No matter what happened after 1975 or so Tommy Coomes place in Christian music would be forever cemented as a result of his inclusion as a founding member of Love Song, possibly the most important band in Jesus Music. Tommy spent some time in the Army during the late 1960’s and upon returning began hanging around with an old friend named Fred Field and a few other young “hippies” looking for a positive future named Jay Truax and Chuck Girard. But even after Love Song’s relatively short tenure ended Tommy did not leave ministry or music behind him. He worked as an executive with Maranatha Music and recorded occasionally. One such solo recording is the subject of this post. Love is the Key is smart and smooth pop/jazz influenced record focusing on Tommy’s sweet and unique voice. A renowned band of who’s who is Southern California musicians (many members that would later form the jazz band Koinonia) including Hadley Hockensmith, Harlan Rogers, Darrell Cook and others. Other friends like former Love Song bandmates Church Girard, John Mehler and Jay Truax also joined the likes of Bob Bennett, Alex MacDougall, Michelle Pillar and Kelly Willard in support of the project. The top notch musicianship shows.
Contributor David Lowman – https://ccms500bestalbums.wordpress.com/
Tracklist
1 – Love Is The Key – 4:04
2 – I Owe Everything To You – 3:37
3 – The Pleasure’s Mine – 4:08
4 – Hidden Treasure – 3:13
5 – Singing Our Praises To Jesus – 3:04
6 – Thinkin’ Of You – 4:07
7 – A Faithful Witness – 2:55
8 – He’s A Liar – 5:58
9 – Don’t Be Afraid (Just Walk With Him) – 4:57
Credits
Acoustic Guitar – Hadley Hockensmith (tracks: A4, B4), Tommy (tracks: A1, A5)
Alto Saxophone, Tenor Saxophone – Gordon Goodwin (tracks: B2, B3)
Arranged By – Harlan Rogers (tracks: A4, B2-B4)
Arranged By [Strings], Conductor – Stan Endicott
Backing Vocals – Bili Thedford (tracks: A1, A3, B1-B3), Bob Bennett (3) (tracks: A2, B4), Chuck Girard (tracks: A5), Dona Thedford (tracks: A1), Harlan Rogers (tracks: A4, B4), Jay Truax (tracks: A5), Kelly Willard (tracks: A2, A4, B3, B4), Michele Pillar (tracks: A2, A4, B3, B4), Mortonette Jenkins (tracks: A3, B1-B3), Phyllis St. James (tracks: A3, B1-B3), Tommy (tracks: A2, A5), Vanetta Fields* (tracks: A1)
Baritone Saxophone – Gordon Goodwin (tracks: B2)
Bass – Darrell Cook (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B4), Jimmy Perez (tracks: A2, A3, B1-B3)
Design [Back Cover] – Milton Sue
Design [Front Cover] – Dennis Hill (6)
Drums – John Mehler (tracks: B1), Keith Edwards (tracks: A2, A3, B2, B3), Ron Tutt (tracks: A1, A4, A5, B4)
Electric Guitar – Tony Dean (tracks: A2, A3, B1-B3), Hadley Hockensmith (tracks: A1-A3, B1-B4)
Electric Piano [Fender Rhodes] – Harlan Rogers (tracks: A1-A3, B1, B3)
Electric Piano [Wurlitzer] – Harlan Rogers (tracks: B2)
Engineer – Chris Taylor (11), Jonathan Brown
Lead Vocals – Tommy
Mastered By – Steve Hall
Organ [“Soultown” B-3 Organ] – Harlan Rogers (tracks: B2)
Percussion – Alex MacDougall (tracks: A2, A3, B1-B3)
Photography By – Paul Ekon
Piano – Harlan Rogers (tracks: A4, B4)
Producer – Tommy Coomes
Producer, Arranged By [Horns] – Harlan Rogers
Saxophone – John Phillips (tracks: A3)
Synthesizer [Prophet 5 Synthesizer] – Harlan Rogers (tracks: B4), Rob Watson (tracks: A2, A3, B3)
Tenor Saxophone – John Phillips
Trombone – Val Johnson (tracks: B2, B3)
Trumpet – Darrell Gardner (tracks: B2, B3)
Written-By – Chuck Girard (tracks: A5), Tom Coomes
Companies, etc.
Phonographic Copyright (p) – Maranatha! Music
Copyright (c) – Maranatha! Music
Distributed By – Word, Inc.
Mastered At – MCA Whitney Recording Studios