Medals (album) explained
Medals is the second studio album by Christian singer-songerwriter Russ Taff, released in 1985 on Myrrh Records.[1] [2] [3] Medals would prove to be his breakthrough album. Taff once again co-wrote with his wife Tori, along with his guitarist and songwriter James Hollihan, Jr. and contributions from other CCM artists and songwriters like Pam Mark Hall, Roby Duke and Chris Eaton.
Reception
Thom Granger of AllMusic said the album contained "'80s pop styles and hooky songs, resulting in a CCM classic".
Accolades
Songs like "Here I Am", "Silent Love", "God Only Knows", and "I'm Not Alone" were Christian radio hits, all hitting the top ten on the Christian AC chart. Music videos were made for "I'm Not Alone" and "Not Gonna Bow" to promote the album. CCM Magazine has ranked Medals at number 36 in their 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music.[4] Taff won a GMA Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for Medals at the 17th GMA Dove Awards.[5] In 1986, Taff was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Male for Medals. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
GMA Dove Awards
Personnel
- Russ Taff – lead vocals, backing vocals (1-4, 9)
- Robbie Buchanan – synthesizers (1-3, 5-10), synth bass (1, 3, 8, 9), Fender Rhodes (2, 5-7, 10), Roland drum programming (3), rhythm arrangements (10)
- James Newton Howard – synthesizers (1, 2, 4)
- Rhett Lawrence – Fairlight CMI (9)
- Dann Huff – electric guitar, guitar solo (1, 3, 6, 9)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – electric guitar (1, 6)
- Michael Landau – electric guitar (2-5, 7-10), guitar solo (4)
- Nathan East – bass (1, 3, 6, 9, 10)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass (2, 4, 5, 7, 8)
- Paul Leim – drums, LinnDrum programming (1, 3, 5, 6, 9), Simmons programming (1, 5)
- Lenny Castro – percussion (2-10)
- Larry Williams – saxophone (2, 4, 10)
- Bill Champlin – backing vocals (1-3, 5, 7, 8)
- Tamara Champlin – backing vocals (1, 2, 5)
- Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals
- Harry Browning – backing vocals (3)
- Carmen Twillie – backing vocals (3, 6, 9, 10)
- Tata Vega – backing vocals (3, 6, 9, 10), scat (6, 9)
- Lynn Nichols – weird backing vocal (3)
Production
- Russ Taff – producer
- Jack Joseph Puig – producer, recording, mixing
- Mark Ettel – assistant engineer
- Steve Ford – assistant engineer
- Steve MacMillan – assistant engineer
- Todd Van Etten – assistant engineer
- Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk (New York City, New York)
- Lynn Nichols – creative consultant
- Stan Moser – crucial songwriting input (3)
- Jeffrey Fey – art direction, design
- Aaron Rapoport – photography
- Zack Glickman – direction, devotion
Charts
Year-end charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|
| 1985 | U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums | 12[7] |
| 1986 | 7[8] | |
Radio singles
| Year | Singles | Peak positions |
|---|
| CCM AC[9] | CCM CHR[10] |
|---|
| 1985 | "Silent Love" | 1 | 3 |
| 1985 | "Medals" | align="center" | - | 3 |
| 1985 | "Here I Am" | 2 | 7 |
| 1986 | "I'm Not Alone" | 4 | 6 |
| 1986 | "God Only Knows" | 10 | align="center" | - | |
Notes and References
- Russ Taff: Medals. 1985. Myrrh Records.
- Top International Albums. 1986-12-27 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Billboard . en.
- GOSPEL Picks. Billboard . 1985-05-11 . Nielsen Business Media, Inc. . en.
- Book: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music . . 2001 . 0-7369-0281-3 . Granger . Thom. 132.
- Web site: Past Winners. GMA Dove Awards . 2022-10-08 . en-US.
- Inspirational LPs. Billboard. November 16, 1985. 53.
- Inspirational LPs Year-end issue. Billboard. December 28, 1985. T-31.
- Inspirational LPs Year-end issue. Billboard. December 27, 1986. Y-43.
- Book: CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 - 2001 . . 2003 . 1-4107-3294-0 . Brothers . Jeffrey Lee. 206, 207.
- Book: CCM Hot Hits: Christian Hit Radio - 20 Years of Charts, Artist Bios and More . . 1999 . 0-8230-7718-7 . Brothers . Jeffrey Lee. 159.
