Michael W. Smith
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Albums Live, Compilation, and EP Albums |
Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957, to Paul and Barbara Smith in Kenova, West Virginia), often nicknamed "Smitty", is a Christian singer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist.
Since his first solo project in 1983, Smith has become one of the most popular artists in the Contemporary Christian music world, while also finding considerable success in the mainstream. Smith himself is hesitant to put a label on his music and states that he "doesn't make a record for the Christian market or for the Pop market, [he] just makes a record." <ref>Change Your World Live video</ref> Smith has frequently topped both Christian radio and Billboard charts and is often listed as one of the top keyboardists in rock and roll in Keyboard Magazine. Smith has sold more than 13 million records and has had 29 #1 hit songs. By 2005, he had garnered 14 gold records and 5 platinum records, 40 Dove Awards, an American Music Award and 3 Grammy Awards. He was also named one of People magazine's most beautiful people.
By the time Smith graduated from high school, he had found himself with serious drug and alcohol abuse problems. He attended Marshall University for a brief period while developing his songwriting skills with various local bands around Huntington, West Virginia. Smith dropped out of college and moved to Nashville to pursue a professional music career. In November of 1979, he suffered an emotional and mental breakdown that awakened a re-commitment to Christianity. He cleaned up his substance abuse problem and began playing keyboards for the CCM group, Higher Ground.<ref>Christianity Today, 1988</ref>
In 1981, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music, where he racked up a number of highly successful gospel hits penned for artists like Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither, and Amy Grant. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her Age to Age tour. He would eventually become Grant's opening act and recorded his first Grammy nominated solo album: The Michael W. Smith Project (which he also produced), in 1983, on the Reunion Records label; a label started by Grant's brother-in-law, Dan Harrell, along with Michael Blanton. This album contained the first recording of his hit Friends which he co-wrote with his wife Deborah. Incidentally, the song that is most associated with him, probably took him the least amount of time to write, as they wrote it one afternoon for a friend who was moving away, never thinking it would become the hit it has.
By the time Smith's second pop album was released in 1984, he was headlining his own tours. In 1986, Smith released the critically acclaimed rock album The Big Picture, with well known record producer Johnny Potoker (Brian Eno, Genesis, Madonna, No Doubt, Talking Heads, etc).
After the release of his 1988 effort, i 2 (EYE), Smith once again teamed up with Amy Grant for her "Lead Me On World Tour". The following year, Smith recorded his first Christmas album.
Super initamrofve writing; keep it up.
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Other ventures
In 1994, Smith opened a teen club, named Rocketown, in Franklin, Tennessee. Later in early 2003, the club was moved to a new location--a renovated warehouse in downtown Nashville. The venue offers a large dance floor, extensive indoor skate park, and a cafe hosting live acoustic music. Rocketown is located on 401 6th Ave. S. Quoting a Christian Activities article, Rocketown's mission is to create culturally relevant environments that foster vital relationships between disenfranchised adolescents and Christian mentors in order to meet their physical, social, and spiritual needs.
Smith is actively involved in volunteer service and is vice chair of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, which is chaired by Jean Case of the Case Foundation.
Smith finished work on a film directed by Steve Taylor entitled The Second Chance which was released on February 17, 2006 in selected theatres. In the movie, he stars as a pastor assigned to work in the inner city. The film also stars Jeff Obafemi Carr, and features a soundtrack now available from Reunion Records. The DVD of the movie was released on July 18, 2006.
Discography
Albums
| Album Cover | Title | Release Date | The Billboard 200 Chart Position | RIAA Certification | CRIA Certification Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Michael W. Smith Project | 1983 | - | Gold | |
| Michael W. Smith 2 | 1984 | - | ||
| The Big Picture | Feb. 1, 1986 | - | ||
| The Live Set | Mar. 1, 1987 | - | ||
| i 2 (EYE) | 1988 | - | Gold | |
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| Christmas | June 1989 | - | ||
| Go West Young Man | 1990 | 74 | Platinum | |
| Change Your World | Jan. 1, 1992 | 86 | Platinum | |
| The First Decade (1983-1993) | Oct. 12, 1993 | - | ||
| I'll Lead You Home | Aug. 29, 1995 | 16 | Platinum | |
| Live the Life | Apr. 28, 1998 | 23 | Gold | |
| Christmastime | Oct. 13, 1998 | 90 | ||
| This Is Your Time | Nov. 23, 1999 | 21 | Gold | |
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| Freedom | Nov. 21, 2000 | 70 | ||
| Worship | Sep. 11, 2001 | 20 | Platinum | Gold |
| Worship Again | Oct. 22, 2002 | 14 | Gold | |
| The Second Decade (1993-2003) | Oct. 7, 2003 | 38 | ||
| Healing Rain | Oct. 26, 2004 | 11 | Gold | |
| Stand | Nov 7. 2006 | - |
Imports
| Album | Release Year | The Billboard 200 Chart Position | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live the Life (w/bonus tracks - Japanese Import) | 1998 | - | - |
| Freedom | 2000 | - | - |
Collaborative Albums
| Album | Release Year | The Billboard 200 Chart Position | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our Hymns | 1991 | - | - |
| My Utmost for His Highest | 1995 | - | - |
| My Utmost for His Highest: The Covenant | 1996 | - | - |
| Emmanuel | 1996 | - | - |
| Tribute: The Songs Of Andrae' Crouch | 1996 | - | - |
| The Jesus Record | 1997 | - | - |
| Exodus | 1999 | - | - |
| The McCaughey Septuplets: Sweet Dreams | 2000 | - | - |
| Your Love Broke Through: The Worship Songs of Keith Green | 2002 | - | - |
| Roaring Lambs | 2005 | - | - |
| Ultimate Music Makeover: The Songs of Michael W. Smith | 2005 | - | - |
Singles/Specialty/EP's
| Album | Release Year | The Billboard 200 Chart Position | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live The Life (Remix EP) | 1997 | - | - |
| The Acoustic Set: A Live Recording | 2000 | - | - |
| Devotions | 2001 | - | - |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Adult Contemporary | Billboard Hot 100 | ||
| 1991 | "Place In This World" | 5 | 6 |
| 1991 | "For You" | 20 | 60 |
| 1992 | "I Will Be Here For You" | 1 | 27 |
| 1993 | "Somebody Love Me" | 10 | 71 |
| 1998 | "Love Me Good" | - | 61 |
| 1999 | "This Is Your Time" | 25 | - |
| 2005 | "Bridge Over Troubled Water" | 28 | - |
Video (DVD/VHS)
- Live in Concert – A 20 Year Celebration (DVD) (2003)
- Worship (DVD) (2002) CRIA Gold in Canada
- Change Your World Live (VHS) (1993)
- The Big Picture Tour (VHS) (1987)
- Michael W. Smith In Concert (VHS) (1985)
Soundtrack (CD)
- The Second Chance (CD) (2006)
Motion picture (DVD)
- Joshua (DVD) (2002)
- [1] The Second Chance (DVD) (2006)
Notes
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External links
- Michael W. Smith's official website
- Michael W. Smith's archive (contains one-minute samples of all tracks)
- Reunion Records' website
- Rocketown Records
