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Russ Taff
Russell Taff (born November 11, 1953) is an American gospel singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California. He has sung a variety of musical styles throughout his career including: pop rock, traditional Southern gospel, contemporary country music, and rhythm and blues. He first gained recognition as lead vocalist for the Imperials (1976–81). One of his best-known performances is the song "Praise the Lord". He has also been a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, and occasionally tours with Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts. As a solo artist and songwriter, Taff is known for the 1980s anthem "We Will Stand". Taff has received various Dove and Grammy awards either as a solo artist or part of a larger musical group, most notably the Imperials. Early life Russ Taff was born to Joe and Ann Taff on November 11, 1953, the fourth of five sons, and grew up in Farmersville, California. Taff's father was a pastor of a small Pentecostal church - the Eastside Ta ...
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Contemporary Christian Music
Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and stylistically rooted in Christian music. It was formed by those affected by the 1960s Jesus movement revival who began to express themselves in other styles of popular music, beyond the church music of hymns, gospel and Southern gospel music that was prevalent in the church at the time. Initially referred to as Jesus music, today, the term is typically used to refer to pop, but also includes rock, alternative rock, hip hop, metal, contemporary worship, punk, hardcore punk, latin, EDM, R&B-influenced gospel and country styles. It has representation on several music charts including '' Billboard''s Christian Albums, Christian Songs, Hot Christian AC (Adult Contemporary), Christian CHR, Soft AC/Inspirational and Christian Digita ...
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Gary Paxton
Gary Sanford Paxton (born Larry Wayne Stevens; May 18, 1939 – July 17, 2016) was an American record producer, recording artist, and Grammy and Dove Award winning songwriter. Paxton was a member of Skip & Flip and the Hollywood Argyles and was the producer of two number one ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles, "Alley Oop" for the Hollywood Argyles in 1960 and "Monster Mash" for Bobby "Boris" Pickett in 1962. Biography Born in Coffeyville, Kansas to an unmarried teenage mother and initially named Larry Wayne Stevens, Paxton was adopted at age three, given a new name, and raised in rural poverty on a farm. He endured a troubled childhood, molested at age seven and afflicted by spinal meningitis at 11, which left him crippled for three years. His family moved to Arizona when he was 12, and he started his first band by 14, playing country and rock 'n' roll. He spent his middle teenage years touring the American Southwest with this and other forgotten bands. Early stardom came as "Flip ...
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Jack Joseph Puig
Jack Joseph Puig is an American audio engineer, A&R executive, and record producer. He has worked with Tonic, Hole, Jellyfish, The Black Crowes, John Mayer, Weezer, Fiona Apple, Roger Hodgson, Taxiride, Green Day, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Klaxons, Rancid, Panic! at the Disco, Stone Temple Pilots, U2, and many others. Puig has shared Grammy Awards with The Goo Goo Dolls, Sheryl Crow, Vanessa Carlton, John Mayer, Fergie (The Black Eyed Peas), U2, and No Doubt. In 2006, Jack Joseph Puig became an executive vice president at Interscope-Geffen-A&M Records. He has signed Klaxons and Charlotte Sometimes. As an A&R man he works with Shirley Manson, Ashlee Simpson, Klaxons, Charlotte Sometimes, Counting Crows, Puddle of Mudd, and The Like.Droney, Maureen. "Jack Joseph Puig" Mix Magazine. October 1, 2000. http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_jack_joseph_puig/ , accessdate=23 March 2011 Prior to his mainstream music production successes, Puig rose to prominence as an enginee ...
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Bill Schnee
William S. Schnee (born July 4, 1947) is an American musician, music producer, and audio engineer. Schnee has been nominated 11 times for the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Grammy Award and worked on a multitude of other Grammy nominated and awarded albums. He has won two Grammys, an Emmy for Outstanding Sound for a Television Special, and a Dove Award. In a 45+ year career of very diverse artists, Schnee has received over 135 gold and platinum records and has recorded/mixed over 50 top twenty singles. Early life Schnee was born in Phoenix, Arizona, where he lived until he was 13. At that time, his family moved to California. Early musical training was in trumpet, saxophone and piano. In 1964, his senior year at Glendora High School, Schnee started a band, The LA Teens, writing songs and playing organ. Immediately after graduation, The LA Teens were signed to Decca Records. When their single releases had little success, the band was dropped, however, they were immediately si ...
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Walls Of Glass (album)
''Walls of Glass'' is the debut solo album by former Imperials lead singer Russ Taff, released in 1983 on Myrrh Records. After he left the Imperials in 1981, Taff started work on his first solo album featuring songs that he co-wrote with his wife Tori and his guitarist and songwriter James Hollihan, Jr. "We Will Stand" was released as the first single and became his first Christian radio hit topping the Christian AC chart for 15 weeks. The song is ranked at number 29 by ''CCM Magazines ''100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music''. Taff won his first solo Grammy Award (his fourth overall) for Best Gospel Performance, Male at the 26th Grammy Awards. At the 15th GMA Dove Awards, Taff won his third Male Vocalist of the Year title, his first as a solo artist. "We Will Stand" was nominated for Song of the Year twice at the Dove Awards in 1984 and 1985. ''Walls of Glass'' reached No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Top Inspirational Albums chart. Track listing Personnel * Russ Taff – lead ...
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Top Christian Albums
Top Christian Albums is a weekly chart published in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the best-performing Christian albums in the United States. Like the ''Billboard'' 200, the data is compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales, as well as on-demand streaming and digital sales of its individual tracks. The chart was introduced on the magazine issue dated March 29, 1980, under the title "Best Selling Inspirational LPs". The current name was adopted on August 16, 2003, in an effort to "streamline" chart titles. The first number-one album was Candle's '' Music Machine''. Amy Grant's '' Age to Age'', released in 1982, topped the chart for 85 consecutive weeks, the longest for any album on the chart. As of the issue dated December 24, 2022, the current number-one album is '' Christmas Eve and Other Stories'' by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Artist milestones Most number-one albums Most cumulative weeks at number one Album miles ...
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Right Here, Right Now (Russ Taff Album)
''Right Here, Right Now'' is the eight studio album by Christian singer-songwriter Russ Taff. Released in 1999, it is his first and only album on Benson Records also his first full-length Christian album of new material in 10 years, after 1991's Grammy winning ''Under Their Influence,'' his limited country success of 1995's '' Winds of Change'' and released two years after the death of his father. Taff's father was a Pentecostal minister and a couple of his songs reflect that on the album. Taff and his long-time guitarist James Hollihan, Jr. produced the album. Critical reception Steve Huey of AllMusic says ''Right Here, Right Now'' "is among his more introspective efforts, exploring issues of strength, frailty, and the trials and joys of maintaining strong religious faith in the face of human imperfection. Taff is more confessional than many of his CCM peers, coming off as all the more effective in his message through his refusal to sugarcoat." Track listing Personnel * Russ ...
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Winds Of Change (Russ Taff Album)
''Winds of Change'' is the seventh studio album by singer-songwriter Russ Taff, released in 1995 on Reprise/ Warner Bros. Nashville. It is Taff's first, and only, full-length mainstream country album. The title song and "I Cry" are the only two songs from his 1989 album '' The Way Home'' that he re-recorded for this album. The first country single "Love Is Not a Thing" debuted on ''Billboards Hot Country Songs chart on January 14, 1995, at number 64, peaking at number 53 on February 25, 1995, spending a total of 9 weeks. "One and Only Love" and "Bein' Happy" were also released as singles and music videos performing moderately well on country radio and CMT. Well-known country songwriter/producer/musician Randy Scruggs produced the album's first six tracks, while Taff and his long-time guitarist James Hollihan, Jr. produced the remaining four tracks. Track listing * Tracks 1 - 6 produced by Randy Scruggs * Tracks 7 - 10 produced by Russ Taff and James Hollihan, Jr. Personnel * ...
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Michael English (American Singer)
Michael English (born April 12, 1962) is an American Christian singer and record producer. Initially, he was a member of his family's singing group, and later a member of The Gaither Vocal Band. During his solo career, he recorded eight studio albums. English's highest-charting solo single was " Your Love Amazes Me", which reached No. 10 on the Adult Contemporary chart in 1996. Biography Early years Born in Kenansville, North Carolina English was raised by parents Aubine and Grace English, in a town called North East, near Wallace, North Carolina. English performed in his family's singing group, The Singing Samaritans, from 1972 until 1980. After graduating from high school, he joined The Singing Americans, where he shortened his name to Mike English, later going back to Michael. He left the group in 1982 and joined The Goodmans. At about the same time he married his first wife Lisa Bailey and they had a daughter Megan who was born in late 1984. After that, he joined a regiona ...
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CCM Magazine
''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. History ''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has been owned by Salem since 1999. On January 16, 2008, Salem announced that the April 2008 issue would be the final printed issue of the magazine, which would continue in an online-only format. When the magazine was first published, it was called ''Contemporary Christian Music'' and covered that music genre. The name was later shortened to ''CCM'', which was still an acronym for "Contemporary Christian Music". For a short time, the magazine changed its name to ''Contemporary Christian Magazine'' (keeping the "CCM" but broadening the scope) but then ultimately went back to ''Contemporary Christian Music'' (''CCM''). Then in May 2007, the name's meaning was changed to "Christ. Community. Music." The editor explained that the term "contemporary ...
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Medals (album)
''Medals'' is the second studio album by Christian singer-songerwriter Russ Taff, released in 1985 on Myrrh Records. ''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''. Taff won a GMA Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for ''Medals'' at the 17th GMA Dove Awa ...
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Billboard (magazine)
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music industry. Its music charts include the Hot 100, the 200, and the Global 200, tracking the most popular albums and songs in different genres of music. It also hosts events, owns a publishing firm, and operates several TV shows. ''Billboard'' was founded in 1894 by William Donaldson and James Hennegan as a trade publication for bill posters. Donaldson later acquired Hennegan's interest in 1900 for $500. In the early years of the 20th century, it covered the entertainment industry, such as circuses, fairs, and burlesque shows, and also created a mail service for travelling entertainers. ''Billboard'' began focusing more on the music industry as the jukebox, phonograph, and radio became commonplace. Many topics it covered were spun-off int ...
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