A selection of Christmas songs from First Call featuring David Maddux done in A Cappella. Nothing outstanding here except for the fact that it was done A Cappella.
Tracklist 1 – An Evening In December – 4:53 2 – Christmas Medley – 4:15 3 – Starlight – 3:06 4 – How Great Our Joy! – 1:45 5 – O Come, O Come Emmanuel – 3:05 6 – The First Noel – 2:33 7 – One Small Child – 3:02 8 – When Jesus Was A Tiny Baby – 3:07 9 – Lo! How A Rose E’re Blooming – 1:16 10 – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – 3:43 11 – The New Twelve Days Of Christmas/We Wish You A Merry Christmas – 5:02
Credits Arranged By – D. Maddux Art Direction, Illustration – McConnell Graphics Co-producer – David Maddux Engineer [Sound] – Lynn Fuston, Tom Harding Engineer, Mixed By – Ed Seay Executive-Producer – Don Cason, Neal Joseph Mastered By – Hank Williams Performer – David Maddux, First Call Performer [First Call Is] – Bonnie Keen, Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney Producer – Steven V. Taylor
This is the third album from First Call. It features the same lineup as their previous two albums and the magic continued with this combo. The album had 4 top 10 CCM charting singles including “The Reason We Sing” which sat at #1 for 6 weeks. The other three top 10 singles were, O Sifuni Mungu at #9, Back To His Heart at #10, and Lord Of All also at #10. The band actually never thought they would be as popular as they were and in fact when they started they just wanted to put out a Christmas album while still working on their solo careers. This album is a more worship oriented album and while not my style there is no denying that its a great album.
Tracklist 1 – The Comin’ Of The Lord – 3:21 2 – Somethin’ Takes Over – 3:23 3 – The Reason We Sing – 3:33 4 – Billy On The Boulevard – 4:14 5 – Forever In His Care – 4:03 6 – O Sifuni Mungu (All Creatures Of Our God And King) – 5:41 7 – The Look – 4:46 8 – Back To His Heart – 3:05 9 – Double Talk – 4:17 10 – Lord Of All – 4:59
Credits Wayne Berry – Songwriter George Binkley III – Strings Mike Brignardello – Bass Jonathan David Brown – Engineer Cole Burgess – Contractor, Alto Sax Paul Butcher – Trumpet Paul Butcher – Trumpet J.T. Cantwell – Engineer John Chisum – Songwriter John Darnall – Acoustic Guitar Randall Dennis – Songwriter Mark Douthit – Soprano & Alto Sax Connie Ellisor – Strings First Call – Vocal Arrangements Carl Gorodetzky – Strings Barry Green – Trombone Mark Hammond – Drums, Percussion Mike Haynes – Trumpet Tom Hemby – Guitar Robert Heuer – Horn JB Baird – Engineer, Mixed Neal Joseph – Producer Bonnie Keen – Vocals Shane Keister – Songwriter Lee Larrison – Strings Les Mas – Vocal Percussion Sam Levine – Alto Sax David Maddux – Producer, Songwriter, Arrangements, Piano, Keyboards, Drum Programming, Vocals Ted Madsen – Strings Asukulu Yunu Makalay – Songwriter Pam Mark Hall – Songwriter Rich Mayes – Bass Trombone Tom McAninch – Horn Marty McCall – Songwriter, Vocals Paul McCusker – Songwriter Chris McDonald – Trombone Phill McHugh – Songwriter Jerry McPherson – Guitar Doug Moffet – Tenor Sax Dennis Molchan – Strings Laura Molyneaux – Strings Farrell Morris – Percussion Mmunga Mwenebulongo Mulongoy – Songwriter Nashville String Machine – Strings Craig Nelson – Acoustic Bass John David Parker – Mix Assistant Bill Pearce – Trombone Brett Perry – Assistant Engineer Rick Ricker – Horn John Rommel – Trumpet Clarke Schleicher – Engineer Pam Sixfin – Strings Buddy Skipper – Tenor Sax Chris Teal – Strings Keith Thomas – Track Arrangements, Programming, Keyboards Becky Thurman – Songwriter Geoff Thurman – Songwriter Dick Tunney – Songwriter Melodie Tunney – Songwriter, Vocals Hank Williams – Mastered
First Call is the term given to a musician or vocalist who are the top of every producer’s list to appear on a project. They are usually paid the highest amount and are known for needing the least amount of studio time to get it right, actually saving the studio money even though they can charge a higher rate. The group first call earned their name. The trio headlined by Marty McCall (Fireworks) were a famed studio trio that appeared on countless albums and earned a record contract. McCall’s experience with Fireworks and Mel Tunney and Bonnie Keen’s studio work made them seasoned veterans without ever performing live together. Undivided is seen as the groups official first album even though the previous year they were the primary force behind one of the finest CCM Christmas albums ever, An Evening in December. The Christmas album, though, also featured other named CCM artists at the time. Undivided starts with a sound similar to what was coming out of Nashville at the time with inspirational balled and medium tempo songs like the title track, which went on to be a huge hit. The group, though, really excelled and separated themselves when they ventured into more jazz and Manhattan Transfer styled compositions. But even in the more common fair their vocals and arrangements, especially on songs like “The Future” put them in a class all by themselves.
Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/
Tracklist 1 – Messiah – 3:25 2 – Undivided – 4:12 3 – Campmeetin’ Tonight – 3:33 4 – Bless, Ye The Lord – 4:25 5 – God Is Greater – 3:22 6 – One Step At A Time – 2:58 7 – Step Of Faith – 3:12 8 – The Future – 3:08 9 – Snap To It – 2:33 10 – Just As True For You – 4:15
Credits Bass – Craig Nelson, Gary Lunn, Jimmy Lee Sloas, Mike Brignardello Brass – Chris McDonald, Ernie Collins, John Rommell, Mike Haynes Drums – Mark Hammond, Paul Leim Guitar – Gary Burnette, Greg Jennings, James Hollihan, John Darnall, Jon Goin, Mark Baldwin, Tom Hemby Keyboards – Dick Tunney, Phil Naish Keyboards, Drum Programming – Keith Thomas Percussion – Farrell Morris Percussion [Anatomical] – Terry McMillan Piano [Acoustic] – David Huntsinger Saxophone – Dennis Solee, Doug Moffet, Jim Horn Vocals – Bonnie Keen, Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney
Companies, etc. Phonographic Copyright (p) – Word, Inc. Copyright (c) – Word, Inc. Manufactured By – Word, Inc.
