Straight Ahead (Amy Grant album)
Encyclopedia
Straight Ahead is the eighth album by Christian music
artist Amy Grant
, released in 1984
. This was Grant's final album on Myrrh Records
; she would later strike a record deal with A&M Records
.
Straight Ahead was the follow-up to Grant's ground-breaking 1982 album Age to Age
. Containing songs that were more aggressive than the ones found on Age to Age, Straight Ahead was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. Nonetheless, it still topped Billboard's
Christian album chart for sixty-one weeks, knocking Age to Age from the number-one position. The song "Angels
" was also a No. 1 Christian radio hit for thirteen weeks, and won a Grammy Award
for "Best Gospel Performance, Female
." Straight Ahead would be certified gold in 1985. The song "Thy Word" is based on Psalm 119:105.
In 2007, Straight Ahead was reissued and digitally remastered by Grant's new record label, EMI
/Sparrow Records
. The remastered edition is labeled with a "Digitally Remastered" logo in the 'gutter' on the CD front.
Straight Ahead was the first Christian album to chart on the Billboard pop album chart. A&M reissued it in 1985, just as Amy was appearing on the Grammy awards show singing "Angels".
(North America)
Singles - CCM Magazine
(North America)
Grammy Awards
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
artist Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, released in 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
. This was Grant's final album on Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records, also known as Myrrh Worship, is a Christian music record label. According to Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for Contemporary Christian music as the label that first published music by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of...
; she would later strike a record deal with A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
.
Straight Ahead was the follow-up to Grant's ground-breaking 1982 album Age to Age
Age to Age
Age to Age is the sixth album by Christian music singer Amy Grant, released in 1982 on Myrrh Records.Age to Age was Amy Grant's breakthrough album, finally earning her serious recognition within the burgeoning Contemporary Christian music community as it ushered her into stardom, and also...
. Containing songs that were more aggressive than the ones found on Age to Age, Straight Ahead was not as commercially successful as its predecessor. Nonetheless, it still topped Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Christian album chart for sixty-one weeks, knocking Age to Age from the number-one position. The song "Angels
Angels (Amy Grant song)
"Angels" is a 1984 song by Christian singer Amy Grant, from her album Straight Ahead. It won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female....
" was also a No. 1 Christian radio hit for thirteen weeks, and won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for "Best Gospel Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female was awarded in from 1984 to 1990. From 1984 to 1989 it was titled the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance, Female....
." Straight Ahead would be certified gold in 1985. The song "Thy Word" is based on Psalm 119:105.
In 2007, Straight Ahead was reissued and digitally remastered by Grant's new record label, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
/Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
. The remastered edition is labeled with a "Digitally Remastered" logo in the 'gutter' on the CD front.
Straight Ahead was the first Christian album to chart on the Billboard pop album chart. A&M reissued it in 1985, just as Amy was appearing on the Grammy awards show singing "Angels".
Track listing
Personnel
- Amy Grant: Vocals.
- Gary Chapman: Guitar, Background Vocals.
- Jon Goin: Guitar, Guitars.
- Dann HuffDann HuffDann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
: Guitars. - Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
: Guitar. - Duncan Mullins: Bass.
- Robbie BuchananRobbie BuchananRobbie Buchanan is a Canadian keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, and producer.Buchanan began playing the piano at the age of 6. He acquired his first paying gig as a pianist at the age of 12 playing 6 nights a week in Dawson City, Yukon Territory. While still a teenager, Buchanan joined a band...
: Piano, Arranger, Keyboards, Fender Rhodes. - Michael W. SmithMichael W. SmithMichael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
: Piano, Keyboards. - Shane KeisterShane KeisterShane Keister is an American musician. He is known for his work as a studio musician, writer, arranger and producer. He plays synthesizer, piano, Hammond B3, Synclavier, Fairlight, Fender Rhodes, and others.-History:...
: Organ, Synthesizer. - Alan Steinberger: Synthesizer.
- Paul Leim: Drums.
- Kenny MaloneKenny MaloneKenny Malone is an American drummer/percussionist from Nashville, Tennessee. He has been, since the 1970s, and continues to be a prominent session musician in folk, country and many other acoustic-based genres.-References:...
: Drums. - Lenny CastroLenny CastroLenny Castro is an American freelancing percussionist in the studio recording industry in the Los Angeles area.-Early life:Castro is a percussionist of Puerto Rican descent and was born and raised in New York City. His father, Hector Castro, played the keyboard in a Latin style and gave his son...
: Percussion. - Farrell Morris: Percussion.
- Debra Black: Background Vocals.
- Bill Champlin: Background Vocals.
- Kim Fleming: Background Vocals.
- Steve GeorgeSteve George (keyboardist)Steve George is an American keyboard player, who is perhaps best known as the keyboardist for the 1980s band, Mr. Mister. He co-wrote many of the Mr. Mister songs, together with his childhood friend, Mr...
: Background Vocals. - Richard PageRichard Page (musician)Richard Page , is an American musician who is the lead singer and bassist of 1980's US band Mr. Mister and is now a songwriter and solo artist.-Early life:...
: Background Vocals. - Chris Harris: Background Vocals.
- Mark Mason: Background Vocals.
- Marty McCall: Background Vocals.
- Donna McElroy: Background Vocals.
- Gary Pigg: Background Vocals.
- Billy Sprague: Background Vocals.
- David Thornton: Background Vocals.
- Carmen Twillie: Background Vocals.
Production
- Producer: Brown BannisterBrown BannisterBrown Bannister is a CCM producer and songwriter. Bannister released one album of his own, Talk to One Another, in 1981 on NewPax Records. It was reissued on the Reunion Records Label five years later, featuring a newer recording of the album's final cut, "Create In Me A Clean Heart"...
- Executive Producer: Michael Blanton, Dan Harrell, Gary Chapman.
- Engineer: Jack Joseph PuigJack Joseph PuigJack Joseph Puig is a Grammy Award-winning music engineer and producer with a long track record of successful productions, including the mid-1990s production of Tonic. Puig also worked with Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Green Day, The Counting Crows, No Doubt,...
, Jim Baird, Kevin Burns, Gene Eichelberger, Steven Ford, Jerry Mahler. - Arranger: Alan Moore
- Design: Michael Borum, Dennis Hill
- Photography: Mike Borum, Aaron Rapoport.
Charts
Album - BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
(North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Top Contemporary Christian | 1 |
| 1985 | The Billboard 200 | 133 |
Singles - CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine
CCM Magazine was a monthly magazine published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. It was first published in July 1978, and it has always been a Christian music magazine. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the...
(North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | "Angels" | Christian Radio–Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| "Thy Word" | 4 | ||
| "Jehovah" | 2 | ||
| "The Now And The Not Yet" | 20 |
End of year charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums | 3 |
| 1985 | 1 | |
| 1986 | 8 |
Awards
GMA Dove Awards| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Straight Ahead | Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year |
Grammy Awards
| Year | Winner | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | "Angels" | Best Gospel Performance, Female Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female The Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Female was awarded in from 1984 to 1990. From 1984 to 1989 it was titled the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance, Female.... |