Heart of the Journey

Description

Heart of the Journey is the fourth album by the American singer and songwriter Michele Wagner, released on Benson Music Group in 1994. The album was recorded and mixed by JB with Phil Madeira producing and arranging.

Michele Wagner is backed by a session band featuring producer Madeira on piano, B-3 organ, and mellotron, Gordon Kennedy on acoustic and electric guitars, and a rhythm section consisting of Danny O’Lannerghty on bass and Michael Radovsky on drums, with Eric Darken on percussion and Stuart Duncan sitting in on fiddle.

Equipped with a new producer and a sound innovatively different than her previous albums, Michele Wagner once again displays her talent both as a lyricist and vocalist on her latest album, ‘Heart of the Journey’. The project appears to have a more acoustic and, at times, even country feel than Wagner’s first two albums. Phil Madeira, renowned for writing for artists such as Amy Grant and Susan Ashton, takes the helm as producer of the project. Leaving his musical footprints throughout the record, Madeira contributes his creativity in the use of the slide guitar, B-3 organ, and percussion arrangements. Wayne Kirkpatrick, Kenny Meeks, and Billy and Sarah Gaines also add their talents as background vocalists on the project. With all of the incredible talent on the album and the acoustic groove Madeira and Wagner have developed, however, ‘Heart of the Journey’ still seems to be lacking the punch that would make a good album into a great one.

On the lyrical side of things, Michele Wagner repeatedly displays her depth and awareness of God’s mercy and love. Each song on the album speaks a gripping message of hope, encouragement, and healing. In a song called «I’ll Give All I Have», Michele reveals something of her own relationship with God. “I can’t believe what it’s taken for me to let You in my heart/ Could it be through searching that You have been there for me from the start/ There’s something in surrender that makes a heart grow strong/ And the walls will fall when you risk it all till everything is gone.” …And that, according to Michele Wagner, is descriptive of what life holds for us all as we come closer to the ‘Heart of the Journey’. [Sissy Goff, CCM, February 1994]

CD tracklist:

01. Heart Of The Journey
02. Something Wonderful
03. String Of Pearls
04. Just Believe
05. I’ll Give All I Have
06. Come By Here
07. Vision Of Wholeness
08. Do You Know His Heart
09. Morning Star
10. My Redeemer Lives

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by Benson Music Group.

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