| Closer to Jesus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1977 | |||
| Recorded | 1977 | |||
| Studio | Sound Stage Studio | |||
| Genre | Country gospel [1] | |||
| Label | Word | |||
| Producer | Gary S. Paxton | |||
| Wanda Jackson chronology | ||||
| ||||
Closer to Jesus is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1977 via Word Records and contained a total of ten tracks. The disc was Jackson's twenty fifth studio collection released in her career and her fifth album to consist entirely of gospel recordings.
Wanda Jackson first achieved success in the Rockabilly and country music genres with hit singles like "Let's Have a Party" and "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine". In 1971, Jackson became a Christian and decided to leave her long-time label in pursuit of a record label that would give her more freedom to record gospel material. [2] [3] Signing with Word Records, she recorded several albums on the label during the 1970s, including Closer to Jesus. [3] A total of ten tracks comprised the project, [1] which was recorded in 1977 at the Sound Stage Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were produced by Gary S. Paxton. It was Jackson's first album to be entirely produced by Paxton. The album's material was entirely gospel-themed, and included two tracks written by Marijohn Wilkin. Also included is a medley songs first written by gospel performer, Bill Gaither. A recording self-penned by Jackson is also featured on the album. [4]
Closer to Jesus was released on Word Records in 1977. The album was her fifth gospel record and her second to be released solely by the Word label. The album was also Jackson's twenty fifth studio collection released in her career. The disc was originally distributed as a vinyl LP, containing five songs on each side of the record. [4] The album failed to reach any Billboard chart positions, notably the Top Country Albums survey, which Jackson's albums often made appearances on. [5] It was Jackson's final Word album release. In her autobiography, Jackson reflected on the album's release and found that the record was "not very memorable" in comparison with her other gospel albums she released in her career. [3]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Where I'm Going" | Marijohn Wilkin | 3:13 |
| 2. | "The World Didn't Give It to Me" |
| 3:03 |
| 3. | "Carpenter's Son" | Dickey Lee | 3:21 |
| 4. | "Grandma Sang Off-Key" | Vera Lakey | 2:48 |
| 5. | "He Was There All the Time" | Paxton | 3:24 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Closer to Jesus" | Don Francisco | 3:19 |
| 2. | "Learning to Learn" | John Stallings | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Gaither Praise Medley" ("I Just Came to Praise the Lord", "I Just Feel That Something Good Is About to Happen", "Get All Excited") |
| 2:29 |
| 4. | "Walkin' in the Spirit" | Wanda Jackson | 2:28 |
| 5. | "He's Been Through It Too" | Wilkin | 3:39 |
All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Closer to Jesus. [4]
Musical and technical personnel
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Vinyl | Word Records | [4] |
| [6] | |||
Wanda Lavonne Jackson is an American singer and songwriter. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, recording a series of 1950s singles that helped give her the title "The Queen of Rockabilly". She is also a country music artist and is considered among the genre's first female stars.
Blues in My Heart is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in April 1965 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the seventh studio album released in Jackson's career and the first to reach the Billboard country chart. The record was a collection of traditional country songs centered around themes of having the blues. It received a positive review from Billboard magazine following its release.
Wanda Jackson Sings Country Songs is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in December 1965 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. The album was Jackson's eighth studio record of her career and consisted of traditional country songs. Seven of these songs were released as singles between 1961 and 1965. Both "Slippin'" and "The Violet and the Rose" reached charting positions on the American country songs survey. The album received a positive review following its original release.
Wanda Jackson Salutes the Country Music Hall of Fame is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in September 1966 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. The album was a collection of cover songs recorded by country artists that have been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It was the ninth studio release of Jackson's career and the second to reach a charting position on the American country survey.
You'll Always Have My Love is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson, along with her band The Party Timers. It included a total of 12 tracks and was Jackson's eleventh studio album release in her career. It was Jackson's first album that gave credit to The Party Timers. Two singles were included on the album: "Both Sides of the Line" and the title track. The recordings both reached chart positions on the American country chart in 1967, along with the album as well.
The Best of Wanda Jackson is a compilation album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in February 1968 via Capitol Records and contained 12 previously-released tracks. It was Jackson's third compilation album released in her career and featured some of Jackson's most commercially-successful singles up to that point. The album reached a charting position on the country LP's survey in the United States following its release.
I've Gotta Sing is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in February 1971 via Capitol Records and contained ten tracks. It was the seventeenth studio record released in Jackson's career and the seventeen released with the Capitol label. The project included one single release titled "Fancy Satin Pillows", which became a top 20 charting song on the American country music chart. I've Gotta Sing received a positive review from Billboard magazine following its original release.
Country Gospel is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in January 1973 via Word Records and contained 11 tracks. The album was Jackson's twentieth released in her career and her second collection of gospel music. It was also her first album issued on the Word record label, after nearly twenty years recording for Capitol Records.
When It's Time to Fall in Love Again is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1974 via Myrrh Records and contained ten tracks. It was the first collection of country music recordings released following Jackson's departure from Capitol Records in 1973 and was her twenty-second album in her career. The project included two singles. The second single, "Come on Home ", made chart positions on the American country songs survey in 1974.
Now I Have Everything is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in March 1975 on Myrrh Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the twenty third studio collection in Jackson's career and her third disc of gospel recordings. The album spawned one single release as well.
Make Me Like a Child Again is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in March 1976 via Myrrh Records and contained ten tracks. The disc was Jackson's twenty fourth studio album and her fourth to consist entirely of gospel songs. One single was issued from the album in 1975 titled "Touring That City".
Good Times is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1980 via Deep Sea Music and contained ten tracks. The album was Jackson's twenty sixth studio disc and her first to be released on a label outside the United States. It included a mixture of new tracks and re-recordings. The album's lead single was a cover of "Don't Let the Good Times Fool You".
Show Me the Way to Calvary is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1981 via Christian World Incorporated and contained a total of ten tracks. It was the twenty seventh studio album released in Jackson's music career and her first to be released with the Christian World label. It would later be re-released in the United Kingdom.
Rockabilly Fever is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1984 via Tab Records for the Scandinavian market in Europe. It was then re-released to other markets, including Jackson's home country in 1986 and was re-titled Rock and Roll Away Your Blues.
Teach Me to Love is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1984 via Vine Records and contained 11 tracks. It was the thirty first studio recording of her career and was a collection of gospel songs. It was also her first album to issued with the Vine label.
My Kind of Gospel is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1983 via Vine Records and contained ten tracks of material. It was the twenty ninth studio record released in Jackson's career and among a series of gospel recordings she released during the 1980s decade.
Encore is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1988 via Amethyst Records and contained 11 tracks. The album was a collection of gospel selections and her second album with the Amethyst label. It was re-released on the Tab label in 1989 and was sold exclusively in Europe. It was the thirty fourth studio album of Jackson's career.
Don't Worry Be Happy is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1989 via Amethyst Records and contained 12 tracks. It was Jackson's thirty fifth studio recording released in her career and the third issued on the Amethyst label. Don't Worry Be Happy was a collection of gospel songs, including the title track, which was first recorded as a pop song by Bobby McFerrin.
Generations is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1993 via Amethyst Records and contained ten tracks. It was the thirty eighth studio release of Jackson's career and the fifth issued on the Amethyst label. The album was a collection of gospel recordings that mixed both original and cover tunes.
I'll Still Love You is a compilation album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1976 via DJM Records and contained a total of ten tracks. The album compiled previously-released country recordings, some of which were released as singles. Other tracks were released only on studio albums. The project was issued outside of the United States.