Description
Rise Again…He’s Alive is an album by the American vocal group Paul Johnson Singers (on this album credited as Paul Johnson Vocal Band), released on MCA Songbird in 1980. The album was recorded and mixed by Christopher Banninger at Monterey Sound Studios in Glendale and at Davlen Sound Studios in North Hollywood, California; with Paul Johnson producing and arranging.
Paul Johnson Vocal Band features the following singers: Sopranos: Edie Lehmann, Sandie Hall, Melissa Mackay, Suzy McCune, Gail Farrell. Altos: Debbie Hall, Sue Allen, Lynn Mann, Jan Gassman, Cher Floria. Tenors: Michael Redman, Walt Harrah, Paul Johnson, Ron Hicklin, Paul DeKorte. Baritones: Dock Bolks, Fred Frank, Larry Kenton. Basses: Bob Tebow, Gene Merlino. The album as well features guest vocalists such as The McCrarys, Sharalee Lucas, Chip Hand, Rick Riso (of Messenger fame), and Truett Pratt (of Pratt/McClain fame).
An unusual collection of contemporary hits sung a cappella by an exceptional choir gathered expressly for this recording by Paul Johnson and the Songbird label. The choir (Lynn Mann, Cher Floria, Michael Redman, Paul Johnson and 17 other vocalists) sings a series of some of today’s most inspiring and praiseful medley’s and hymns as beautifully arranged and produced by Paul Johnson. In addition to the title tunes, the LP includes songs such as «Do Right», «All Things Are Possible», «Heavenly Love», «Give Them All To Jesus», «Bread On The Water», «Amazing Grace», and quite a few more. Guest vocalists include The McCrarys, Sharalee Lucas, Chip Hand, Rick Riso and Truett Pratt. [CCM (Records – What’s New), November 1980]
Album Liner Notes
It seems like every year I find myself using more and more electronic instruments on album projects and it’s made me wonder at times… what would we all do if someone pulled the plug? I’m not sure there are a whole lot of people who sit around and ponder whether Rock ‘n Roll and jazz fusion would survive the energy crisis, but before we all run out of oil I thought it would be interesting to show that contemporary music could indeed survive if electronic instruments run out of juiece.
But that’s not my primary reason for this project. I like to remind myself from time to time that the human voice is still the most amazing instrument of all and can, at least in this case, be an entire orchestra if you have the right ingredients. Your ears will tell you that we did indeed have those ingredients in this assignment… perhaps the finest to be found anywhere in the world. The fact that they can actually sightread this kind of arranging boggles the mind of even the finest musician!
My secondary reason for a project of this nature is to bridge together some contemporary with some traditional elements. To my knowledge this has never been done in quite this fashion. It is not possible to do an a cappella album of this nature and not draw somewhat from the innovative choral concepts of Fred Waring, Luboff, and others who wrote the handbook on choral writing. Nevertheless, in utilizing som of these timeless concepts we’ve taken them a few steps… well, more like an Olympian broad jump… further. It seemed to be a logical challenge and direction to take to begin the 80’s.
Writing arrangements like these is one thing (there is a lot of eraser dust at the foot of my piano), but it’s an entirely different matter to find singers who can sightread and interpret the material properly. There were no tricks used in this recording (other than double-tracking). It was recorded live and all the intricate harmonic and rhythmic parts were covered in the first pass. Here is where I am tremendously fortunate to work with some of the finest studio singers in the world. They are almost like computers who know exactly what to do with the information given to them. It is a staggering event to behold!
What is most rewarding to me, however, is the fact that in the last ten years or so I have had the privilege of watching almost every person on this album have a life-changing experience with Jesus Christ… and most would agree that singing this kind of music has had a profound effect in their lives. It has only confirmed to me that the power of audible confession of faith, whether spoken or sung is not an abstract formula but a living reality. This is perhaps the first album of this nature to be done by professional singers who have individually, one by one, experienced the lyrics… and they all agreed that this had a much different kind of reward than doing Alpha Beta and Honda commercials.
I’d like to thank my good friend and brother, Chris Christian, for coming up with the idea for this project and for challenging me, as well as trusting me with it. Also, I could not have attempted such a project without the years of creative input from the really great giants of this kind of choral arranging; particularly Ralph Carmichael, Earl Brown, Johnny Mann, and Gene Puerling (of the Singers Unlimited). They have been, and continue to be a great source of inspiration to me.
– Paul Johnson
[Album liner notes printed on the back of the album sleeve]
LP tracklist:
Side One
A1. “Old Man’s Rubble” / “Do Right” (feat. Rick Riso) – 3:03
A2. “Rise Again” / “He’s Alive” (feat. Truett Pratt) – 4:15
A3. “All Things Are Possible” / “Hold On” / “Sail On” (feat. Edie Lehmann and Rick Riso) – 3:15
A4. “Mirror” – 3:07
A5. Praise Medley: “A Sacrifice Of Praise” / “Hallelujah” / “Praise The Lord” (feat. Chip Hand, Lynn Mann, Michael Redman, Edie Lehmann, and Michael Redman) – 4:01
Side Two
B1. “Heavenly Love” (feat. Rick Riso) – 2:54
B2. “Give Them All To Jesus” / “Turn Your Life Over To Jesus” / “Never Give You Up” – 3:22
B3. “Bread On The Water” (feat. Bob Tebow) – 3:16
B4. “You Took My Heart By Surprise” (feat. Chip Hand) – 2:48
B5. “Amazing Grace” (feat. Sharalee Lucas) – 3:47
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