This is a discography for the Christian music vocal quartet The Imperials.
Year | Album | Members who performed | Record label | Record producer |
---|---|---|---|---|
1964 | Jake Hess & The Imperials | Hess, McSpadden, Morales, Neilsen, Slaughter | Skylite | |
1964 | Introducing The Illustrious Imperials | Heart Warming/Benson | ||
1964 | Fireside Hymns | |||
1964 | Blends and Rhythms | |||
1965 | Talent Times Five | |||
1965 | Slaughter Writes – Imperials Sing | |||
1965 | Happy Sounds of The Imperials | |||
1965 | He Was a Preachin Man | |||
1965 | Slightly Regal | |||
1966 | Sing Their Favorite Hymns | Hess, McSpadden, Morales, Murray, Slaughter | ||
1966 | Sing Inspirational Classics | Impact/Benson | ||
1967 | To Sing Is the Thing | Hess, McSpadden, Morales, Murray, Moscheo | ||
1968 | New Dimensions | Morales, Murray, Moscheo, Blackwood, Wiles | ||
1968 | Now | |||
1969 | Love Is the Thing | |||
1970 | Gospel's Alive and Well | |||
1971 | Time to Get It Together | Morales, Murray, Moscheo, Blackwood, Gordon | ||
1972 | Imperials | Morales, Murray, Moscheo, Blackwood, Andrus | ||
1973 | Live (double album) | |||
1974 | Follow the Man with the Music | |||
1975 | No Shortage | Bob MacKenzie, Gary S. Paxton | ||
1976 | Just Because | |||
1977 | Sail On | Morales, Murray, Will, Taff | Dayspring/Word | Chris Christian |
1978 | Imperials Live | A. Morales, Buddy Huey, Chris Christian | ||
1979 | Heed the Call | Chris Christian | ||
1979 | One More Song for You | Michael Omartian | ||
1980 | Christmas with The Imperials | Bergen White | ||
1980 | Priority | Michael Omartian | ||
1982 | Stand by the Power | Morales, Murray, Will, P. Smith | Bill Schnee | |
1983 | Side by Side | Keith Thomas, Neal Joseph | ||
1984 | The Imperials Sing the Classics | Neal Joseph | ||
1985 | Let the Wind Blow | Myrrh/Word | Brown Bannister | |
1987 | This Year's Model | Morales, Will, Hemby, Sloas | Brown Bannister | |
1988 | Free the Fire | Bill Schnee | ||
1990 | Love's Still Changing Hearts | Morales, Will, Hemby, Robertson | StarSong | Morris "Butch" Stewart |
1991 | Big God | Morales, Will, Hildreth, Pam Morales | Ken Mansfield | |
1992 | Stir It Up | Paul Mills | ||
1995 | 'Til He Comes | Morales, Will, Ferguson, Walker | Impact/Homeland | Brian Green |
1997 | It's Still the Cross | Morales, Will, Ferguson, Shapiro | Big God Records | Barry Weeks |
1998 | Songs of Christmas | Morales, Will, Ferguson, Weeks | Barry Weeks | |
2002 | I Was Made for This | A. Morales, Hudson, J. Morales, Crook | ||
2006* | The Lost Album | A. Morales, Murray, Will, Taff | Word | Gary S. Paxton |
2007 | The Imperials | Hudson, J. Morales, S. Smith, Owens | Indie/Lamon Records | |
2007 | Back to the Roots | Michael Sykes | ||
2008 | Standing Strong | A. Morales, Will, Hiner, Evans | Infinity Music/Hall of Fame Record Company | Robbie Hiner |
2010 | Still Standing | A. Morales, Will, P. Smith, Evans | Infinity Music/Hall of Fame Record Company | Michael Peterson, Rick Webb, Rick Evans |
*originally recorded in 1976
Year | Single | CHR chart peak [8] | Album | Composer(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Sail On | 3 | Sail On | Chris Christian |
Water Grave | 14 | Steve & Annie Chapman | ||
1979 | Overcomer | 15 | Heed The Call | James Hollihan |
Praise the Lord | 1 | Brown Bannister/Mike Hudson | ||
Oh Buddha | 1 | Mark Farrow | ||
1980 | What I Can Do for You | 12 | One More Song for You | Michael & Stormie Omartian |
I'm Forgiven | 1 | M. Omartian, Bruce Hibbard, Hadley Hockensmith | ||
One More Song for You | 10 | Michael & Stormie Omartian | ||
1981 | I'd Rather Believe in You | 5 | Priority | Michael & Stormie Omartian |
Finish What You Started | 2 | Russ & Tori Taff/Michael Omartian | ||
The Trumpet of Jesus | 1 | Michael & Stormie Omartian | ||
Be Still My Soul | 19 | Russ & Tori Taff | ||
1983 | Lord of the Harvest | 1 | Stand by the Power | Paul Smith, James Newton-Howard |
Somebody New | 9 | Paul Smith | ||
Because of Who You Are | 1 | Bob Farrell/Billy Smiley | ||
1984 | Wait Upon the Lord | 1 | Side by Side | Paul Smith, Ragan Courtney, Keith Thomas |
You're the Only Jesus | 20 | Gordon Jensen | ||
Make My Heart Your Home | 13 | Paul Smith, Keith Thomas | ||
1985 | Let the Wind Blow | 1 | Let the Wind Blow | David Martin |
1986 | In The Promised Land | 9 | Chris Eaton | |
1987 | Devoted To You | 7 | This Year's Model | Ron Hemby, Stephen Bashaw |
Wings of Love | 1 | Paul C. Smith | ||
1988 | Free the Fire | 1 | Free the Fire | Michael & Stormie Omartian |
1989 | The Boss | 16 | Jimmie Lee Sloas | |
You | 6 | Randy Goodrum/Robbie Buchanan/Jimmie Lee | ||
1990 | Big Ball Turning | 1 | Love's Still Changing Hearts | Butch Stewart, Brenda Blonski |
It's Gonna Be Alright | 4 | Ron Hemby | ||
Come into My Life | 12 | Paul Chiten, Pamela Phillips-Oland | ||
1991 | Original Love | 13 | Keith Brown | |
1993 | Taking Your Love for Granted | 1 | Stir It Up | Michael Peterson |
2008 | We’ve Got a Great Big Wonderful God | 3 | Back to the Roots | Tim Spencer |
All That Matters to the Lord | 9 | Marty Funderburk, Twila McBride-Labar |
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1972 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.
Jake Hess was an American Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer.
Benson Records was founded by Bob Benson and John T. Benson, who formed the John T. Benson Music Publishing Company in 1902. The record label started out as Heart Warming Records, creating house labels such as Impact Records, Greentree Records, RiverSong, StarSong, Power Discs and Home Sweet Home. In the 1970s, Impact became the top label with artists such as New Dawn, the Imperials, J.D. Sumner & The Stamps Quartet, the Rambos, Dottie Rambo, the Archers, the Bill Gaither Trio, the Speer Family and Sandi Patty.
The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been active for over 55 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many changes for the band in membership and musical styles over the years. They would go on to win four Grammys, 15 Dove Awards and be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
The Statesmen Quartet were an American southern gospel quartet founded in 1948 by Baptist Minister Hovie Lister. Along with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen Quartet were considered the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950s and 1960s and had a wide influence on artists during that time from the gospel, country, pop, and rock and roll genre. Along with hits spanning many decades, The Statesmen Quartet had many notable successes including being the first Gospel group to receive endorsement deals. Additionally, they made television commercials, appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, and were signed to RCA Victor before launching their own record label, Skylite Records, with The Blackwood Brothers.
Russell Taff is an American gospel singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California. He has sung a variety of musical styles throughout his career including: pop rock, traditional Southern gospel, contemporary country music, and rhythm and blues. He first gained recognition as lead vocalist for the Imperials (1976–81). One of his best-known performances is the song "Praise the Lord". He has also been a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, and occasionally tours with Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts. As a solo artist and songwriter, Taff is known for the 1980s anthem "We Will Stand". Taff has received various Dove and Grammy awards either as a solo artist or part of a larger musical group, most notably the Imperials.
Dallas Holm is an American singer-songwriter of Christian music, whose musical ministry has spanned almost four decades. His 1977 live album, with the group Praise, featured his best known song, "Rise Again".
Wayne Watson is an American singer-songwriter in contemporary Christian music. Some of his songs have become CCM classics, including "Another Time, Another Place", "For Such a Time as This", "Friend of a Wounded Heart", "Touch of the Master's Hand", "New Lives for Old", "Watercolour Ponies", and from the 1998 The Way Home album "Here in This Town". He has won eight GMA Dove Awards.
Heart Warming was a gospel record label started by John T. Benson Jr. Heart Warming and their chief rival Canaan Records were arguably the two biggest and best gospel labels in their time. The Oak Ridge Boys, Jd Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, Jake Hess & The Imperials, Dottie Rambo, Bill Gaither Trio and Speer Family all signed to it and had many recordings on it. The Cathedral Quartet produced two of their most popular albums on it With Brass and With Strings.
The Speer Family was a Southern gospel family musical group. It was founded in 1921 by George Thomas ("Dad") Speer (1891–1966), his wife, Lena Darling ("Mom") Speer, and his sister and brother-in-law, Pearl Claborn (1902–1979) and Logan Claborn. Harold Lane was also member of this group
The 30th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on March 24, 1999, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1998. The show was held at the Nashville Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by John Tesh.
Paul Charles Smith is a Contemporary Christian Music performer and songwriter. He is best remembered for his early years with influential gospel group The Imperials. Smith spent four years with that group, recording four albums and one live video. Smith was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Imperials. He has recorded several solo albums and is a songwriter.
Doug Oldham was an American Southern Gospel singer and a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
The 21st Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 5, 1990, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1989. The show was held at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Clifton Davis and Sandi Patty.
"He Touched Me" is a gospel song written by Bill Gaither in 1963.
Gary McSpadden was an American pastor, singer, songwriter, record producer, television host and motivational speaker. He had musical roots in quartet music and Southern gospel with The Statesmen, The Oak Ridge Boys, The Imperials, The Bill Gaither Trio, and The Gaither Vocal Band. McSpadden's songs include "Jesus Lord To Me", "Hallelujah Praise The Lamb", and "No Other Name But Jesus". He has produced albums for numerous groups. In 1987, he co-hosted PTL Today after Jim Bakker resigned. McSpadden went on to produce television programs, including the "Jubilee" concert series filmed at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. He also produced and starred in several live music shows in the Branson area during the 1990s and 2000s.
Paul William Leim is an American drummer and recording session musician based in Nashville.
The Imperials Sing the Classics, also titled Sing the Classics, is a 1984 studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials. It is their final album on the DaySpring label as they switched to Word Records' Myrrh label for their next album Let the Wind Blow (1985). The Imperials Sing the Classics is the group's 30th studio album as they were celebrating their 20th year of music and ministry by singing four-part harmony, reminiscent of their early years. It is an album of covers singing classic contemporary Christian music songs from the 1970s and early 1980s with production by Neal Joseph and arranged and conducted by Don Hart. The album peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Let the Wind Blow is the 31st studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials released in 1985. It is their first album on Word Records' Myrrh label after nearly a decade on DaySpring Records, another Word affiliated label. The group saw its biggest turnover since Terry Blackwood and Sherman Andrus' departure when both Paul Smith and long-time tenor Jim Murray left the group. Smith opted for a solo CCM career while Murray sought to perform more traditionally styled gospel music again. Smith was replaced by Danny Ward on tour to promote Let the Wind Blow, but he left before recording an album with the group. New members Jimmie Lee Sloas and Ron Hemby joined veteran members Armond Morales and David Will in 1986 to record their next album This Year's Model (1987). The group was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group at the 28th Grammy Awards. The album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Free the Fire is the 33rd studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials released in 1988. This is their third and final album on the Myrrh label and after more than 10 years, their final album overall on Word Records. The Imperials would switch over to Star Song Records for their next album Love's Still Changing Hearts (1990). It is also the last time for the lineup of Jimmie Lee Sloas, Ron Hemby, David Will and Armond Morales from their previous album This Year's Model (1987) as Sloas left the group in 1989 to focus more behind the scenes as a bass guitar player, producer and songwriter and would go on to form the Christian Rock band Dogs of Peace with former Whiteheart guitarist and vocalist Gordon Kennedy. It was a reunion of sorts as the Imperials reunited with Bill Schnee who produced their 1982 album Stand by the Power and the husband and wife team of Michael and Stormie Omartian with music and lyrics on the title song. Baritone singer David Will sings lead on the Cliff Richard track "Better Than I Know Myself" from Richard's 1981 album Wired for Sound. Free the Fire debuted and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.