I'll Lead You Home

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

I'll Lead You Home
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 22, 1995
RecordedMarch-June 1995
GenreContemporary Christian music
Length63:24
LabelReunion
ProducerPatrick Leonard
Michael W. Smith chronology
The First Decade (1983-1993)
(1993)
I'll Lead You Home
(1995)
Live the Life
(1998)

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

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Cry for Love"Smith, Brent Bourgeois5:10
2."Breakdown"Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick5:27
3."As It Is in Heaven"traditional5:09
4."Straight to the Heart"Smith, Bourgeois2:48
5."Someday"Smith, Kirkpatrick3:52
6."I'll Be Around"Smith, Bob Farrell4:44
7."I'll Lead You Home"Smith, Kirkpatrick5:23
8."The Other Side of Me (Trilogy 1)"Smith, Kirkpatrick4:23
9."Breathe in Me (Trilogy 2"Smith, Kirkpatrick3:55
10."Angels Unaware (Trilogy 3)"Smith, Kirkpatrick4:56
11."Calling Heaven"Smith, Kirkpatrick4:54
12."A Little Stronger Everyday"Smith, Kirkpatrick4:43
13."Crown Him with Many Crowns"traditional4:34
14."I'm Waiting for You"Smith, David Mullen, Sam Mullins3:16
Live The Life Single
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
4."Cry for Love (Rocketown Club Remix)"Smith, Brent4:09
I'll Lead You Home (1995)
No.TitleLength
8."Breakdown (RrrrB Remix)"5:26

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)
  • Brent Bourgeois – background vocals (1, 4, 6)
  • Molly Felder – background vocals (1)
  • Tim Erwin – background vocals (1)
  • Chris Rodriguez – background vocals (1, 12)
  • Lisa Cochran – background vocals (5, 11, 12)
  • Reneé Garcia-Bliss – background vocals (5)
  • Micah Wilshire – background vocals (5)
  • Richard Page – background vocals (6, 7, 10)
  • Natalie Jackson – background vocals (6, 10)
  • Louis Johnson – background vocals (6, 7, 10)
  • Gardner Cole – background vocals (11)
  • Chris Harris – background vocals (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
    • Micah Wilshire

Production

  • Patrick Leonard – producer
  • Michael W. Smith – executive producer
  • Michael Blanton – executive producer
  • Don Donahue – A&R
  • Pat Dorn – production coordinator
  • Derek Jones – production coordinator
  • Sandra Tomes – production coordinator
  • Jerry Jordan – engineer
  • Marc Moreau – engineer
  • Bryan Lenox – engineer
  • Keith Compton – engineer
  • Craig Hansen – engineer
  • Patrick Kelly – second engineer
  • Jason Wilder – second engineer
  • J.T. Thomas – second engineer
  • Dennis Patton – second engineer
  • Krish Sharma – second engineer
  • Al Lay – second engineer
  • Darren Smith – second engineer
  • Greg Parker – second engineer
  • David Faulkner – second engineer
  • Mike Janas – second engineer
  • Paula Montondo – second engineer
  • David Dillbeck – second engineer
  • Scott Lenox – second engineer
  • Rob Burrell – second engineer
  • Jeff Wright – second engineer
  • Craig Hansen – mixing (1, 4)
  • David Thoener – mixing (2, 3, 5-10)
  • Jerry Jordan – mixing (11, 14)
  • Bill Deaton – mixing (12, 13)
  • Caribou Ranch, Nederland, Colorado – recording studio
  • Johnny Yuma, Burbank, California – recording studio
  • A&M Studios, Los Angeles, California – recording studio
  • The Sound Kitchen, Franklin, Tennessee – recording studio
  • Deer Valley, Franklin, Tennessee – recording studio
  • The Castle, Franklin, Tennessee – recording studio
  • Mole End, Franklin, Tennessee – recording studio
  • Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee – recording studio
  • 16th Avenue Sound, Nashville, Tennessee – recording studio
  • Gambit, Gallatin, Tennessee – recording studio
  • Doug Sax – masting at The Mastering Lab, North Hollywood, California
  • Rob Birkhead – art direction
  • Buddy Jackson – design, for Jackson Design
  • Karrine Caulkins – design, for Jackson Design
  • Diana Lussenden – creative assistant
  • Timothy White – cover photo
  • Ben Pearson – tray card photo
  • Ben Pearson – inside photos
  • Russ Harrington – inside photos

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[12] 16
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[13] 1
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References

  1. 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. "Opening Acts, Smith Perfectly Paired", The Pantagraph, February 24, 1996
  9. 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
  12. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
  13. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
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