I'll Lead You Home

I'll Lead You Home
Studio album by Michael W. Smith
Released August 22, 1995
Recorded March-June 1995
Genre Contemporary Christian music
Length 63:24
Label Reunion
Producer Patrick Leonard
Michael W. Smith chronology
The First Decade (1983-1993)
(1993)The First Decade (1983-1993)1993		 I'll Lead You Home
(1995)		 Live the Life
(1998)Live the Life1998

I'll Lead You Home is a 1995 album by Michael W. Smith released by Reunion Records.

Sales and charts

The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 16, making it the highest-debuting Christian album in the history of the chart.[1][2] It also topped the 'Top Contemporary Christian' chart.[3] Released in August 1995, by December of that year it had sold over 51,500 copies in the Christian Bookstore market alone.[4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The album received a four and a half out of five star review from Allmusic, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine commenting on the "gospel songs with glistening, immaculate pop production".[1] James Lloyd, reviewing the album for the Dayton Daily News considered it "his best work to date".[5]

The album won the 1996 Grammy Award in the 'Best Pop-Contemporary Gospel Album' category, giving Smith his second Grammy win.[6][7]

Tour

Smith toured in support of the album in 1996.[8] Support came from Lori and Micah Wilshire (who he subsequently signed to his Rocketown Records label), Three Crosses, and Jars of Clay.[8][9][10][11] Micah Wilshire had contributed backing vocals to the album.[9]

Track listing

  1. "Cry for Love" (Smith, Brent Bourgeois) – 5:10
  2. "Breakdown" (Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick) – 5:27
  3. "As It Is in Heaven" (Traditional) – 5:09
  4. "Straight to the Heart" (Smith, Bourgeois) – 2:48
  5. "Someday" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 3:52
  6. "I'll Be Around" (Smith, Bob Farrell) – 4:44
  7. "I'll Lead You Home" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 5:23
  8. "The Other Side of Me (Trilogy 1)" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 4:23
  9. "Breathe in Me (Trilogy 2)" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 3:55
  10. "Angels Unaware (Trilogy 3)" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 4:56
  11. "Calling Heaven" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 4:54
  12. "A Little Stronger Everyday" (Smith, Kirkpatrick) – 4:43
  13. "Crown Him with Many Crowns" (Traditional) – 4:34
  14. "I'm Waiting for You" (Smith, David Mullen, Sam Mullins) – 3:16

Personnel

Musicians
  • Michael W. Smith: vocals, keyboards (1-7, 11-14), programming (4, 11), piano (8, 9, 10, 13)
  • Patrick Leonard: keyboards (1, 2), drum programming (2), organ (5, 10, 12, 13), synth programming (14)
  • Steve Brewster: drums (1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13)
  • Chris McHugh: drums (2)
  • Vinnie Colaiuta: drums (7)
  • Brian MacLeod: drums (10, 11), additional programming (11)
  • Dennis Patton: programming (2, 4, 7)
  • Marc Moreau: drum programming (6)
  • Luis Conte: percussion (1, 3, 5-7, 10-13)
  • Tommy Sims: bass guitar (1, 3, 5-7, 11-13)
  • Leland Sklar: bass guitar (10, 14)
  • Dann Huff: guitars (1-3, 5-7, 11-13)
  • Bruce Gaitsch: acoustic guitar (5)
  • Paul Franklin: steel guitar (5, 11, 14)
  • Jeremy Lubbock: orchestra arrangements and conductor (8, 9, 10)
  • Susan Ashton: harmony vocals (5)
  • Anointed (Nee-C Walls, Steve Crawford, Da'dra Crawford and Mary Tiller): featured vocals (13)
  • Whitney Smith: guest vocal (10)
  • Background vocals: Brent Bourgeois (1, 4, 6), Molly Felder (1), Tim Erwin (1), Chris Rodriguez (1, 12), Lisa Cochran (5, 11, 12), Reneé Garcia-Bliss (5), Micah Wilshire (5), Richard Page (6, 7, 10), Natalie Jackson (6, 10), Louis Johnson (6, 7, 10), Gardner Cole (11) and Chris Harris (12)
  • The "Choir" (3, 7, 12, 13): Donna McElroy (vocal coordinator), Kim Fleming, Bob Bailey, Vicki Hampton, Chris Harris, Angelo and Veronica Petrucci, Nicole C. Mullen, Michael Mellett, Chris Rodriguez and Micah Wilshire
Production
  • Producer: Patrick Leonard
  • Executive Producers: Michael W. Smith and Michael Blanton
  • A&R: Don Donahue
  • Production Coordination: Pat Dorn, Derek Jones and Sandra Tomes
  • Engineers: Jerry Jordan, Marc Moreau, Bryan Lenox, Keith Compton and Craig Hansen.
  • Second Engineers: Patrick Kelly, Jason Wilder, J.T. Thomas, Dennis Patton, Krish Sharma, Al Lay, Darren Smith, Greg Parker, David Faulkner, Mike Janas, Paula Montondo, David Dillbeck, Scott Lenox, Rob Burrell and Jeff Wright.
  • Mixed by Craig Hansen (1, 4), David Thoener (2, 3, 5-10), Jerry Jordan (11, 14) and Bill Deaton (12, 13).
  • Studios: Caribou Ranch (Nederland, CO); Johnny Yuma (Burbank, CA); A&M Studios (Los Angeles, CA); The Sound Kitchen, Deer Valley, The Castle and Mole End (Franklin, TN); Masterfonics and 16th Avenue Sound (Nashville, TN); Gambit (Gallatin, TN).
  • Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab (North Hollywood, CA).
  • Art direction: Rob Birkhead
  • Design: Buddy Jackson and Karrine Caulkins for Jackson Design.
  • Creative assistant: Diana Lussenden
  • Cover photo: Timothy White
  • Tray card photo: Ben Pearson
  • Inside photos: Ben Pearson and Russ Harrington

References

  1. 1 2 3 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas "I'll Lead You Home Review", Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  2. ↑ Hardy, Lawrence (1995) "Box Office", USA Today, September 5, 1995, p. 1D
  3. ↑ "Billboard Albums", Allmusic. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  4. ↑ Evans Price, Deborah (1995) "Higher Ground: From SoundScan to Christian Label Acquisitions, it was a Notable Year", Billboard, December 23, 1995, p. 55. Retrieved November 2, 2013
  5. ↑ Lloyd, James (1995) "Recordings on Review: Michael W. Smith I'll Lead You Home", Dayton Daily News, September 1, 1995, p. 17
  6. ↑ "God Gets Credit for Guiding Top Artist", Worcester Telegram and Gazette, April 18, 1996
  7. ↑ "Michael W. Smith among Grammy winners in gospel categories", Dallas Morning News, March 2, 1996
  8. 1 2 "Opening Acts, Smith Perfectly Paired", The Pantagraph, February 24, 1996
  9. 1 2 Evans Price, Deborah (1998) "Christian Duo Wilshire Finds a Label Home in Smith's Rocketown", Billboard, January 31, 1998, p. 16
  10. ↑ Powell, Mark Allen (2002) Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music, Hendrickson Publishers, ISBN 978-1565636798, p. 1044
  11. ↑ Jensen, Katherine (1996) "Michael W. Smith gives a great concert in Ames", Cedar Rapids Gazette, March 7, 1996, p. 6
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