Mark Farner – Wake Up – 1989

This is Mark’s second Christian release. It’s not quite as Rock & Roll as his first but it is still pretty good. Mark handled most of the instruments on the album and also produced it. Personally I feel the sound is a little hollow in places but I’m always overly critical on production and engineering. The tracks are well written and Mark really started to shine as a song writer on this album. Other than that there’s not a lot to say about the album other than give it a listen.

Tracklist
1 – Wake Up… – 4:23
2 – Into The Light – 3:59
3 – New Age – 3:22
4 – Come To Me – 3:58
5 – In Your Sight – 5:23
6 – Upright Man – 3:30
7 – Rocco – 3:48
8 – If It Wasn’t For Grace – 3:53
9 – Love Power – 4:00
10 – Role Model – 5:54
11 – Like I Was Before – 3:52

Credits
Backing Vocals [Background Vocals], Drums, Percussion – Mike Maple
Bass, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Lawrence Buckner
Engineer – Bradley Jones
Engineer [Assistent Engineer] – Dave Jahnsen, Don Pushies
Keyboards – Mark Farner
Keyboards, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals] – Michael Blair
Lead Guitar – Arnie Vilches
Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar – Gordon vanEkstrom
Percussion – Mark Farner
Producer – Mark Farner
Rhythm Guitar – Arnie Vilches
Vocals, Backing Vocals [Background Vocals], Rhythm Guitar, Lead Guitar – Mark Farner

Companies, etc.
Manufactured By – Fun House Inc.
Phonographic Copyright ℗ – Frontline Records
Copyright © – Frontline Records
Recorded At – Alliance Recording Co.
Mixed At – The Mixing Lab

Larry Howard ‎– Larry Howard’s Cornerstone Blues Jam – 1992

Larry Howard was joined on stage by several other performers at the Cornerstone Festival in 1992 for this fantastic blues session. The album is actually credited to Larry but really this is a various artists album. The last 6 tracks are credited as “Tribute To Mahalia Jackson”. If your a fan of the blues this is a must listen to. I had not heard this one before we recently received it and it was an excellent addition to our collection.

Tracklist
1 – Larry Howard – Good News Blues – 3:38
2 – Larry Howard – Love Will Make You Change Your Ways – 3:35
3 – Margaret Becker – Lean On Me – 4:19
4 – Larry Howard and Darrell Mansfield – Evangelistic Blues – 5:02
5 – Larry Howard & Glenn Kaiser & Darrell Mansfield – Presence Of The Lord – 4:36
6 – Guardian – Take Up Your Cross – 4:59
7 – Mark Farner – Judgement Day Blues – 4:55
8 – Larry Howard – Trouble No More – 3:49
9 – Eddie DeGarmo & Larry Howard – Here Am I – 3:49
10 – Mark Farner & Margaret Becker – Some Kind Of Wonderful – 4:42
11 – Jessy Dixon – Operator – 5:32
12 – Elsa Harris – If We Ever Needed The Lord Before, We Sure Do Need Him Now – 2:13
13 – Jessy Dixon & Elsa Harris – Keep Your Hand On The Plow – 2:39
14 – Margaret Becker – Walk Over God’s Heaven – 1:56
15 – Mark Farner – Search Me Lord – 3:13
16 – Elsa Harris & Vernessa Mitchell – Precious Lord – 4:22
17 – Larry Howard – Nobody But You – 4:19

Credits
A&R [A&R Manager] – Lisa Stutts
Backing Vocals – Clare Ford, Phyllis Duncan
Bass Guitar – Slim Powell
Design – Franke Design Co.
Drums – Willie Smith
Engineer – Malcolm Harper, Roger Heiss
Engineer [Dyaxis Engineer] – Pat Scholes
Engineer [Live Engineer], Technician [Technical Advisor] – Doug Jones
Engineer [Monitor Engineer] – Chris Michaelessi
Engineer [Sound Production] – Phil Zeo & Zeo Brothers
Engineer [System Engineer] – Tom Wilson
Guitar – Roscoe Meek
Illustration [Cover Illustration] – Susan DeGarmo
Keyboards – Lester Snell
Mixed By – Greg Morrow
Mixed By [Assistant] – Dave Perkins, Russ Weaver
Other [Custom Tailoring] – Jane Cowan
Other [Light Contractor] – Tone Zone
Producer, Executive-Producer – Eddie DeGarmo
Saxophone – Mark Townsend
Stage Manager – Denny Keitzman
Technician [Crew Chief & Stage Technician] – Tony Capacchione
Technician [Larry’s Guitar Tech] – Tory Torstenson

Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.
Copyright (c) – The ForeFront Communications Group, Inc.
Distributed By – Star Song Communications
Recorded At – Cornerstone Festival

Mark Farner – Just Another Injustice – 1988

This is Mark Farner’s first solo album after the dissolution of Grand Funk Railroad though he did have 2 solo albums while the band was still together. It was released on Frontline Records and left no argument that it was a Christian album. This is a great Rock & Roll album which plays to the patriotism of it’s mainly American audience. I’m not entirely sure who to compare the album to but there are a few songs on the album that Huey Lewis could have felt right at home singing. My favourite track is Come to Jesus which took me back to Sunday School but with a huge Rock & Roll upgrade. One cool thing on the album is a guest appearance from Phil Keaggy.

Tracklist
1 – Airborne Ranger – 3:57
2 – Judgement Day Blues – 4:46
3 – Isn’t It Amazing – 4:35
4 – Come to Jesus – 3:58
5 – Give Me the Works – 3:25
6 – An Emotional Look at Love – 3:16
7 – Workin’ for the Winner – 3:40
8 – Just Another Injustice – 3:55
9 – The Writing on the Wall – 4:30
10 – Only You – 3:43

Credits
Lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitars, bass – Mark Farner
Keyboards – Tim Heintz
Drums – David Huff
Guest guitars – Phil Keaggy
Additional bass – John Patitucci
Additional bass – Kirt Shearer
Guest backing vocals – Bob Carlisle