June Deniece Williams is an American singer. She has been described as "one of the great soul voices" by the BBC. She is best known for the songs "Free", "Silly", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" and two Billboard Hot 100 No.1 singles "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". Williams has won four Grammys with twelve nominations altogether. She is also known for recording “Without Us”, the theme song of Family Ties.
Black and White in a Grey World is the third album by Leslie Phillips, released in 1985 on Myrrh Records. Phillips picked up her first Grammy Award nomination for Best Gospel Performance, Female at the 28th Grammy Awards. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Don't Wait for the Movie is the fourth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's first album with vocalist Rick Florian and drummer Chris McHugh. It is also their first album on Sparrow Records. Bassist Gary Lunn would leave the group after the release of the album and was replaced on tour by bass guitar player and musician Tommy Sims. Sims would be a featured member and musician on their next album. Don't Wait for the Movie became a very successful album with radio singles "How Many Times " and "Fly Eagle Fly" both topping the Christian radio charts while "Beat of a Different Drum" and "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Christian" were hits on Christian Rock radio stations and programs. CCM Magazine named this album as one of the 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music at number 74. Don't Wait for the Movie peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart. White Heart was nominated for Group of the Year at the 18th GMA Dove Awards but lost to First Call. The album cover did win a Dove Award for Recorded Music Packaging given to Mark Tucker and Buddy Jackson for photography and art direction.
More Than Wonderful is a live album by Gospel singer Sandi Patti issued in 1983 on Impact Records. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. The track "More Than Wonderful" would win many accolades including a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group at the 26th Grammy Awards, winning both Patti and Larnelle Harris their first Grammys together and a Dove Award for Song of the Year for its writer Lanny Wolfe and the album would win Inspirational Album of the Year and Patti won both Female Vocalist and Artist of the Year at the 15th GMA Dove Awards in 1984. In 1985, the track "Upon This Rock" wins Song of the Year, given to its writers Gloria Gaither and Dony McGuire at the 16th GMA Dove Awards. The album was certified Gold in 1985 and Platinum in 1990 by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1990, More Than Wonderful was re-issued on Word Records.
Christmas: The Gift Goes On is the first Christmas album by gospel singer Sandi Patti originally issued in 1983 by Impact Records, then re-issued in 1987 by Word Records with a new album cover. The album consists of some traditional Christmas tunes and hymns along with original Christmas songs. The album reached No. 9 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. The album was nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Female at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards and was certified Gold by the RIAA in 1988.
Hymns Just for You is the eighth album by Christian/Gospel singer Sandi Patti. Released in 1985, it would be her final album on the Benson label. It is an album of hymns with five of the track done in medleys covering a selection of songs that people have sung in churches. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. Patti was nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Female at the 28th Annual Grammy Awards in 1986. The album was certified Gold in 1986 and Platinum in 1989 by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. In 1990, Hymns Just for You was re-issued on Word Records.
Morning Like This is the ninth studio album by Christian/inspirational singer Sandi Patti and her first album on Word Records released in 1986. Morning Like This was considered a successful album and a turning point in her career. It was released in March 1986 and a few months after its release, Patti had reached national acclaim after her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was included during the ABC Statue of Liberty re-dedication broadcast on July 6, 1986. This exposure led to multiple mainstream television appearances including The Tonight Show and Christmas in Washington. The album was listed at No. 87 from CCM Magazine in their 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. In 1987, Patti won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Gospel Performance, Female and Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group with R&B singer Deniece Williams for the track "They Say" from Williams' Gospel album So Glad I Know at the 29th Grammy Awards and later would win 3 GMA Dove Awards for Female Vocalist, Artist of the Year and Inspirational Album of the Year. The track "In The Name Of The Lord" would win a GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year in 1988 given to Patti and her co-writers Gloria Gaither and Phil McHugh. Morning Like This topped the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart, finishing in the Top 3 for three years on their Inspirational Albums year-end charts, including taking the number 1 album of 1987 and was certified Gold in 1987 and Platinum in 1993 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Lift Up the Lord is the fourth studio album by Christian singer Sandi Patti, released in 1982 on Impact Records. The track "How Majestic Is Your Name" is written by up and coming singer/songwriter Michael W. Smith and it has become one of Patti's signature songs and has been often performed in her concerts. In 1983, the album was named Inspirational Album of the Year at the 14th GMA Dove Awards and was nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational at the 25th Grammy Awards. Benson Records re-issued Lift Up the Lord on CD in 1987 with a new cover featuring an updated photo of Patti. Word Records would use the same cover for their re-issue in 1990. In 1984, Lift Up the Lord peaked at No. 12 on the Top Christian Albums chart.
Love Overflowing is the third studio album by Christian singer Sandi Patti, released in 1981 on Impact Records. It would be the beginning of her reign at the GMA Dove Awards as Female Vocalist of the Year as a title she would win for the next 11 years until 1992. The track "We Shall Behold Him" written by Dottie Rambo would be her signature song and a concert favorite as Patti has performed this at everyone of her concerts until her retirement from touring in 2016 and would win 2 Dove Awards for Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year, both given to Rambo. In 1984, Love Overflowing climbed to No. 26 on the Top Christian Albums chart.Benson Records re-issued Love Overflowing on CD in 1987 with a new cover featuring a portrait painting of Patti. Word Records would use the same cover for their re-issue in 1990.
Medals is the second studio album by Christian singer-songerwriter Russ Taff, released in 1985 on Myrrh Records. Medals would prove to be his breakthrough album. Taff once again co-wrote with his wife Tori, along with his guitarist and songwriter James Hollihan, Jr. and contributions from other CCM artists and songwriters like Pam Mark Hall, Roby Duke and Chris Eaton.
The Way Home is the fourth studio album by Christian singer-songwriter Russ Taff, released in 1989 on Myrrh Records. Music videos were made for "Winds of Change" and "I Cry" to promote the album. The Way Home was ranked at number 11 on CCM Magazine's 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. The album includes a one-minute version of the traditional gospel song "Ain't No Grave" – Taff later recorded a longer version on his 1991 album Under Their Influence. In 1990, The Way Home won Rock Album of the Year and the song "The River Unbroken" won Rock Recorded Song of the Year at the 21st GMA Dove Awards. Taff was also nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Male for the song "Farther On" at the 32nd Grammy Awards. The album topped the Billboard Inspirational Albums chart.
Our Hymns is a compilation album released in 1989 on Word Records. It features well-known church hymns each done by CCM artists' interpretation and styles of music from pop to rock to country. It is also a trilogy of albums from Word Records using the word "Our" in the series starting with this album, along with Our Christmas (1990) and Our Family (1992). The R&B vocal group Take 6 won the Grammy for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group for their interpretation of "The Savior Is Waiting" at the 32nd Grammy Awards. In 1990, the album won Praise and Worship Album of the Year and Amy Grant won Country Recorded Song of the Year for "'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus" at the 21st GMA Dove Awards. Our Hymns debuted and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
This I Know is the fourth studio album by American Christian singer and songwriter Kim Boyce. It would be her final album on the Myrrh label released in 1990. Christian singer/songwriter Tim Miner, who co-wrote and produced the track "Tender Heart" from her 1989 album Love Is You to Me handles the production duties on this album. Boyce duets with her husband Gary Koreiba on the song "True Love" and also dedicates the album to him. Songwriting contributions provided by Miner, Cindy Cruse and Amy Grant. The album's first CHR/Pop single and music video "Good Enough" incorporates the traditional Gospel song "Old-Time Religion." This I Know peaked at number 15 on the Top Christian Albums chart.
So Glad I Know is the first gospel album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams, released in 1986 on Sparrow Records. The album reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and No. 7 on the Billboard Top Gospel Albums chart. So Glad I Know was also Grammy nominated in the category of Best Gospel Performance, Female.
Special Love is the second full-length gospel album by American R&B singer Deniece Williams released in 1989 on MCA/Sparrow Records. Special Love peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Love's Still Changing Hearts is the 34th studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials released in 1990. This is the first album recorded on the Star Song label. This album's personnel line-up consists of Armond Morales, David Will, Ron Hemby and David Robertson. Robertson replaced Jimmie Lee Sloas in 1989 but only for this album as he would leave the group for a solo career. This is also Ron Hemby's final album with the group as both Hemby and Robertson were replaced by new tenor leads Jonathan Pierce and Jason Beddoe. Beddoe replaced Hemby but he left the group but Pierce would stay on to record their next album. Former member Sloas co-wrote the track "Goin' Away." The album's final track is a near-9 minute medley of six of the Imperials' best beloved songs and a cover of "Gospel Ship" called "Platinum Medley." Love's Still Changing Hearts peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Stir It Up is a 1992 studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials. It is the group's third album on Star Song Records.
Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics is an official 1994 compilation album by the Christian rock band White Heart. This is the second of two albums by White Heart with the other being Nothing But the Best: Rock Classics, as they were released separately. This collection features songs from both the Sparrow and Star Song years 1986-1994 focusing on their Christian radio hits in AC and CHR/pop, many of them went to number one, where as Rock Classics focuses on their rock cuts from the same period. Radio Classics features a new song, "My Eyes Have Seen", and a full-length version of "Morningstar." A shorter version was heard on their 1992 album Tales of Wonder. Both tracks were released as Christian radio singles from this collection. Session musician Mark Hill was brought in and played bass guitar on both new songs and replaced Anthony Sallee who had left the group after the release of 1993's Highlands. The album debuted and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Kingdom Seekers is the fourth studio album by Christian singer-songwriter Twila Paris. Released in 1985, it is her first album on the Star Song label. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart. The first single "Runner" would top the Christian AC chart for 9 weeks and was written by Paris and her sister Starla. The next two singles "Lamb of God" and "He Is Exalted" would become Paris' praise and worship standards. "He Is Exalted" is ranked at number 66 from CCM Magazine's 2006 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music and Kingdom Seekers is ranked at number 57 on The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music.
Where I Stand is the eleventh studio album by Christian singer-songwriter Twila Paris released on April 2, 1996. After being on Star Song Records for more than ten years, Paris signed on with sister label Sparrow Records starting with this release. The album debuted and peaked at number 87 on the Top 200 Albums chart, marking Paris' first time on that chart and number 3 on the Top Christian Albums chart in Billboard magazine. The album's first single "Faithful Friend" is a duet with singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman, which they wrote together and placed in the top 5 on Christian radio and Paris' second single "(I Am) Not Afraid Anymore" reached number 1 on the Christian AC chart.
