Tag: DeGarmo & Key

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

DeGarmo & Key – This Ain’t Hollywood – 1980

The third album from DeGarmo & Key saw them turn towards a more commercial sound. That said you could still easily hear where they came from but still hardcore fans were not happy with the turn. Personally I believe that the evolving of music is normal and is just part of Rock & Roll. This album is without a doubt what propelled them to a more mainstream audience and they finally got some radio airplay, Christian Radio that is. There are a couple interesting notes on the album. “Mylon LeFevre helped write “Love Is All You Need” and this was a start of a great relationship between the two. “Nobody Loves Me Like You” featured a duet with lesser known at the time performer Amy Grant. It goes without saying that this song rocketed onto Christian radio and was a great help for the rest of the album.

Tracklist
1 – Stella, This Ain’t Hollywood – 3:24
2 – When He Comes Back – 2:43
3 – You Gave Me All – 3:30
4 – Never Be The Same – 2:55
5 – All Night – 4:22
6 – All You Need – 3:47
7 – Nobody Loves Me Like You – 3:22
8 – Light Of The World – 3:01
9 – Over And Over – 3:27
10 – One Step Closer – 3:28

Credits
Backing Vocals – Beverly Baxter, Jack Holder, Jimi Jamison, Mylon LeFevre, Suzanne Jerome
Bass, Producer, Mixed By – Joe Hardy
Design – Bill Brunt
Drums – John Hamptone
Executive-Producer – Michael “Blantone”
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Producer – Dana Key
Horns – The Memphis Horns
Keyboards, Producer – Ed DeGarmo
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Photography By – Mike Borum
Saxophone – Andrew Love
Slide Guitar – Roy (Dunno) Howell (tracks: A5)
Trombone – Jack Hale
Trumpet – Ben Cavley

Companies, etc.
Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lamb & Lion Records
Copyright (c) – Lamb & Lion Records
Designed At – Private Eye Studio
Published By – Star Struck Music
Published By – Lamb & Lion Music Co.
Produced For – Mint Productions (2)
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering
Pressed By – PRC Recording Company, Richmond, IN

DeGarmo & Key – This Time Through – 1978

This 1978 debut album from DeGarmo & Key is one of their best. It has a range of styles, but for 1978, it was all right in the zone of 70s rock that was still more influenced by country music at the time, and the “Southern rock” that everyone wanted more of.

These guys came from the South and they brought just the right mix to launch a career in CCM, and help spark the genre.

On their later live album, he says “We tried country music, we really did. But nobody could recognize what country it was from.” Funny, but those country tones fit perfectly here even though the band really became known as a modern pure rock band later on.

The songs on this album had great longevity for the band and 3 of them made it onto the live album in 1982.

Tracklist
1 – Emmanuel – 3:03
2 – Addey – 4:11
3 – Only The Meek Survive – 3:03
4 – (Gone, Gone, Gone) Too Far, Too Long – 4:29
5 – Alleyways Of Strife – 3:10
6 – Sleeper – 2:45
7 – Wayfaring Stranger – 3:38
8 – In The Days Of Thy Youth – 1:26
9 – Chase The Wind – 5:21
10 – This Time Thru – 4:52

Credits
Art Direction, Management – Steve Lawhead
Backing Vocals – Joe Hardy, Phyliss Duncan, William C. Brown III
Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Electric Piano, Grand Piano, Organ [Hammond] – Edward DeGarmo
Bass, Percussion – Ken Porter
Design [Album] – Stan Evenson
Drums – David Spain, Max Richardson
Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Classical Guitar, Harmonica, Percussion – Dana Key
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Producer, Engineer – Ron Capone
Programmed By [Arp], Backing Vocals – Carl Marsh

Companies, etc.
Copyright (c) – Lamb & Lion Records
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Lamb & Lion Records
Recorded At – Ardent Studios
Remixed At – Ardent Studios
Mastered At – Ardent Mastering

DeGarmo & Key – Straight On – 1979

The second album from DeGarmo & Key was a bit of a transition album.

Their first album had a good rock, blues feel. This album had that also but started to incorporate more keyboards. I believe this album established the “Degarmo & Key sound.

As I re-listened to this album after not hearing it for several years I was struck that it came out in 1979 but I hear almost no remnants of the Jesus music era that was coming to an end at that time. Actually in my opinion this album was 3 or 4 years ahead of its time.

There are so many songs on this album that lived forever that I consider it one of the best CCM albums of all time.

Track Listing:
1 – Jericho – 4:34
2 – Livin’ On The Edge Of Dyin’ – 4:33
3 – Go Tell Them – 3:52
4 – Bad Livin’ – 4:36
5 – Enchiridion – 1:36
6 – Long Distance Runner – 4:09
7 – Let Him Help You Today – 4:15
8 – I Never Knew You – 4:04
9 – Mary – 3:03

Credits:
Art Direction, Design – Kristen Kasell
Bass – Ken Porter
Drums – Terry Moxley
Engineer – Joseph Hardy
Guitar, Lead Vocals, Backing Vocals – Dana Key
Keyboards – Edward De Garmo
Mastered By – Larry Nix
Photography By – Gary Heery
Photography By [Inner Sleeve Photo] – Kristen Kasell
Producer – Dana Key, Edward De Garmo, Joseph Hardy
Recorder – Carl Marsh
Saxophone – Lewis Collins

DeGarmo & Key – Communication – 1984

This 1984 release from DeGarmo & Key featured more of what we expected from them.

Strong guitar tracks with keyboard support are the sound they followed. This album, while good, did not particularly stand out from the others and is considered a “fill in” album by some.

Personally I think it was a good stand alone album. Strangely the album offered a cover of Are You Ready by Pacific Gas & Electric which actually works pretty good.

Point of trivia is that the album cover changed slightly between first and subsequent pressings with the lettering of the band name switching from white to black.

Track Listing:
1 – Are You Ready – 3:17
2 – Rejoice – 3:31
3 – It’s A Shame – 3:24
4 – Alleluia, Christ Is Coming – 2:43
5 – Everyday’s A Celebration – 2:42
6 – Blessed Messiah – 3:46
7 – Perfect Reflection – 3:45
8 – He Has Risen – 2:48
9 – Six, Six, Six – 3:49
10 – Man Of His Word – 3:46
11 – Dear Friend – 1:40

Credits:
Bass, Vocals – Tommy Cathey
Drums, Vocals – Greg Morrow
Producer, Guitar, Lead Vocals – Dana Key
Producer, Keyboards, Vocals – Eddie DeGarmo
Vocals [Kid] – Breckon DeGarmo, Brian Tarrell, Shannon DeGarmo
Written-By – E. Allen* (tracks: 1), D. Key* (tracks: 2 to 11), D. Robbins* (tracks: 8), E. DeGarmo* (tracks: 2 to 11), M. Hill* (tracks: 1)