Well this is an interesting compilation album. In 1986 the Immigration Reform and Control Act passed and Immigration was all the rage. I’m not going to comment on the Act or Immigration as a whole as I am betting 50% of you will disagree with me. This project was somehow involved with the “1886 – 1986 Liberty” program but I can’t really find out more than that though I am told this album was sold at the Statue of Liberty gift shop. Anyway they have assembled here a collection of patriotic tracks from a variety of artists many of whom weren’t even signed to the label and I’d love to hear how this one came together though A&M was involved in some way. The highlight of the album is the Sandi Patti version of the Star Spangled Banner though there’s a few good tracks on the album.
Tracklist 1 – Leonard Bernstein – Fanfare For The Common Man – 1:59 2 – Wintley Phipps – Thank You, America – 4:02 3 – Betty Buckley – Last Night I Dreamed – 4:11 4 – Bill Champlin – Liberty Light – 4:06 5 – Glen Campbell – Another Day In America – 4:04 6 – Marie Osmond – America Is – 4:06 7 – Sandi Patti – Star Spangled Banner – 5:42 8 – Mark Isham – On The Threshold Of Liberty – 4:02 9 – Kate Smith – God Bless America – 1:58 10 – Dobie Gray – It’s High Time – 4:04 11 – Will D. Campbell – Let America Be America Again – 2:36
Credits Arranged By – Sheldon Curry Mastered By – Benny Quinn Producer – Sheldon Curry
This is the one that propelled Sandi into one of the greatest female CCM artists of all time. The track “We Shall Behold Him” was written by Dottie Rambo would win him 2 Dove Awards for Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. It also became Sandi’s signature song that she performed in every concert until her retirement form touring in 2016. The album also features an excellent duet with Russ Taff, “The Home Of The Lord”. This album would also be start of Sandi’s domination of the Dove Awards Female Vocalist of the Year which she would win for the next 11 years. I actually didn’t know that until I was doing the research on this album. That’s quite the accomplishment. This album was actually re-released twice, once in 1987 and again in 1991. Those two releases actually replaced the cover with a painted portrait of Sandi but I prefer the original cover. Anyway if you’re a Sandi fan this is obviously one of your favorites and if you didn’t listen to this one back in the 80’s because it wasn’t your style give it a listen now. You will likely appreciate it as one of the great CCM albums of the 80’s.
Tracklist 1 – Down In My Heart – 2:40 2 – Keeper Of The Well – 3:07 3 – Love Overflowing – 3:45 4 – So Far – 3:22 5 – When The Time Comes – 4:59 6 – The Home Of The Lord – 3:15 7 – Somebody Believed – 2:56 8 – In His Hand – 3:20 9 – We Shall Behold Him – 5:49 10 – I Will Praise Him – 3:11
Credits Alan Steinberger – Synthesizer Bill K. Myers – Artwork, Design, Illustrations Billy Puett – Horn Bob Clark – Engineer, Overdub Engineer, Remixing Brent King – Engineer Brent Rowan – Guitar Chris Banniger – Engineer Claire Cloninger – Composer Cozette Byrd – Vocals (Background) Darrel Powell – Engineer David Diggs – Arranger, Composer, Track Arrangement David Huntsinger – Keyboards, Piano, Piano (Electric), Piano (Grand) David Lyndon Huff – Percussion David T. Clydesdale – Arranger, Composer, Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements, Orchestration Dawn Rodgers – Composer Denis Solee – Horn Don Hart – Horn Arrangements, String Arrangements Don Sheffield – Horn Dottie Rambo – Composer Doug Benge – Arranger, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background) Ernie Collins – Horn Farrell Morris – Percussion Fred Satterfield – Drums, Percussion Gary Chapman – Composer Gary Dunham – Composer George Tidwell – Horn Hank Williams – Mastering Jimmie Lee Sloas – Bass John Bolt – Engineer, Overdub Engineer John Helvering – Vocals (Background) Keith Thomas – Arranger, Keyboards, Track Arrangement Mark Hammond – Drums Michael W. Smith – Composer Neal Joseph – Arranger, Producer, Remixing, Track Arrangement, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals (Background) Paul Johnson – Brass Arrangement, Bass Arrangement Phil Johnson – Vocals Randy Hammel – Organ, Organ (Hammond), Synthesizer Robert Mason – Composer Ron Harris – Composer Rosemary Dunham – Composer Russ Taff – Vocals Sandi Patty – Arranger, Assistant Producer, Composer, Duet, Primary Artist, Production Assistant, Track Arrangement, Vocal Arrangement, Vocals, Vocals (Background) Scott Hendricks – Engineer, Overdub Engineer Steve Dokken – Bass Steve Green – Vibraphone, Vocals (Background) Steve Moore – Vocals (Background) Steven Schaeffer – Bass
As regular readers of this and the previous blog can attest, Adult Contemporary and Inspirational titles do not find themselves here very often. The album itself has to be more than just a collection of praise and worship, hymns and traditional gospel favorites. Something has to set the album apart more than just possibly the greatest voice on the planet. Sandi definitely has the latter. But fortunately, the album also has some great songs that make it stand out against most of the other albums in the genre. The opening track sound like it could have easily fit on a Twila Paris from the same timeframe, with “Let There Be Praise” sounding more like a pop worship/hymn than Patti’s more traditional big songs. “Hosanna” follows suit with the same sort of sound. Like most of the album, there is limited, over-dramatic anthems, but rather more pop infused inspirational music. This song also benefits from a guest appearance from Matthew Ward (who may be able to sing higher). “Love in Any Language” may be Patti’s finest song. Though not as big and dramatic as “Via Dolorosa” and “We Shall Behold Him,” this song of unity has more of a “We Are the World” feel throughout. “King of Glory” sounds more like Farrell and Farrell while “Face to Faith” starts off sounding like Amy Grant’s “Fat Baby,” but ends up sounding more like something from First Call. “Morning Like This” serves to be the most contemporary pop album, which makes it the obvious choice for inclusion on this list.
Contributor David Lowman – https://legacyccmsgreatestalbums.wordpress.com/
Tracklist 1 – Let There Be Praise – 3:03 2 – Hosanna – 3:37 3 – Unshakeable Kingdom – 5:48 4 – Shepherd Of My Heart – 4:01 5 – Love In Any Language – 4:51 6 – King Of Glory – 2:35 7 – Face To Faith – 4:21 8 – Was It A Morning Like This – 3:22 9 – In The Name Of The Lord – 5:00 10 – There Is A Savior – 4:42
Credits Arranged By [Strings], Conductor – Alan Moore Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Conductor – David T. Clydesdale Bass – Craig Nelson (tracks: A3, B4, B5), Mike Brignardello Brass – Barbara Hutchins (tracks: A3, B4), Eberhard Ramm, Michael Buckwalter, Richard Ricker, Robert Heuer, Tom McAnich Drums – Mark Hammond, Paul Leim Executive Producer – John Helvering Guitar – John Darnall, Jon Goin Keyboards – Phil Naish, Shane Keister Leader, Strings – Carl Gorodetzky Percussion – Farrel Morris Piano – David Huntsinger Producer – Greg Nelson, Sandi Patti Helvering Strings – Carol Walker, Cathy Umstead, Charles Everett, Chris Teal, Connie Heard, Craig Nelson, David Boyle, David Vanderkooi, Dennis Molchan, Edgar Meyer, Gary Vanosdale, George Binkley, Grace Bahng, Inez Boyle, Jack Jezioro, Janet Hazen, Joann Cruthirds, John Borg, Katherine Plummer, Lee Larrison, Linda Alosco, Mark Tanner, Mary Katherine Parker, Nathan Kahn, Pam Sixfin, Pauli Ewing, Phyllis Mazza, Rosemary Harris, Roy Christensen, Sara Fogel, Stephanie Woolf, Teresa Fream, Nashville String Machine, Virginia Christensen Vocals – Beverly Darnall, Bonnie Keen, Craig Patty, David Maddux, Jane Sherberg, Jon Mohr, Jon Sherberg, Leah Taylo, Lynn Hodges, Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney, Mike Patty, Rick Gibson, Sandi Patti Helverin, Steve Taylor, Tammy Boyer, Tammy Taylor, Keith Moore
Sandra generally put out an album a year and this was her album for 1984. It was one of her most successful with 4 charting singles including 2 making the top 10. “Sing To The Lord” made it to #1 and “We Will See Him As He Is” made it to #4. She was also nominated for the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female but lost out to Amy Grant who pretty well owned the category for the decade though Sandra did win it in 1987. She did however win the 1985 Dove award for Inspirational Album. As for the album it is your standard worship album with nothing that really stands out in my opinion. I’m not saying it isn’t a good album I just find so many of these female worship albums to be too alike.
Tracklist 1 – Give Him The Glory – 2:37 2 – Sing To The Lord – 2:58 3 – We Will See Him As He Is – 3:42 4 – Cradle Song – 2:59 5 – Wonderful Lord – 2:34 6 – Via Dolorosa – 4:34 7 – Shine Down – 3:29 8 – Pour On The Power – 3:11 9 – Glorious Morning – 3:29 10 – Purest Praise – 2:01 11 – The Stage Is Bare (I Need Thee Every Hour) – 5:52
Credits Arranged By [Backing Vocals] – Alan Moore, Sandi Patti Arranged By [Brass] – Jerry Hey Arranged By [Rhythm] – Greg Nelson, Sandi Patti, Shane Keister Arranged By [Strings] – Alan Moore Arranged By, Orchestrated By, Conductor – David T. Clydesdale Backing Vocals – Bonnie Keen, Cozette Byrd, Craig Patty, Dave Durham, Gary Music, Jackie Cusick, John Mohr, Lori Brooks, Luanne Mohr, Marty McCall, Melodie Tunney, Mike Patty, Rick Gibson, Sandi Patti, Sandie Hall Brooks, Steve Green Bass – Craig Nelson, David Hungate, Larry Paxton Brass – William Reichenbach, Gary Grant, Jerry Hey, Kim Hutchcroft, Lawrence Williams Cello – David Christensen, David Vanderkooi, Inez Boyle, Mark Tanner, Martha McCrory, Roy Christensen Concertmaster – Carl Gorodetzky Conductor – Greg Nelson Design – Bill Brunt Double Bass [Bass] – Craig Nelson, Edgar Meyer, Nathan Kahn Drums – James Stroud Engineer – Joe Neil Executive-Producer – John Helvering Guitar – John Darnall, Jon Goin Harp – Mary Alice Hoepfinger Percussion – Bill Wiggins, Farrell Morris Photography – Michael G. Borum Piano – Mitch Humphries Producer – Greg Nelson, Sandi Patti Helvering Strings – The Nashville String Machine Synthesizer – Shane Keister Viola – Connie Collopy, Gary Vanosdale, John Borg, Kathy Plummer, Kris Wilkinson, Virginia Christensen Violin – Charlie Everett, Chris Teal, Connie Heard, Dennis Molchan, George Binkley, Janet Hazen, Larry Harvin, Laura Molyneaux, Lee Larrison, Pamela Sixfin, Phyllis Mazza, Rebecca Lynch, Rosemary Harris, Stephanie Woolf, Ted Madsen, Bill Fitzpatrick Vocals – Sandi Patti
Companies, etc. Distributed By – The Benson Company, Inc. Phonographic Copyright (p) – Impact Records Copyright (c) – Impact Records
