Hymns (Michael W. Smith album)

2014 studio album by Michael W. Smith

Hymns

Studio album by

Michael W. Smith

Released| March 24, 2014
Length| 53:00
Label| Provident
Producer| Kyle Lee, Jim Daneker
Michael W. Smith chronology
| Decades of Worship
(2012)  | Hymns
(2014)  | Sovereign
(2014)

|
|

Hymns is a studio album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith, released exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store on March 24, 2014.[1] The album consists of Smith's rendition of traditional hymns, including many that he sang at church when he was young.[1]

The album won 2014 Dove Award for "Inspirational Album of the Year".[2]

This was Smith's last album to be distributed by Provident before beginning his new contract with Capitol CMG.

## Commercial performance

[edit]

The album debuted at No. 24 on the US Billboard 200, selling 12,000 copies in its first week of release.[3] According to Nielsen SoundScan, it was the best-selling Christian music album for the week of April 19, 2014.[4]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Length

|
|
|

1.| "The Old Rugged Cross"| George Bennard| 4:02
2.| "My Jesus, I Love Thee"| William R. Featherston| 3:20
3.| "Were You There"| C. Winfred Douglas| 3:21
4.| "Victory in Jesus"| E.M. Bartlett| 3:46
5.| "How Great Thou Art"| Stuart K. Hine| 4:21
6.| "Just As I Am"| Charlotte Elliott| 3:12
7.| "Near the Cross"| Fanny Crosby| 3:36
8.| "It is Well"| Horatio Spafford| 5:05
9.| "Softly and Tenderly"| Will L. Thompson| 3:20
10.| "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross"| Isaac Watts| 3:34
11.| "What a Friend We Have in Jesus"| Joseph M. Scriven| 4:07
12.| "Wonderful, Merciful Savior" (Selah cover)| Dawn Rodgers and Eric Wyse| 3:20
13.| "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"| Thomas O. Chisholm and William M. Runyan| 3:53
14.| "God of Our Fathers"| Daniel C. Roberts| 2:23
15.| "The Lord Bless You and Keep You"| Peter C. Lutkin| 1:40
Total length:| 53:00

## Personnel

[edit]

* Michael W. Smith – lead vocals, acoustic piano (1-14), Hammond B3 organ (1-5, 10, 14)
* Kyle Lee – keyboards (1-5, 10, 14), programming (1-5, 10, 14), backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Jim Daneker – keyboards (6-13), programming (6-13), Hammond B3 organ (6-13), accordion (6-13), steel guitar (6-13), bass (6-13), cello (6-13), strings (6-13), brass (6-13), backing vocals (6-13)
* Cody Kilby – acoustic guitar (1-5, 10, 14)
* Kyle Aaron – acoustic guitar (6-13), banjo (6-13), mandolin (6-13), ukulele (6-13), fiddle solo (6)
* Micah Wilshire – electric guitars (6-13)
* Rob Ickes – dobro (1-5, 10, 14)
* Andy Leftwich – mandolin (1-5, 10, 14), fiddle (1-5, 10, 14)
* Jake Johnson – upright bass (1-5, 10, 14)
* Tony Morra – drums (6-13)
* Paul Cookson – orchestral percussion (6-13)
* Elliot Eicheldinger – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Roger Jaeger – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Haley Johnson – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Richard Jordan – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Julie Kelitonic – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Lara Landon – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Shelly Lee – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Racheal Mann – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Jared Martin – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Ryan Rose – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Jessie Sellers – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Morgan Shirley – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Rhyan Shirley – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Johnathan Warren – backing vocals (1-5, 10, 14)
* Janice Gaines – backing vocals (3)
* Gale Mayes – backing vocals (3)
* Debi Selby – backing vocals (3)
* Laura Cooksey – backing vocals (6-13)
* Phil King – backing vocals (6-13)
* Katie Rees – backing vocals (6-13)
* Stephen Rees – backing vocals (6-13), fiddle solo (11)
* Mercy Stevens – backing vocals (6-13)
* The Brentwood Baptist Worship Choir – choir (14)

## Production

[edit]

* Chaz Corzine – executive producer
* Greg Ham – executive producer
* Jim Daneker – producer (1-14), recording (6-13), mixing (6-13)
* Kyle Lee – producer (1-14), recording (1-5, 10, 14), mixing (1-5, 10, 14, 15)
* Michael W. Smith – producer (15)
* Brad Pooler – engineer (15)
* Bob Boyd – mastering
* Rebecca Jones – packaging coordinator
* Russ Harrington – photography

Studios

* Recorded at The Whine Cellar (Spring Hill, Tennessee).
* Engineered at The Court (Franklin, Tennessee).
* Mixed at The Whine Cellar and The Court.
* Mastered at Ambient Digital (Houston, Texas).

## Chart performance

[edit]

Chart (2014)  | Peak
position

|

US Billboard 200[5] | 25
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[6] | 1
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[7] | 5

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Michael W. Smith Announces Exclusive "Hymns" Release At Cracker Barrel". NewReleaseTuesday.com. March 8, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
2. ^ "Dove Awards 2014 Winners: Pre-Show Awards Given Out to Switchfoot, Skillet, Michael W. Smith, and More [LIST]". BREATHEcast. October 7, 2014. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
3. ^ Caulfield, Keith (April 4, 2014). "Chart Moves: 'God's Not Dead' Sales Surge, London Grammar Gains, Karmin's Full-Length Arrives". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
4. ^ "Christian Albums (link shows current list and at the bottom there's an archive for every week back to year 2000)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
5. ^ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
6. ^ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
7. ^ "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2016.

* v
* t
* e

Michael W. Smith

Studio albums|

* Michael W. Smith Project
* Michael W. Smith 2
* The Big Picture
* i 2 (EYE)
* Go West Young Man
* Change Your World
* I'll Lead You Home
* Live the Life
* This Is Your Time
* Healing Rain
* Stand
* Wonder
* Hymns
* Sovereign
* Hymns II - Shine On Us
* A Million Lights

Instrumental albums|

* Freedom
* Glory

Christmas albums|

* Christmas
* Christmastime
* It's a Wonderful Christmas
* The Spirit of Christmas

Live albums|

* The Live Set
* Worship
* Worship Again
* A New Hallelujah
* Surrounded

Compilation albums|

* The Wonder Years
* The First Decade (1983–1993)
* The Second Decade (1993–2003)
* Decades of Worship

Songs|

* "Friends"
* "Great Is the Lord"
* "Wired for Sound"
* "Old Enough to Know"
* "Place in This World"
* "I Will Be Here for You"
* "Christmas Day"
* "You Won't Let Go"
* "A Million Lights"

Related articles|

* Discography
* Rocketown
* Rocketown Records

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