FOR WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 16, 1985 Copyright 1985. Billboard Publications, Inc. No part of this publication Billboard may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, ECTERN or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. by Bob Darden TOP INSPIRATIONAL ALBUMS Compiled from a national sample of retail store and one -stop sales reports. MICHAEL W. SMITH is one of the true Renais- the edge, riskier. Not because of the A &M -Word ARTIST TITLE sance men of contemporary Christian music. He is agreement, but because that's what the kids are lis- 1 ABEL & NUMBER DISTRIBUTING LABEL best known for the Grammy- winning "Michael W. tening to." AMY GRANT MYRRH 7016806065íA &M 13 weeks at No. One 1 1 21 Smith 2," and hits like "Great Is The Lord" and To get that sound, Smith is going to record in Lon- UNGUARDED "Friends." He is well known for writing hits for Amy don and New York with Joe Poloker, who has engi- RUSS TAFF MYRRH 7.01.679206-4 'WORD 2 4 25 Grant and Sandi Patti, and for being Grant's long- neered albums by Phil Collins and the Thompson MEDALS time piano player. He's also got a reputation as an en- Twins in the past. Smith produced his first two al- PETRA STAR SONG 7102057881 /WORD 3 2 41 ergetic, dynamic live performer and as a much- in -de- bums, "The Michael W. Smith Project" and "Michael BEAT THE SYSTEM mand studio arranger. W. Smith 2." But to get that edgier sound, he's turn- SANDI PATTI BENSON RO 3884 4 3 61 He's also seen first -hand the results of Word's ing over the production reins, in part, to Poloker. SONGS FROM THE HEART precedent- setting agreement with the mainstream His current "Friends Tour" with Kathy Troccoli is STRYPER ENIGMA 72077 -1 5 8 9 A &M label. It's an agreement that has helped Grant's finally winding down after many grueling months on SOLDIERS UNDER COMMAND "Unguarded" album to go gold in just 45 days the road. Smith's managers, & (who SANDI PATTI IMPACT RO 3910 /BENSON -and Blanton Harrell 6 NEW O. has had a profound effect on all contemporary Chris- also handle Troccoli and Grant), are calling it a big HYMNS JUST FOR YOU tian artists. success, even though it actually lost money. The AMY GRANT MYRRH MSB 6697/WORD (CD) 7 9 174 "I think the A &M -Word agreement is wonderful," "Friends Tour" features lighting, sound and stage ef- AGE TO AGE Smith says. "It's obvious that Amy's benefited direct- fects comparable to those of most top secular acts. AMY GRANT MYRRH 7016757064/WORD (CD) 8 6 89 ly from it. Granted, few artists are going to have the STRAIGHT AHEAD same impact in the secular market that she's had. But SANDI PATTI IMPACT R3818 /BENSON 9 5 125 it sure makes sense for Christian young people to be Michael W. Smith aims MORE THAN WONDERFUL able to go into any record store and find their favorite lo THE IMPERIALS MYRRH 701.682006.8 /WORD 7 37 album." at a youthful audience LET THE WIND BLOW Smith, who was known primarily as a songwriter MICHAEL W. SMITH REUNION 7010002126 WORD 11 10 133 before he perfected his high- energy, synthesizer - "I think that the presentation of the music is impor- MICHAEL W. SMITH PROJECT based touring show in recent years, says the A &M- tant," Smith says. "That's our whole philosophy: Do it STEVE TAYLOR SPARROW SPR 1105 12 11 25 Word agreement has not made a difference in his right, even if it costs money. That's always been our ON THE FRITZ songwriting: "I just write what I feel. mindset, even with the early tours with Amy. TWILA PARIS STARSONG 7.102.06186.2/WORD 13 33 5 "I have a new lyric vision that has been developing "I know some young people are complaining about KINGDOM SEEKERS in recent years. I think I'm aiming more of my writing our ticket prices. Well, I promise you, all we're looking DEGARMO AND KEY POWER DISC PWR 01079 /BENSON 14 NEW III. for kids, young people, teenagers. I want to write to do is break even. Most kids are used to Prince or COMMANDO SOZO about things that are important to kids in a Christian Madonna. Maybe I can't put on a show that lavish THE MARANATHA KIDS MARANATHA 7100142822/WORD - 15 18 5 context: peer pressure, divorce, abuse. even if I'd want to, -but I'm going to give them some- KIDS PRAISE 5 "I'm just now starting on my third album. I think thing they can dig, but with underlying Christian prin- PHIL DRISCOLL SPARROW SPR 1102 16 14 17 musically it is going to be more rock'n'roll, more on ciples." POWER OF PRAISE MICHAEL W. SMITH REUNION 7010004129/WORD 17 15 85 MICHAEL W. SMITH 2 STEVE GREEN SPARROW SPR 1104 18 12 17 HE HOLDS THE KEYS HESTER MYRRH 7016779068 WORD 19 17 9 BENNY BENNY FROM HERE MYRON LEFEVRE AND BROKEN HEART MYRRH 7 01 6790 06 1-WORD 20 21 21 WE NOTES SHEEP IN WOLVES CLOTHING FARRELL & FARRELL STARSONG 7 10206086 6. WORD 21 20 13 by Sam Sutherland JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS & CARMAN MYRRH 7016807061/WORD Peter Keepnews 22 13 45 COMING ON STRONG PHILIP BAILEY MYRRH 7.01 6 79606 %'WORD 23 29 37 THE WONDERS OF HIS LOVE STARS COME OUT: The concept of the all -star con- four electronic instrumentalists can carve out enough DAVID MEECE MYRRH 7016812065'WORD 24 16 29 cert is a venerable one in the jazz world. And recent time in their busy studio schedules. SEVEN developments on both ends of the country indicate LESLIE PHILLIPS MYRRH 7016826066 WORD 25 NEW that the concept is alive and well. ALSO NOTED: Given his reputation for having noth- BLACK & WHITE IN A GREY WORLD In New York, an aggregation assembled under the ing to say (except musically, of course) on the band- CARMAN PRIORITY 38713 26 28 89 aegis of Philip Morris performed at the Beacon The- stand -and not that much to say off it -Miles Davis SUNDAY'S ON THE WAY atre last Friday (8) in a benefit for The United Negro might seem an unlikely candidate for an acting career, DEBBY BOONE LAMB & LION LLR3008 /SPARROW 27 22 33 College Fund. Among the members of the so- called especially at this point in his life. Nonetheless, the CHOOSE LIFE Superband are Milt Jackson, Jimmy Smith, Kenny ever -surprising Davis makes his tv acting debut this HOME SWEET HOME 7010001391 WORD 28 23 29 WHITEHEART Burrell and Frank Foster. The ensemble, put togeth- Friday (15), playing the role of a procurer in a brothel HOTLINE er with the help of Jazzmobile Inc., departed for a on NBC's super -hot "Miami Vice" Some of New PETRA STAR SONG 7102050860/WORD ... 29 36 96 month -long European tour the day after the Beacon York's leading studio musicians, among them Randy NOT OF THIS WORLD show. Brecker, George Young, Lou Marini, Leon Pendar- DUNCAN LIGHT LS5871 /LEXICON 30 30 21 BRYAN The Superband is part of a broad jazz program un- vis, Will Lee, Steve Gadd and Peter Erskine, have HAVE YOURSELF COMMITTED dertaken by Philip Morris. The cigarette company taken part in a labor of love: an album consisting of DEGARMO AND KEY POWER DISC PWR 0)073 BENSON 31 35 53 plans to use the profits from the concert series to fund bebop classics ( "Scrapple From The Apple," COMMUNICATION such projects as workshops for young jazz musicians "Straight, No Chaser ") and standards done with a be- SILVERWIND SPARROW SPR -1096 32 24 25 and the commissioning of new jazz compositions. bop flavor ( "How High The Moon, "Lover Man "). The BY HIS SPIRIT album, which features a total of nine tracks by four LARNELLE HARRIS IMPACT RO 3732 /BENSON 33 25 33 Big separate groups, is tentatively titled "Bop 'Til You I'VE JUST SEEN JESUS names are getting Drop" (hasn't that title been used before -many MIKE WARNKE DAYSPRING 7014132016 34 32 9 together on both coasts times ?) and is currently in search of a label. Fred STUFF HAPPENS Miller produced, with Judy Mauer and Jon Waxman LEON PATILLO MYRRH 7016771067 'WORD 35 26 85 serving as executive producers ... Teresa Gramo- THE SKY'S THE LIMIT Meanwhile, on the other end of the country (and the phone Co. and CBS Records have renewed their JIMMY SWAGGART JIM LP 144 36 27 17 jazz spectrum), four of the most accomplished fusion three -year -old distribution agreement. The Bob SWEET ANOINTING musicians have joined forces as the Meeting, with Thiele operation includes the Doctor Jazz and Signa- CRISTY LANE ARRIVAL 9644 DOMINION 37 31 81 dates lined up for later this month in Beverly Hills, ture labels. Among its recent releases are new albums ONE DAY AT A TIME San Jose, San Francisco and San Diego. The four, who by Lonnie Liston Smith, Gato Barbieri and Don STRYPER ENIGMA EC1064 38 19 53 initially performed as a unit at several festivals in Sebesky, as well as two previously unissued Duke El- THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK 1983, are Ernie Watts, Patrice Rushen, Alphonso lington packages .. - In other CBS jazz news, the com- RANDY STONEHILL ' MYRRH 7.0)681 106 9'WORD 39 37 13 Johnson and Leon Ndugu Chancier.