Home > Michael W. Smith

Since his first solo project in 1983, Smith has become one of the most popular artists in the Contemporary Christian music world, while also finding considerable success in the mainstream. Smith has frequently topped both Christian radio and Billboard charts, and is often listed as one of the top keyboardists in rock and roll in Keyboard Magazine . Smith had sold more than seven million records and had 25 #1 hit songs. By 2003, he had 10 gold records and 3 platinum records.

By the time Smith graduated from high school, he had found himself with serious drug and alcohol abuse problems. Nevertheless, he was able to get through a couple of years of college and develop his songwriting skills with various local bands. In October of 1979, Smith suffered an emotional and mental breakdown that awakened a recommitment to the Christian beliefs of his childhood. He cleaned up his substance abuse problem and began playing keyboards for the CCM group, Higher Ground .

In 1981, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music , where he racked up a number of highly successful gospel hits penned for artists like Sandi Patty , Kathy Troccoli , Bill Gaither and Amy Grant. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her Age to Age tour. He would eventually become Grant's opening act, and recorded his first Grammy nominated solo album, Michael W. Smith Project (which he also produced), in 1983.

By the time Smith's second pop album was released in 1984This page is about the year 1984. For other uses of 1984, see 1984 (disambiguation). 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday (link shows calendar). Events January January 1 Brunei becomes a fully independent state January 1 AT&T is broken up into 22 indepe, he was headlining his own tours. In 19861986 is a common year starting on Wednesday. Events January January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community January 1 Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles. January 9 After losing a pa, Smith released the critically acclaimed rock effort The Big Picture, with well known record producerIn the music industry, record producer designates a person responsible for completing a master recording so that it is fit for release. In earlier days, record producers bore the title of A&R men for Artists and Repertory which gives a clearer picture of Johnny Potoker ( Brian EnoBrian Peter George St. Jean le Baptiste de la Salle Eno usually given as Eno (born May 15, 1948), is an electronic musician, producer, and music theorist who started his musical career with Roxy Music. He then went on to produce a number of highly eclecti, GenesisGenesis is a progressive rock group that was formed in 1967 when founding members Peter Gabriel, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks were still students at Charterhouse School. The band enjoyed considerable success in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. List of Genes, Madonna, No DoubtNo Doubt is an American alternative rock group whose music was initially influenced heavily by ska and New Wave. The group was first formed by Eric Stefani in Orange County, California in the city of Anaheim in December 1986 with John Spence as lead singe, Talking Heads, etc).

After the release of his 1988 effort, I 2 eye, Smith once again teamed up with Amy Grant for her "Lead Me On World Tour". The following year, Smith recorded his first Christmas album.

In 1990, Smith released Go West Young Man, which was his first real mainstream effort. That album was followed by 1992's Change Your World, 1995's I'll Lead You Home and 1998's Live The Life. Also in 1998, Smith released his second Christmas effort, Christmastime. In 1999, Smith released This Is Your Time, largely inspired by the Columbine shootings. Smith had been asked to perform at some of the memorial services that were held in honor of the victims, which made a huge impression on Smith.

Nearly all of Smith's albums contain at least one instrumental track, and in 2000, Smith recorded his first all instrumental album, Freedom. The following year, Smith released an all praise and worship album, called Worship, which was followed by a sequel, Worship Again. Both albums were recorded live in concert. A Worship Again DVD was released in 2002, which immediately topped the Billboard video charts.

MWS wrote a song entitled "There She Stands," prompted by the September 11th terrorist attacks. He performed this song live for the 2004 Republican National Convention. In introducing the song before he performed it, he made remarks about meeting personally with President George W. Bush in the Oval Office in October of 2001, a short time after the attacks. Smith mentioned that the President, a personal fan of the artist, had asked him to attempt to write a song about the attacks. The song is about America's ability to rise from the ashes and remain strong even after such horrific events.