He Set My Life to Music
Encyclopedia
He Set My Life to Music is the thirteenth studio album by American country
artist, Barbara Mandrell
. It was released in August 1982 on MCA Records
and was produced by Tom Collins. The album was Mandrell's second studio album of the year and her first recording of Inspirational music.
", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
", and Dottie Rambo
's "I Will Glory in the Cross". The album included four duets with mainly Gospel artists. "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" was recorded with B.J. Thomas, "I Turn to Him" with The Blackwood Brothers
, "I Will Glory in the Cross" with Dottie Rambo, and "Through It All" with Andrae Crouch
.
. Carpenter gave the album three out of five stars. He Set My Life to Music reached #59 on the Billboard Magazine Top Country Albums chart and did not spawn any singles. For her performance, Mandrell won the Grammy award
for Best Inspirational Performance in 1983. The album also won Mandrell an award for "Album by a Secular Artist" at the 1983 Dove Awards.
The album was released on an LP album
, with five songs on each side of the record. The album was also released on compact disc in 1991.
Side two
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist, Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
. It was released in August 1982 on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
and was produced by Tom Collins. The album was Mandrell's second studio album of the year and her first recording of Inspirational music.
Background and content
He Set My Life to Music as described by Bill Carpenter of Allmusic is a "A contemporary gospel album." The album contained ten tracks of mainly cover versions of a series of Gospel and Inspirational standards. It includes covers of songs such as "What a Friend We Have in JesusWhat a Friend We Have in Jesus
"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to...
", "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a historic African-American spiritual. The first recording was in 1909, by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University....
", and Dottie Rambo
Dottie Rambo
Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos...
's "I Will Glory in the Cross". The album included four duets with mainly Gospel artists. "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" was recorded with B.J. Thomas, "I Turn to Him" with The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers Quartet are an eight-time Grammy award-winning American Southern Gospel group. They have been around for 76 years, and were pioneers in the Christian music industry.-Musical career:...
, "I Will Glory in the Cross" with Dottie Rambo, and "Through It All" with Andrae Crouch
Andrae Crouch
Andraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
.
Release
The album was re-released many years later under the Universal Special ProductsUniversal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
. Carpenter gave the album three out of five stars. He Set My Life to Music reached #59 on the Billboard Magazine Top Country Albums chart and did not spawn any singles. For her performance, Mandrell won the Grammy award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Inspirational Performance in 1983. The album also won Mandrell an award for "Album by a Secular Artist" at the 1983 Dove Awards.
The album was released on an LP album
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, with five songs on each side of the record. The album was also released on compact disc in 1991.
Track listing
Side one- "What a Friend We Have in JesusWhat a Friend We Have in Jesus"What a Friend We Have in Jesus" is a Christian hymn originally written by Joseph M. Scriven as a poem in 1855 to comfort his mother who was living in Ireland while he was in Canada. Scriven originally published the poem anonymously, and only received full credit for it in the 1880s. The tune to...
" – (Charles Converse, Joseph Scriven) 3:24- with B.J. Thomas
- "Swing Low, Sweet ChariotSwing Low, Sweet Chariot"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a historic African-American spiritual. The first recording was in 1909, by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University....
"/"Swing Chariot" – (Wallace WillisWallace WillisUncle Wallace Willis was a Choctaw freedman living in the Indian Territory. His dates are unclear: perhaps 1820 to 1880. He is credited with composing several Negro spirituals. Willis received his name from his owner, Britt Willis, probably in Mississippi, the ancestral home of the Choctaws...
) 2:55 - "I Turn to Him" – (W.T. Davidson) 3:14
- with The Blackwood BrothersThe Blackwood BrothersThe Blackwood Brothers Quartet are an eight-time Grammy award-winning American Southern Gospel group. They have been around for 76 years, and were pioneers in the Christian music industry.-Musical career:...
- with The Blackwood Brothers
- "I Will Glory to Him" –(Dottie RamboDottie RamboDottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy and multiple Dove Award-winning artist. Rambo, along with husband Buck and daughter Reba, formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos...
) 4:14- with Dottie Rambo
- "Through It All" – (Andrae CrouchAndrae CrouchAndraé Crouch is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, record producer, and pastor.-Early years:Born Andraé Edward Crouch in San Francisco, California....
) 3:31- with Andrae Crouch
Side two
- "He Set My Life to Music" – (Kyle Fleming, Dennis MorganDennis Morgan (songwriter)Dennis Morgan is a songwriter and music publisher, best known for writing songs for Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill, Barbara Mandrell, and Eric Clapton. He has also published hit songs by Garth Brooks, All-4-One, Feargal Sharkey, and Trisha Yearwood.Morgan's career as a songwriter started as a session...
) 4:36 - "He Grew the Tree" – (Chuck Lawrence) 3:56
- "Out of the Mouths of Babes" – 2:22
- "I'm Yours, Lord" – (Gary ChapmanGary Chapman (musician)Gary Chapman is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and former television talk show host.-Early life and music career:...
) 2:27 - "Then, Now, and Forever" – 5:50
Sales chart positions
Album| Chart (1982) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Top Country Albums | 59 |