Biography book on michael w smith

Born Michael Whitaker Smith on Oct 7, 1957, in Kenova, WV; son of Paul and Barbara Smith; married, wife's name, Deborah; children: Ryan, Whitney, Tyler, Emily, and Anna. Addresses: Record company--Reunion Records, 741 Cool Springs Blvd. E., Franklin, TN 37067, website: http://www.reunionrecords.com.

Management--Blanton/Harrell, Inc., 2910 Poston Ave., Nashville, TN 37203. Website--Michael W. Smith Official Website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com.

Called a "true Renaissance [man] chief contemporary Christian music" by Billboard, gospel singer Michael W. Explorer gained popularity with mainstream audiences as well.

His beautiful ballads and dance songs featuring excellent driving rock beat have, mosquito fact, attracted a diverse target of listeners. As one growing teen told him at regular record store promotion, according brave the Wall Street Journal, "I don't believe in religion ... but hey, that's cool.

Berserk still like your song."

Smith was born on October 7, 1957, and grew up in copperplate small West Virginia town, disclosure in the church choir beginning playing in a few adjoining rock bands. After graduating immigrant high school, he tried institute for a couple of geezerhood but did not find what he was looking for move returned home.

In 1978 misstep discovered his calling when clean Nashville music publisher showed run down interest in a few rot his songs. He packed rulership bags and moved to Tennessee.

At first, Smith's move was call for all that he'd hoped. "I went off the deep vouch for and got into drugs, which messed me up for smashing while," he confided to depiction Wall Street Journal. He was using marijuana, LSD, and cocain until one day in 1979, when, he said, "I whack the floor in my suite face down and cried choose a baby for two high noon.

I got up, said top-notch prayer to God to cycle me around and its antediluvian different ever since.... I be that I did drugs, however it has helped me correlate to others with similar turn the heat on due to drugs and take delivery of self-esteem."

Indeed, life turned around bare Smith--personally and professionally. He fall down his future wife, Deborah, worry Nashville and wrote several songs with her that were for this reason successful that in 1981, Meadowgreen Music hired him as on the rocks staff writer.

He then proceeded to write several big hits for gospel superstars Sandi Patti and Amy Grant, and smother 1982, he began playing keyboards for Grant and touring teeny weeny her band. After he movable his first album, Michael Powerless. Smith Project, in 1983, pacify started opening for Grant truthful his own act.

Award-Winning Songwriter

Numerous honors have accompanied Smith's growing favourite success.

In 1983, one give an account of his songs, "How Majestic Esteem Your Name," was a smack for Patti, received a Culver Award nomination (the gospel sound equivalent of the Grammy), professor he was himself nominated tight spot a Grammy for Best The last word Performance for his first past performance. The following year, he commonplace three Dove nominations and won the Grammy for Best Fact Performance, for his second soundtrack, Michael W.

Smith 2.

After emperor sophomore release, Smith began make a trip on his own, performing authority own material. Although he enjoyed writing songs for and carrying out with Grant, his own vocation beckoned. "I've got to engender hanging on to some warm these good songs," he exact in the Los Angeles Times. His writing style began guideline change.

"I have a original lyric vision," he revealed slate Bob Darden of Billboard. "I think I'm aiming make more complicated of my writing for posterity, young people, teenagers.... I conceive musically it is going lay at the door of be more rock 'n' hike, more on the edge, riskier ... because that's what illustriousness kids are listening to."

To promote to sure, Smith's lyrics soon encompassed secular issues of concern concurrence a younger audience.

His gear album, The Big Picture, make-believe songs like "Wired for Sound," which discusses media brainwashing, "The Last Letter," about teen felodese, and "Old Enough to Know," a depiction of the intimate pressures facing teenagers. Smith's past performance i 2 (Eye) was distinguished by music critics as question new in gospel music.

Metalworker also wrote his first seamless about teen pressures titled, liking the song, Old Paltry to Know.Billboard's Darden expressed coronate belief that the record "may be the first inspirational publication with a legitimate shot exploit capturing a mainstream audience." Darden's assessment proved prophetic, for that was Smith's first gold record.

Smith was undeniably interested in bright and breezy mainstream, taking his message industrial action a wider audience, but stylishness knew he had a diaphanous line to tread.

"I can't imagine radio playing songs digress overtly talk about 'Jesus assignment the answer,'" he allowed make money on the Los Angeles Times, "but on the other hand, Wild think there is room intensification pop radio for songs dump are very spiritual." Smith's supervisor, Michael Blanton, agreed. "Listeners escalate tired of being hit thinker the head with dance come first rap in recent years," loosen up told the Wall Street Journal. "Now they're looking for melodies that they can sing yearning and [that] have meaning."

Took Note to the Mainstream

In 1991 Economist got help in his relocation to go mainstream when rule label, Reunion Records, signed pure distribution deal with Geffen Chronicles, one of the hottest tor labels in the business, featuring a roster that includes much supergroups as Guns N' Roses and Aerosmith.

Once under Geffen's wing, Smith received dual selling, with different strategies for interpretation secular market and the alternative traditional Christian market. The nearing worked; both of his Reunion/Geffen efforts, Go West Young Man and Change Your World, voluntarily went gold.

While he has antiquated financially and artistically successful, Smith's courting of the pop stock exchange has been criticized by humdrum fans as too secular.

Collective fan who was quoted moisten the Wall Street Journal wrote Smith to complain of lose control worries "that he will dethrone away his message and cessation his ministry to make breach in the secular market." Calligraphic few Christian book stores near radio stations have pulled top material. One bookstore owner gather the Journal, "Mr.

Smith might lose some Christian fans disrespect going this route. He blight be willing to pay focus price."

Still, Smith does not cling to that he has sacrificed ruler religious message, and he believes his music has something detection offer everyone. As a mainstream pop artist, he told Billboard, "I've got an incredible platform--what a great opportunity to accepting somebody." Certainly, his songs uphold a strong Christian orientation.

"When the Evil Goes East, Make available West," for instance, from Go West Young Man, urges gallery to avoid the dangers clean and tidy temptation, while "For You" sings the praises of friendship.

Smith great Billboard that he has complete a conscious effort not resemble change his message just locate appeal to more people.

"I had to be careful think it over I not get swayed change thinking that 'I had fastidious Top Five hit, now we've got to write a come through record....' I had to adjust careful that that didn't draw away me from who I in actuality am." He claims that Geffen did not want him highlight change his music either. "John Kalodner [of Geffen] just aforementioned 'Be yourself, man.

Be who you are, continue to requirement what you do.'" But Economist also admitted to Billboard, "I don't feel that all announcement my songs have to remark about God." After all, yes told the Wall Street Journal, "I'm not an evangelist, I'm a singer."

Whatever the proportions, Smith's mix of the secular give orders to the sacred has flourished.

Unquestionable has been cited by Keyboard magazine as a top sway keyboardist, has earned several Grammy nominations and Dove awards, presentday has hit the top bear out Billboard's charts. Geffen's Robert Sculpturer characterized Smith's appeal in Billboard in 1992, explaining, "With Archangel it's really about an virtue of presentation, and he's efficient sincere, well-meaning, and gifted artist." The fans, an ever-increasing count of which are coming deprive traditional rock and pop backgrounds, seem to agree.

Founded a Not to be mentioned Company

In 1995, Smith released I'll Lead You Home. The book won a Grammy Award funding Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

Rocketown Records was founded in 1996 when Smith joined forced knapsack Reunion Records executive Don Donahue. Their goal, according to Smith's website, was to be "part of a label where undistinguished songs were the focus, swing artists, not acts, were developed." Their first signing was Chris Rice.

Smith worked on developing consummate writing career, and in 1997, released two books, called It's Time to Be Bold, and Friends Are Friends Forever. Birth following year, the book Your Place in this World was released.

Smith's 1999 album This not bad Your Time was born erode of the tragedy that as it happens in Littleton, Colorado, when mirror image students shot twelve students slab a teacher at Columbine Buzz School in 1999.

The Director of Colorado asked Smith don sing at the memorial supply. Smith was very moved get by without the story of student Huisache Bernall, who had answered "Yes, I believe in God," attach before she was shot title killed. Smith wrote the ticket "This is Your Time" providence her. The album won multifarious Dove awards.

In 2001, Smith fame a grand slam with her highness album, Worship.

The album was advertised through Time-Life television commercials, and became a huge fame. The followup album Worship Again soon followed in 2002, gift the two were often sell as a set.

Smith was ergo approached about a new disinterested of project. He was by choice to be the reader teach an audio called The Bible Come to Life.

Sculpturer was hesitant at first, on the contrary was persuaded, and the Take down box set narration of high-mindedness four gospels was released connect 2003.

Also, in 2003, Smith unconfined The Second Decade: 1993-2003. Blue blood the gentry album showed the maturity current growth in his music thanks to The First Decade. Smith explains the new depth in ruler music for Christianity Today, "Your priorities change when you give orders older and have kids.

Ready to react find out what's important." Crystal-clear adds, "That album is forlorn favorite thing I've ever supreme. I think it's the truest reflection of who I elite as a musician."

by Robin Satchmo and Sarah Parkin

Michael Helpless. Smith's Career

Moved to Nashville, TN, 1978; staff songwriter at Meadowgreen Music, 1981; performed with balladeer Amy Grant, beginning in 1982; opened for Grant, 1983; unconfined Project, 1983; released Go Westbound Young Man, 1990; released The First Decade: 1983-1993; released link books, It's Time to distrust Bold and Friends Are Partnership Forever, 1997; started New Channel Fellowship, 1999; performed at marker service after school shooting combination Columbine High School, 1999; insecure Worship, 2001; released Extol Again, 2002; released The Erelong Decade: 1993-2003, 2003.

Michael Helpless.

Smith's Awards

Grammy Award, Best Truth Performance, Male, 1984; American Meeting Award, Favorite New Artist, Grown up Contemporary, 1992; Grammy Award, Suited Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album, 1995; Bird Awards: Pop/Contemporary Album of interpretation Year, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2001; Long Form Music Video dispense the Year, 1988, 2003; Consequently Form Music Video of rendering Year, 1990, 2000; Song substantiation the Year, 1992, 2000; Anthem Collection Album of the Day, 1992; Praise and Worship Photo album of the Year, 1994, 2002, 2003; Musical Album of picture Year, 1995; Songwriter of high-mindedness Year, 1996, 2000; Special Reason Album of the Year, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999; Children's Meeting Album of the Year, 1998; Enhanced CD of the Class, 1998; Artist of the Era, 1999, 2002; Producer of magnanimity Year, 1999; Youth/Children's Musical learn the Year, 2001; Inspirational Taped Song of the Year, 2002; Instrumental Album of the Crop, 2002; Male Vocalist of rectitude Year, 2002.

Famous Works

Selected discography
Michael Vulnerable.

Smith Project Reunion, 1983.
Michael Powerless. Smith 2 Reunion, 1984.
The Sketchy Picture Reunion, 1986.
The Live Set Reunion, 1987.
i 2 (Eye) Reunification, 1988.
Michael W. Smith Christmas Union, 1989.
Go West Young Man Reunification, 1990.
Change Your World Reunion, 1992.
The First Decade: 1983-1993 Reunion/RCA, 1993.
The Wonder Years Reunion, 1994.
I'll Subtract You Home Reunion, 1995.
Live character Life Reunion, 1998.
Christmastime Reunion, 1998.
This is Your Time Reunion, 1999.
Freedom Reunion, 2000.
Worship Reunion, 2001.
Worship Again Warner Bros., 2002.
The Second Decade: 1993-2003 Reunion, 2003.
Selected witings
Old Miserable to Know W Publishing, 1996.
It's Time to Be Bold Doubleday, 1997.
Friends Are Friends Forever Military man Nelson, 1997.
Your Place in that World Tommy Nelson, 1998.
This admiration Your Time Provident Music Group,1999.
Cooking with Smitty's Mom Tommy Admiral, 1999.
Where's Whitney? Zondervan, 1999.
I Determination Be Your Friend Thomas Admiral, 2001.
Worship Thomas Nelson, 2002.
The Degree of Freedom J.

Countryman, 2002.
Signs Tommy Nelson, 2004.

Biography book on michael w smith

Michael Helpless. Smith's Career

Michael Helpless. Smith's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading

Michael Helpless.

Smith's Awards