Michael W. Smith Project is the debut album of Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Originally released in 1983, the album was reissued in CD format in 1987 with a new cover featuring an updated photo of Smith. The album reached number nine on the Top Contemporary Christian chart.[1]CCM Magazine ranked Michael W. Smith Project at number 34 on their 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music.[3] Smith earned his first Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance, Male at the 26th Grammy Awards.
| Michael W. Smith Project | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 8, 1983 | |||
| Recorded | 1982 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Contemporary Christian music | |||
| Length | 40:44 | |||
| Label | Reunion | |||
| Producer | Michael W. Smith | |||
| Michael W. Smith chronology | ||||
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| Original cover | ||||
 | ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | [2] |
Track listing
editAll tracks are written by Michael W. Smith and Deborah D. Smith, except where noted
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Sonata in D Major" | M. Smith | 1:13 |
| 2. | "You Need a Savior" | 3:34 | |
| 3. | "Could He Be the Messiah" | 4:28 | |
| 4. | "Too Many Times" | 4:25 | |
| 5. | "Be Strong and Courageous" | 3:42 | |
| 6. | "Looking Up" | M. Smith | 3:23 |
| Total length: | 20:45 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Race is On" | 3:41 | |
| 2. | "First Light"/"Love in the Light" | 5:30 | |
| 3. | "Friends" | 4:16 | |
| 4. | "Great Is the Lord" | 2:52 | |
| 5. | "Alpha Overture" | M. Smith | 3:40 |
| Total length: | 19:59 | ||
Note: "First Light" was titled "From Light" on the original vinyl and cassette releases.
Personnel
edit- Michael W. Smith – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic piano, Fender Rhodes, Yamaha GS2, Prophet-5 synthesizers
- Shane Keister – Oberheim OB-X, Prophet-5 synthesizers, vocoder
- Jon Goin – guitars
- Mike Brignardello – bass
- Mark Hammond – drums, Roland TR-808 drum machine on "First Light"
- Mike Psanos – percussion
- Denis Solee – saxophone
- Gary Chapman – backing vocals
- Jackie Cusic – backing vocals
- Diana DeWitt – backing vocals
- David Durham – backing vocals
- Teresa Ellis – backing vocals
- Amy Grant – backing vocals on "Friends"
- Pam Mark Hall – backing vocals
- Chris Harris – backing vocals
- Gary Pigg – backing vocals
- Kim Smith – backing vocals
Production
edit- Michael Blanton – executive producer
- Dan Harrell – executive producer
- Michael W. Smith – producer, assistant engineer
- Mike Psanos – engineer
- Brown Bannister – assistant engineer
- John Woods – assistant engineer
- Jack Joseph Puig – remixing
- Hank Williams – mastering at Woodland Sound Studios (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Bill Brunt – art direction
- Tim Campbell – photography[1]
Chart performance
edit| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Christian Albums (Billboard)[5] | 9 |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Michael W. Smith Project". AllMusic. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ "Michael W. Smith Project". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
- ^ Granger, Thom, ed. (2001). The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. Harvest House. ISBN 0-7369-0281-3.
- ^ "Michael W. Smith Project". Discogs. 1983. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
- ^ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.