Joe English appeared, as he did on so many albums of the era, as the drummer. Trivia note is that some labels Side 2 was printed incorrectly by substituting the number 4 with the number 5 on the last track.

Tracklist
1 – Givin’ It Up – 3:17
2 – Back Out On The Streets – 3:15
3 – For The Love Of It – 3:55
4 – Let It Flow – 3:27
5 – Whispering Hope – 2:46
6 – Step By Step – 3:39
7 – White Dove – 3:36
8 – Sweet Rose Of Sharon – 4:36
9 – Joy – 3:51

Credits
Backing Vocals – Bobby Jones, Bonnie Bramlett, Donna McElroy, Gary Moreno, The New Life Singers, Vicki Hampton
Bass – Bob Wray, Larry Paxton
Drums – Joe English
Engineer – Scott Hendricks
Executive Producer – Ray Nenow
Guitar – Jon Goin, Kenny Mims
Keyboards – John Rosasco, Mitch Humphries
Mastered By – Hank Williams
Percussion – Terry McMillan
Producer – Greg Nelson
Saxophone – Donnie Sanders
Synthesizer – Alan Steinberger

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.

Various – Front Row – 1984

This is a 1984 Refuge Records sampler

Included on this sampler;

Rick Cua – “Changed” from his album No Mystery
Edin-Adahl – “Wake Up” from their album Alibi
Bonnie Bramlett – “White Dove” from her album Step By Step
Per-Erik Hallin – “You Put Another Song In My Heart” from his album Better Late Than Never
Will McFarlane – “That’s How I Know You Called Me” from his album A Colony Of Heaven
Tom Douglas – “Jesus Never Sleeps” which was not released on an album
Forerunner – “Faith Walk” from their album (a.k.a)
Jerusalem – “Time” which was released as a bonus track on the CD release of Can’t Stop Us Now
Lifesavors – “Break In My Head” from their album Dream Life
Bryn Haworth – “Never Give Up On Love” from his album Pass It On
Joe English – “Anthem” from his album The Best Is Yet To Come

Tracklist
1 – Rick Cua – Changed – 3:50
2 – Edin-Adahl – Wake Up – 4:14
3 – Bonnie Bramlett – White Dove – 3:31
4 – Per-Erik Hallin – You Put Another Song In My Heart – 4:13
5 – Will McFarlane – That’s How I Know You Called Me – 3:21
6 – Tom Douglas – Jesus Never Sleeps – 4:10
7 – Forerunner – Faith Walk – 4:04
8 – Jerusalem – Time – 5:50
9 – Lifesavors – Break In My Head – 2:33
10 – Bryn Haworth – Never Give Up On Love – 3:35
11 – Joe English – Anthem – 3:20