The Jesus Record (CD - 1998)

Disc 1 features various artists performing the songs Rich Mullins had written for this album before he died in September 1997. Disc 2 is the rough demo versions of the same songs recorded by Rich Mullins.

Personnel includes: Rich Mullins (vocals, guitar, bass, drums); Tom Howard (conductor, piano, Wurlitzer piano); Rick Elias (vocals, guitar, harmonica, bass, drums); Jimmy Abegg, Mark Robertson, Aaron Smith (vocals, guitar, bass, drums); Amy Grant, Ashley Cleveland, Phil Keaggy, Michael W. Smith (vocals); Mitch McVicker (guitar, bass, drums); Jerry McPherson, Kenny Greenberg (guitar); Phil Madeira (lap steel guitar, dobro, accordion, Hammond B-3 organ); Sam Levine (flute, recorder, pennywhistle); Tim Lauer (accordion, mellotron); Linda Elias (percussion, background vocals); Eric Darken (percussion); Jim Chafee, Roz Thompson, Steve Flanigan, Nicole Coleman-Mullen, George Pendergrass, Percy Travis III, Melinda Doolittle (background vocals).

Principally recorded at The White House, The Carport and Soundstage, Nashville, Tennessee; Ragamuffin Recorders, Brentwood, Tennessee; Darkhorse Studio, Franklin, Tennessee.

All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology.

Personnel: Rich Mullins (vocals, guitar, drums); Rick Elias (vocals, harmonica, drums, background vocals); Mark Robertson, Jimmy Abegg (vocals, drums, background vocals); Jim Chaffee, Michael W. Smith (vocals, background vocals); Michael Smith, Amy Grant, Phil Keaggy, Ashley Cleveland (vocals); Mitch McVicker (guitar, drums); Jerry McPherson, Kenny Greenberg (guitar); Phil Maderia, Phil Madeira (lap steel guitar, dobro, accordion, piano); Perry Mason, Jim McLeod, Rebecca Hirsch, Pat Kierman, John Bradbury, Rolf Wilson, Wilfred Gibson, Ben Cruft, Boguslaw Kostecki, Gavyn Wright (violin); Cathy Wilkinson, George Robertson, Philip Dukes, Bill Hawkes (viola); Frank Schaefer, Tony Pleeth, John Williams , Paul Kegg, Jonathan Williams (cello); Sam Levine (flute, pennywhistle, recorder); Tim Lauer (accordion, Mellotron); Mike Thompson , Frank Lloyd , John Pigneguy (horns); Tom Howard (piano, Wurlitzer organ, percussion); Aaron Smith (drums, background vocals); Eric Darken, Linda Elias (percussion); Stuart Young, Jim Younkman (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Tim Coyle; J.R. McNeely; Todd Gunnerson.

Recording information: Carport Soundstage; Digital Darkhorse Studio, Franklin, TN; EMI Abbey Road Studios, London, England; Ragamuffin Records, Brentwood, TN; Ragmuffin Recorders Brentwood, TN; Soundstage, Nashvil; The Carport, Nashville, TN; The White House, Nashville, TN; Then Whitehouse, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Ben Pearson .

Arranger: Tom Howard.

The Jesus Record is a bittersweet testament to the late Rich Mullins, who died in an auto accident shortly before he would have started the album. The first disc of the two-CD set contains the demos for The Jesus Record, all of which are performed by Mullins alone, accompanied either by a piano or guitar. Mullins never had the opportunity to properly record these songs. Instead, the Ragamuffin Band recorded them officially, with vocalists like Phil Keaggy, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith filling in for Mullins on vocals. It's an affecting tribute to Mullins' talent -- not only are the demos quite moving, but the completed record nearly matches those peaks. Either way, it's a nice way to say goodbye to one of the major forces in '90s CCM. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Christian songwriter Rich Mullins began work on the songs that make up THE JESUS RECORD. He passed away just a few days after laying down the demos. His musical accomplices, the Ragamuffin Band, salvaged the tapes, vowing to keep Mullin's legacy alive. The result was this two-disc set. The first disc consists of Mullins compositions performed by the Ragamuffin Band and sung by various guest vocalists, including Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant and Ashley Cleveland.

The fully-produced songs on the first disc combine undiluted spirituality with state-of-the-art pop/rock production. The second disc, which features cleaned-up versions of Mullins' actual demos, is less sonically elaborate, but full of the dedication and faith that characterize Mullins' music and THE JESUS RECORD itself. minimize