Seasons of Change

Description

Seasons of Change was the first album on a CCM label by the American singer and songwriter Richie Furay of Buffalo Springfield and Poco fame, released on Myrrh Records in 1982, a division of Word. The album was recorded and mixed by Jack Joseph Puig at Mama Jo’s Recording Studio in North Hollywood, California; with Richie Furay and David Diggs producing, assisted by Puig.

Frustrated after the lack of support from Asylum Records for his solo albums, the former Poco man signs with a Christian label and assembles a pretty hot collection of sessioners to create a pretty fine collection of spiritual pop rock. The distinctive Furay vocals are all over this with tight harmonies and fabulous lead performances and the songwriting is equally good. It’s always been a mystery to me that this 1983 album isn’t regarded as an absolute classic. The moody funky «Yellow Moon Rising» was the only refugee from a set of songs that was aimed at a mainstream release from the last band he’d formed US Rock who fell foul of the secular label who objected to the song’s inclusion because of the religious theme. Ironically it’s the least overt song in this set. Meanwhile the title cut harks back to his early excitement at growing up and discovering music. «Endless Flight» is written for his friend Al Perkins who was going through marital troubles and songs like «Through It All», «My Lord And My God» and other more devotional material point towards Richie’s recent more worshipful releases. If you liked Poco or earlier albums like ‘I’ve Got A Reason‘, this is a gem you need to discover. [Mike Rimmer, Cross Rhythms, March 2010]

[Carolyn A. Burns, CCM, April 1982]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Hallelujah” – 3:32
A2. “Endless Flight” – 3:36
A3. “Yellow Moon Rising” – 6:15
A4. “Seasons of Change” – 3:43
A5. “My Lord and My God” – 3:36

Side Two
B1. “Rise Up” – 2:35
B2. “Promise of Love” – 4:14
B3. “Home To My Lord” – 4:45
B4. “For The Prize” – 3:05
B5. “Through It All” – 5:38

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and 12-inch vinyl LP by Myrrh Records. Later re-issued on CD. The album track “My Lord and My God” was released as a 7-inch vinyl single.

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A full-page advertisement for various new releases on Word Records, including Richie Furay’s Seasons of Change, was featured in the October 2, 1982 issue of Billboard Magazine. (The same edition as well featured a large section dedicated to gospel music, entitled A Billboard Special Report: Gospel Music – Shedding Light Along the Way.)

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CREDITS. Produced by David Diggs and Richie Furay with Production Assistance by Jack Joseph Puig. Recorded and mixed at Mama Jo’s Recording Studio, North Hollywood, CA, by Jack Joseph Puig with second engineering by Gene Meros. Mastered by Steve Hall at MCA Whitney Recording Studios, Glendale, CA. Arranged and Conducted by David Diggs. Music Preparation by Doug Dana. String Concertmaster: Doug Cameron. Cover Design by Chris Whorf. Photography by Dan Fong. Music written by Richie Furay except track A1, A2, and B1, co-written with David Diggs, A3 and B5 co-written with Tom Stipe, and B2 and B4 co-written with Hadley Hockensmith. All lyrics written by Furay.

Musicians: Richie Furay (Lead Vocals, Guitar), David Diggs (Keyboards, Synthesizers), Jim Coile (Tenor Saxophone), Al Perkins (Pedal Steel Guitar), Dan Ferguson (Guitar), Hadley Hockensmith (Guitar), Paul Jackson Jr. (Guitar), Dennis Belfield (Bass), Jim Keltner (Drums), Ed Greene (Drums), David Diggs (Percussion), Steve Forman (Percussion). Background Vocals: Edie Lehmann, Marti McCall, Mary Ella Meek, Myrna Matthews, Richie Furay, Virgil Beckham.