Michael W. Smith
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both
contemporary Christian Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...
and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when "
Place in This World "Place in This World" is a song by American musician Michael W. Smith, released in 1991 as the second single from his 1990 album '' Go West Young Man''. The song became his biggest success in mainstream music when it hit No. 6 on the ''Billboard ...
" hit No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 18 million albums. Smith is a three-time
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
winner, an
American Music Award The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produc ...
recipient, and has earned 45
Dove Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Award ...
. In 1999,
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
awarded him with the "Golden Note" Award for lifetime achievement in songwriting, and in 2014 they honored him as the "cornerstone of Christian music" for his significant influence on the genre. He also has recorded 31 No. 1 Hit songs, fourteen gold albums, and five platinum albums. He has also starred in two films and published 14 books including ''This Is Your Time'', which he worked with Christian author Gary Thomas to write.


Early life

Michael Whitaker Smith was born to Paul and Barbara Smith in
Kenova, West Virginia Kenova is a city in Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, situated at the confluence of the Ohio and Big Sandy Rivers. Located near a tristate border, the city's name is a portmanteau of Kentucky, Ohio, and Virginia (Va). Founded in 1 ...
. His father was an oil refinery worker at the Ashland Oil Refinery, in nearby
Catlettsburg, Kentucky Catlettsburg is a home rule-class city in and the county seat of Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The city population was 1,856 at the 2010 census. Catlettsburg is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area ...
. His mother was a caterer. He inherited his love of baseball from his father, who had played in the
minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
. As a child, he developed a love of music through his church. He learned piano at an early age and sang in his church choir. At the age of 10, he had "an intense spiritual experience" that led to his becoming a devout
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
. "I wore this big cross around my neck," he would recall, "It was very real to me." He became involved in Bible study and found a group of older friends who shared his faith. After his older Christian friends moved away to college, Smith began to struggle with feelings of loneliness and alienation. After graduating from high school, he gravitated toward alcohol and drugs. He attended
Marshall University Marshall University is a public research university in Huntington, West Virginia. It was founded in 1837 and is named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States. The university is currently composed of nine colleges: L ...
while developing his songwriting skills but dropped out after one semester. He also played with various local bands around
Huntington, West Virginia Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is the county seat of Cabell County, and the largest city in the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area, sometimes referred to as the Tri-State Area. A h ...
. During that time, his friend
Shane Keister Shane Keister is an American musician. He is known for his work as a studio musician, writer, arranger and producer. He plays synthesizer, piano, Hammond B3, Synclavier, Fairlight CMI, Fender Rhodes, and others. History Keister was born in Hunti ...
, who worked as a session musician in Nashville, encouraged him to move to Nashville, the Country Music capital, and pursue a career in music. In 1978, Smith moved to Nashville, taking a job as a landscaper to support himself. He played with several local bands in the Nashville club scene. He also developed a problem with substance abuse. In November 1979, Smith suffered a breakdown that led to his recommitment to Christ. The next day he auditioned for a new contemporary Christian music (CCM) group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist and got the job. His lead vocals were heard on much of CCM radio with the single, "I Am". It was on his first tour with Higher Ground, playing mostly in churches, that Smith was finally able to put the drugs and alcohol behind him.


Music career


Beginning (1981–1989)

In 1981, while he was playing keyboards for Higher Ground, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music, where he wrote numerous
gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
hits penned for artists such as
Sandi Patty Sandra Faye "Sandi" Patty (born July 12, 1956) is an American Christian music singer, known for her wide soprano vocal range and expressive flexibility. Biography Early life Patty was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, into a family of musician ...
,
Kathy Troccoli Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to: In sports *Kathy Bald, Canadian freestyle swimmer *Kathy May, American tennis player *Kathy Radzuweit, German volleyball player ...
, Bill Gaither and
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...
, to the effect that some of these popular worship songs can now be found in church
hymnals A hymnal or hymnary is a collection of hymns, usually in the form of a book, called a hymnbook (or hymn book). Hymnals are used in congregational singing. A hymnal may contain only hymn texts (normal for most hymnals for most centuries of Chri ...
. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her ''
Age to Age ''Age to Age'' is the fourth studio album by Christian music singer Amy Grant, released in 1982 on Myrrh Records. ''Age to Age'' was Amy Grant's breakthrough album, finally earning her serious recognition within the burgeoning Contemporary Chris ...
'' tour. He became Grant's opening act and recorded his first
Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
-nominated solo album '' The Michael W. Smith Project'' (which he also produced himself) in 1983 on the
Reunion Records Reunion Records is a contemporary Christian record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee, that operates under the Provident Label Group. The label was founded in 1982, by Dan Harrell and Mike Blanton. History The label was formed by Amy Grant's m ...
label. This album contained the first recording of his hit "Friends", which he co-wrote with his wife Deborah. By the time Smith's second album ''
Michael W. Smith 2 Contemporary Christian music ''Michael W. Smith 2'' is the second album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in February 1984, "I Am Sure" and "Hosanna" were released to Christian radio. Among the musicians who contributed to t ...
'' was released in 1984, he was headlining his own tours. In 1986, Smith released '' The Big Picture''. After the release of his 1988 effort, ''
i 2 (EYE) ''i 2 (EYE)'' is Michael W. Smith's fifth album overall and his second album to be certified gold. Smith collaborated again with lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick, and produced a music video for the song "Secret Ambition". The album peaked at No. 1 on ...
'', Smith once again collaborated with Grant for her "Lead Me On" world tour. The following year, Smith recorded his first
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
album, simply titled ''
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
'' (1989).


Mainstream venture and inspirational pop albums (1990–1999)

In 1990, Smith released '' Go West Young Man'', his first mainstream effort, which included the mainstream
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
hit single "
Place in This World "Place in This World" is a song by American musician Michael W. Smith, released in 1991 as the second single from his 1990 album '' Go West Young Man''. The song became his biggest success in mainstream music when it hit No. 6 on the ''Billboard ...
". The song peaked at No. 6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 1992, he released '' Change Your World'', which included the No. 1 adult contemporary hit "
I Will Be Here for You "I Will Be Here for You" is a 1992 single written by Diane Warren and Michael W. Smith and performed by Smith. The single was a track from his album '' Change Your World'', and was a hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, reaching No. 1 for two we ...
". In 1993 Smith released his first box set, ''
The Wonder Years ''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age situation comedy, comedy/Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol L. Black, Carol Black. It ran on American Broadcasting Company ...
'' and his first greatest hits album, ''
The First Decade (1983–1993) ''The First Decade (1983–1993)'' is a compilation album from Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. This album also features two new songs "Do You Dream of Me?" and "Kentucky Rose". A follow-up compilation album, '' The Second Decade (199 ...
''. The latter also includes two new songs, "Do You Dream of Me?" and "Kentucky Rose". In 1994, Smith appeared as a guest pianist on the album ''
Swing, Swang, Swung ''Swing, Swang, Swung'' is the fourth studio album of Christian rock band Guardian. It was released in 1994 by Pakaderm Records. The album takes the band into experimental grounds in folk and acoustic music. However, it was harshly criticized ...
'' by
Christian rock Christian rock is a form of rock music that features lyrics focusing on matters of Christian faith, often with an emphasis on Jesus, typically performed by self-proclaimed Christian individuals. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Ch ...
band
Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
. In 1995, Smith released his eighth album ''
I'll Lead You Home ''I'll Lead You Home'' is a 1995 album by Michael W. Smith released by Reunion Records. Sales and charts The album entered the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 at number 16, making it the highest-debuting Christian album in the history of the c ...
'', which combines the pop style of his secular albums with a touch of religious feel. ''
Live the Life ''Live the Life'' is an album by Michael W. Smith. One notable song on this album was "In My Arms Again," which Michael W. Smith wrote for the film ''Titanic''. There were 26 songs written and completed for the album, whose release date was push ...
'' (1998) and '' This Is Your Time'' (1999) follow the same style. In 1998, Smith also released his second Christmas album, '' Christmastime''. Smith collaborated with
Jim Brickman James Merrill Brickman (born November 20, 1961) is an American pop songwriter, pianist and radio host. Brickman has earned two Grammy nominations for his albums ''Peace'' (2003) for Best Instrumental, and ''Faith'' (2009) for Best New Age Album ...
on "Love of My Life", a romantic love song for Brickman's album ''Destiny'' in 1999. The song went to chart at No. 9 on the
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by stat ...
. Also in 1999, he became the first Christian artist to receive the
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
"Golden Note" Award for lifetime achievement in songwriting.


Instrumental and live worship albums (2000–2003)

Nearly all of Smith's albums include at least one instrumental track, and in 2000 Smith recorded his first all instrumental album, ''
Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
''. The following year, Smith released his first all-worship music album, ''
Worship Worship is an act of religious devotion usually directed towards a deity. It may involve one or more of activities such as veneration, adoration, praise, and praying. For many, worship is not about an emotion, it is more about a recognition ...
'', on September 11. This album was followed by a sequel, '' Worship Again'' in 2002. Both albums were recorded live in concert. ''Worship Again'' also includes a song that Smith wrote called "There She Stands", inspired by the
September 11, 2001 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...
. He performed this song live for the 2004
Republican National Convention The Republican National Convention (RNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1856 by the United States Republican Party. They are administered by the Republican National Committee. The goal of the Repu ...
, saying that President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
, who he said is a fan and a family friend, had asked him to write a song about the attacks. In 2002, Smith released a live concert DVD titled ''Worship'', filmed live in
Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
,
Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...
at
YC Alberta Youth Conference was a large scale three-day Christian event held in numerous places around the world. The originating event, YC Alberta, is held in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. YC is a ministry of Extreme Dream Ministries. YC is unique from other ...
. The concert includes songs from both ''Worship'' (2001) and ''Worship Again'' (2002). It immediately topped the Billboard video charts and went
gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
in both the U.S. and Canada. Smith won the Male Vocalist of the Year award at the
GMA Music Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
in 2003. The same year he also released his second greatest hits album, ''
The Second Decade (1993–2003) ''The Second Decade (1993–2003)'' is Michael W. Smith's eighteenth album. This is Smith's second greatest hits compilation album, picking up where his first greatest hits compilation, ''The First Decade (1983–1993)'', left off. Track listing ...
'', which includes a new single called "Signs".


Contemporary Christian albums (2004–2010)

Smith's album, ''
Healing Rain ''Healing Rain'' is Michael W. Smith's nineteenth album, released in 2004 and debuted at No. 11 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. It is a departure from his previous two albums which are live worship albums. ''Healing Rain'' is a pop CCM album, in ...
'', was released in 2004 and debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. The title track rose to No. 1 on the Radio & Records Charts and a music video for the song was released. The album combines the pop style of his previous recordings with the religious feel of his two live worship albums. It was also nominated for a
Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album The Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album was awarded from 1991 to 2011. From 1991 to 1993 it was awarded as Best Pop Gospel Album. According to the category description guide for the 52nd Grammy Awards, the award is reserved "For alb ...
. In 2006 he released ''
Stand Stand or The Stand may refer to: * To assume the upright position of standing * Forest stand, a group of trees * Area of seating in a stadium, such as bleachers * Stand (cricket), a relationship between two players * Stand (drill pipe), 2 or 3 ...
'', which is similar to ''Healing Rain'' (2004) in style and genre but with more Christian-themed songs. Also in 2006, Smith did the score and soundtrack to the film ''
The Second Chance ''The Second Chance'' is a 2006 drama film, directed by veteran musician Steve Taylor. The film won Best Feature Film at the Christian WYSIWYG Film Festival. The film was released in the United States on February 17, 2006 to a limited number o ...
'', which he also starred in. He also released a single from the soundtrack album, "All in the Serve". In October 2007, he released his third Christmas album, ''
It's a Wonderful Christmas ''It's a Wonderful Christmas'' is an album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in October 2007, this epic album is Smith's third album of Christmas music and features four choirs and a 65-piece orchestra. About half the album ...
''. On June 20, 2008, Smith recorded his third live Worship album at the
Lakewood Church Lakewood Church is a non-denominational evangelical Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is one of the largest congregations in the United States, averaging about 45,000 attendees per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church building, ...
in
Houston, Texas Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, titled '' A New Hallelujah''. It was released in October 2008. That same month he began a tour with
Steven Curtis Chapman Steven Curtis Chapman (born November 21, 1962) is an American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, author, and social activist. Chapman began his career in the late 1980s as a songwriter and performer of conte ...
. In September 2010, he released ''
Wonder Wonder most commonly refers to: * Wonder (emotion), an emotion comparable to surprise that people feel when perceiving something rare or unexpected Wonder may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * The Wonders, a fictional band ...
'', which follows the CCM style of ''Healing Rain'' (2004) and ''Stand'' (2006).


Orchestral instrumental, hymns, and studio worship albums (2011–2016)

Smith's second instrumental album, '' Glory'', was released on November 22, 2011. Unlike his first instrumental album, ''Freedom'' (2000), this album features a 65-piece orchestra at AIR Studios Lyndhurts Hall in London and Wildwood Recording Studio in Nashville. The following year he released his third compilation album, ''
Decades of Worship ''Decades of Worship'' is American Christian singer Michael W. Smith's third compilation album, after ''The First Decade (1983-1993)'' and ''The Second Decade (album), The Second Decade (1993-2003)'', released in 2012. The album mostly comprises S ...
'' (2012). Smith's concert in Draper, Utah, on July 24, 2012 was almost canceled due to a complaint filed by a Utah resident on July 16, 2012. He claimed that a show "conflated with prayer and worship" should remain in church or private property, not in the "public's backyard". The following day the city council decided to cancel the concert, but a day later they decided to host the show as planned after all, following a criticism from a Utah evangelical group that equated cancelling the concert to an assault on religious liberty. The Mayor of Draper and several city council members were present at the event and were recognized for their support. In 2014, Smith released three albums, ''
Hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
'', ''
Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
'', and '' The Spirit of Christmas''. ''Hymns'' is Smith's first effort at doing his own rendition of traditional hymns, and it was released exclusively at
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., doing business as simply Cracker Barrel, is an American chain of restaurant and gift stores with a Southern country theme. The company was founded by Dan Evins in 1969. Its first store was in Lebanon, ...
on March 24, 2014. The album sold 12,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at No. 24 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. It was also the best-selling
Christian music Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely around ...
album for the week of April 19, 2014, and won a 2014 Dove Award for "Inspirational Album of the Year". ''Sovereign'', released on May 13, 2014, is his first studio worship album and his first album released through Capitol Records, after leaving his long-time label Reunion Records in 2013. The album sold almost 16,000 copies in its first week, and debuted at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' 200, making it the highest-charting album in his career as of 2014. ''The Spirit of Christmas'', officially released as ''Michael W. Smith & Friends: The Spirit of Christmas'', is Smith's first duet album. Released on September 30, 2014, it features duets with
Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...
,
Lady Antebellum Lady A (formerly known as Lady Antebellum) is an American country music group formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2006. The group is composed of Hillary Scott (lead and background vocals), Charles Kelley (lead and background vocals, guitar) ...
,
Little Big Town Little Big Town is an American country music vocal group from Homewood, Alabama. Founded in 1998, the group has comprised the same four members since its founding: Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman (née Roads), Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbro ...
,
Jennifer Nettles Jennifer Odessa Nettles (born September 12, 1974) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer. Nettles is the lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush, and prior to this she fronted the Atlanta-based band ...
,
Martina McBride Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, born July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material. McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and relocat ...
,
Vince Gill Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist b ...
,
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
,
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...
, and Michael McDonald. The album marks Smith's third new album in 2014 to enter the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 16 . It also won a 2015 Dove Award for "Christmas Album of the Year". Smith, along with Amy Grant, was honored as the "cornerstone of Christian music" by
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
in 2014 for his significant influence on the genre. In 2015, Smith and his son Tyler wrote the score and soundtrack for the film ''
90 Minutes in Heaven ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' is a 2004 Christian book written by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey. The book documents the author's death and resurrection experience in 1989. ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' remained on the '' New York Times Bestseller L ...
'', which he also has a small acting role in. In November 2015, Smith and Amy Grant started their annual Christmas tour again after a roughly 15-year break. Smith's second hymns album, called '' Hymns II - Shine on Us'', was released on January 29, 2016. Like his first hymns album released in 2014, the album was sold exclusively at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store. On June 21, 2016, Smith released a new single titled "He Will Never End" which was originally released in March 2016 as a bonus track on the
Target Target may refer to: Physical items * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
exclusive edition of ''The Passion: New Orleans'' soundtrack CD (2016). On June 27, 2016, he released the music video for the single which was filmed entirely in Israel in April 2016. Later in 2016, Smith released a Christmas musical project in a collaboration with Wes King, Bradley Knight, and Luke Gambill called ''Almost There – A Christmas Musical''. The musical is named after a song Smith wrote a few years ago for his Christmas album ''The Spirit of Christmas'' (2014).


''A Million Lights'' and ''Surrounded'' (2017–present)

On August 11, 2017, Smith released a new single, "A Million Lights", which marks a departure from his previous sound. It is the lead single and title track from his pop album released on February 16, 2018. A week after, on February 23, 2018, Smith released another album called '' Surrounded'' which is his first live worship album in ten years. The two albums became his 30th and 31st top 10 entries in ''Billboards Top Christian Albums chart, the most among solo artists in the span of his career. In May 2018, Smith launched a new children's book series, ''Nurturing Steps'', which he created with
VeggieTales ''VeggieTales'' is an American Christian media, computer generated musical children's animation, and book franchise created by Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki under Big Idea Entertainment. The series sees fruit and vegetable characters retelling ...
co-creator Mike Nawrocki. The first book, ''Nighty Night and Good Night'', was released May 8. He also released his first children's album, ''Lullaby'', to accompany the book. On August 30, 2018, Smith hosted a free event at Nashville's
Bridgestone Arena Bridgestone Arena (originally Nashville Arena, and formerly Gaylord Entertainment Center and Sommet Center) is a multi-purpose venue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Completed in 1996, it is the home of the Nashville Predators of ...
called "Surrounded: A Night to Pray, Worship and Be Awakened". The event will be broadcast on TBN later this year in 175 countries worldwide. On February 22, 2019, Smith released ''Awaken: The Surrounded Experience'', a live worship album. Smith released a live album of worship music, ''Worship Forever'', to commemorate the 20th anniversary of 9/11, which is also the date in which his original album ''Worship'' was released. It was also accompanied by a live concert on TBN.


Acting career

In 1994, Smith made his acting debut as Billy Holden in ''
Secret Adventures Secret Adventures is an American Christian television series created by George Taweel and Rob Loos. It was released between 1993 and 1995 as direct-to-video VHS tapes spanning seven half-hour episodes. The series concerns teenager Drea Thomas, w ...
'': "Shrug". In 2006, Smith was the lead actor in ''
The Second Chance ''The Second Chance'' is a 2006 drama film, directed by veteran musician Steve Taylor. The film won Best Feature Film at the Christian WYSIWYG Film Festival. The film was released in the United States on February 17, 2006 to a limited number o ...
'', a film directed by
Steve Taylor Roland Stephen Taylor (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, music executive, film maker, assistant professor, and actor. A figure in what has come to be known as Christian alternative rock, Taylor enjoyed ...
. He also did some of the score and soundtrack for this film. In 2015, Smith starred as Cliff McArdle in the
film adaptation A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
of the best-selling book ''
90 Minutes in Heaven ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' is a 2004 Christian book written by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey. The book documents the author's death and resurrection experience in 1989. ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' remained on the '' New York Times Bestseller L ...
'' by Don Piper. In addition, he collaborated with his son on the score and soundtrack for this film. Smith also starred as James the disciple in '' The Passion'', a live musical film that was aired on FOX on March 20, 2016.


Other ventures

In 1994, Smith opened a teen club, named
Rocketown Rocketown is a facility with entertainment space, a coffee bar, and indoor skate park, located in Nashville, Tennessee. First opening in Franklin, TN in 1994-95 by Christian artist Michael W. Smith, Rocketown was created as a safe, drug and ...
, in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
(6th Avenue). Later in early 2003, the club was moved to a new location—a renovated warehouse in downtown Nashville. The venue offers a large dance floor, extensive indoor skate park, and a café hosting live acoustic music. In 1996, Smith opened his own record label,
Rocketown Records Rocketown Records was an independent record label which was started in 1996 by Michael W. Smith. In the fall of 1995, met with Don Donahue, A&R director at Reunion Records, to discuss creation of the label. In 1996, Word Records bought a minority ...
. The label was named after a song on his third album ''The Big Picture''. The first artist signed was
Chris Rice Chris Rice is an American singer and songwriter who works in the contemporary Christian music, contemporary folk, adult contemporary and adult album alternative genres. He became a recording artist in 1996 after signing a contract with Rocketo ...
, who had written "Go Light Your World", a No. 1 hit song by
Kathy Troccoli Kathy is a feminine given name. It is a pet form of Katherine, Kathleen and their related forms. Kathy may refer to: In sports *Kathy Bald, Canadian freestyle swimmer *Kathy May, American tennis player *Kathy Radzuweit, German volleyball player ...
, in 1995. Smith didn't record under the label himself until 2018. Smith is actively involved in volunteer service and is vice chair of the
President's Council on Service and Civic Participation The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation was created by U.S. President George W. Bush in January 2003 by executive order. Its mission is to encourage volunteerism and to recognize the contributions Americans make through servic ...
, which is chaired by
Jean Case Jean Case (previously Villanueva and Wackes, born 1959) is an American businesswoman, author, and philanthropist who is chair of the board of National Geographic, CEO of Case Impact Network, and CEO of the Case Foundation. She is married to AOL co ...
of the
Case Foundation Founded in 1997 by AOL co-founder Steve Case and his wife Jean Case, the Case Foundation invests in individuals, nonprofits, and social enterprises aiming to connect people, increase giving, and catalyze civic action. Echoing the foundation's dee ...
. He is also an avid spokesperson for sponsoring children through
Compassion International Compassion International is an American child sponsorship and Christian humanitarian aid organization headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, that aims to positively influence the long-term development of children globally who live in pover ...
. Smith was active in Billy Graham Crusades as well as
Samaritan's Purse Samaritan's Purse is an evangelical Christian humanitarian aid organization that provides aid to people in physical need as a key part of its Christian missionary work. The organization's president is Franklin Graham, son of Christian evangelist ...
. Smith sang " Just As I Am" in a tribute to Graham at the
44th GMA Dove Awards The 44th Annual GMA Dove Awards presentation ceremony was held on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 at the Allen Arena. It returned to Nashville, Tennessee after being away for two years. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of musicians and other ...
. He also sang it at the memorial service honoring Graham at the
United States Capitol rotunda The United States Capitol rotunda is the tall central rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. It has been described as the Capitol's "symbolic and physical heart". Built between 1818 and 1824, the rotunda is located below the ...
on February 28, 2018.


Personal life

Smith is married to Deborah "Debbie" Kay Davis (b. 1958) and has five children: Ryan, Whitney Katherine Mooring (married to Jack Mooring of the band Leeland), Tyler Michael (keyboard player for the United Tour), Anna Elizabeth, and Emily Allison. He resides in the Nashville suburbs and spends time at his farm. Smith attended Belmont Church in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, and is mentored by its long-time pastor,
Don Finto Don Finto (born April 18, 1930) is a figure in the movement among evangelicals to support the evangelism of the Jewish people. Life Don Finto started his ministry as a missionary in Germany. Upon return to the United States, he began teaching Ger ...
. Smith is also the founding pastor of New River Fellowship church in
Franklin, Tennessee Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...
, where he was the lead pastor from 2006 to 2008. Smith and his wife remain involved members of the church. Smith was a personal friend of former President
George H. W. Bush George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
and is a friend of his son, former President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
. Smith was invited to play at the
2004 Republican National Convention The 2004 Republican National Convention took place from August 30 to September 2, 2004 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The convention is one of a series of historic quadrennial meetings at which the Republican candidates fo ...
singing "There She Stands", as well as the
state funeral of George H. W. Bush On November 30, 2018, George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States, died from vascular Parkinson's disease at his home in Houston, Texas. Bush was the first former U.S. president to die in nearly 12 years since Gerald Ford in late ...
at the
National Cathedral The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the City and Diocese of Washington, commonly known as Washington National Cathedral, is an American cathedral of the Episcopal Church. The cathedral is located in Washington, D.C., the ca ...
in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2018, singing "Friends". Smith is also friends with U2 singer
Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
and they have collaborated on a Christmas album as well as One Campaign.
Alderson-Broaddus College Alderson Broaddus University (AB) is a private Baptist university in Philippi, West Virginia. It is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA. It was formed in 1932 as Alderson–Broaddus College by the union of two Baptist institutions: ...
awarded Smith the degree Doctorate of Music ''
honoris causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
'' in 1992. Smith was also named one of ''People'' magazine's "Most Beautiful People" in 1992. In 2018, he performed at
Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He was a prominent evangelical Christi ...
's memorial and funeral. In June 2019, Smith signed a declaration by
Franklin Graham William Franklin Graham III (born July 14, 1952) is an American evangelist and missionary. He frequently engages in Christian revival tours and political commentary. He is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and ...
, that called for a special day of prayer for President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, that God would protect, strengthen, embolden, and direct him.


Works


Discography

* '' Michael W. Smith Project'' (1983) * ''
Michael W. Smith 2 Contemporary Christian music ''Michael W. Smith 2'' is the second album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in February 1984, "I Am Sure" and "Hosanna" were released to Christian radio. Among the musicians who contributed to t ...
'' (1984) * '' The Big Picture'' (1986) * ''
i 2 (EYE) ''i 2 (EYE)'' is Michael W. Smith's fifth album overall and his second album to be certified gold. Smith collaborated again with lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick, and produced a music video for the song "Secret Ambition". The album peaked at No. 1 on ...
'' (1988) * ''
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
'' (1989) * '' Go West Young Man'' (1990) * '' Change Your World'' (1992) * ''
I'll Lead You Home ''I'll Lead You Home'' is a 1995 album by Michael W. Smith released by Reunion Records. Sales and charts The album entered the Billboard 200, ''Billboard'' 200 at number 16, making it the highest-debuting Christian album in the history of the c ...
'' (1995) * ''
Live the Life ''Live the Life'' is an album by Michael W. Smith. One notable song on this album was "In My Arms Again," which Michael W. Smith wrote for the film ''Titanic''. There were 26 songs written and completed for the album, whose release date was push ...
'' (1998) * '' Christmastime'' (1998) * '' This Is Your Time'' (1999) * ''
Freedom Freedom is understood as either having the ability to act or change without constraint or to possess the power and resources to fulfill one's purposes unhindered. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving on ...
'' (2000) * ''
Healing Rain ''Healing Rain'' is Michael W. Smith's nineteenth album, released in 2004 and debuted at No. 11 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart. It is a departure from his previous two albums which are live worship albums. ''Healing Rain'' is a pop CCM album, in ...
'' (2004) * ''
Stand Stand or The Stand may refer to: * To assume the upright position of standing * Forest stand, a group of trees * Area of seating in a stadium, such as bleachers * Stand (cricket), a relationship between two players * Stand (drill pipe), 2 or 3 ...
'' (2006) * ''
It's a Wonderful Christmas ''It's a Wonderful Christmas'' is an album by Christian recording artist Michael W. Smith. Released in October 2007, this epic album is Smith's third album of Christmas music and features four choirs and a 65-piece orchestra. About half the album ...
'' (2007) * ''
Wonder Wonder most commonly refers to: * Wonder (emotion), an emotion comparable to surprise that people feel when perceiving something rare or unexpected Wonder may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * The Wonders, a fictional band ...
'' (2010) * '' Glory'' (2011) * ''
Hymns A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hymn'' ...
'' (2014) * ''
Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
'' (2014) * '' The Spirit of Christmas'' (2014) * '' Hymns II – Shine on Us'' (2016) * ''
A Million Lights ''A Million Lights'' is the third studio album by English singer Cheryl, released on 15 June 2012 through Fascination Records. Following her divorce from Ashley Cole, this is Cheryl's first album to be released under the mononym Cheryl, droppi ...
'' (2018) * ''Still, Volume 1'' (2020) * ''Worship Forever'' (2021)


Publications

* ''Old Enough to Know''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1987. * ''It's Time to Be Bold''. Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997. * ''Friends are Friends Forever''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997. * ''Your Place in This World''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1998. * ''This Is Your Time: Make Every Moment Count''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1999. * ''I Will Be Your Friend''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001. * ''Worship''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001. * ''The Price of Freedom''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2002. * ''Signs''. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004. * ''Healing Rain''. Nashville: Thomas-Nelson. 2004. * ''A Simple Blessing''. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011. * ''The Power of an Ordinary Prayer'': Worthy Publishing, 2013. * ''Nighty Night and Good Night'': Zonderkids, 2018. * ''The Way of the Father. Lessons from My Dad, Truths about God'': ‎ K-LOVE, 2021.


Audio books

* ''The Gospels Come to Life''. Irving, Texas: Gospels Come to Life, 2003.


Filmography

* ''Secret Adventures: Shrug'' (1994) as Billy Holden * ''
The Second Chance ''The Second Chance'' is a 2006 drama film, directed by veteran musician Steve Taylor. The film won Best Feature Film at the Christian WYSIWYG Film Festival. The film was released in the United States on February 17, 2006 to a limited number o ...
'' (2006) as Ethan Jenkins * ''
90 Minutes in Heaven ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' is a 2004 Christian book written by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey. The book documents the author's death and resurrection experience in 1989. ''90 Minutes in Heaven'' remained on the '' New York Times Bestseller L ...
'' (2015) as Cliff McArdle


Awards

Grammy Awards * 1984 Best Gospel Performance, Male for ''Michael W. Smith 2'' * 1995 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''I'll Lead You Home'' * 2002 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''Worship Again'' Grammy nominations * 1983 Best Gospel Performance, Male for ''Michael W. Smith Project'' * 1986 Best Gospel Performance, Male for ''The Big Picture'' * 1988 Best Gospel Performance, Male for ''I 2(Eye)'' * 1989 Best Gospel Vocal Performance, Male for "Holy, Holy, Holy" * 1990 Best Pop Gospel Album for ''Go West Young Man'' * 1998 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''Live the Life'' * 2000 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''This Is Your Time'' * 2002 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''Worship'' * 2006 Best Christian Pop Album for ''Healing Rain'' * 2008 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album for ''Stand'' *2019 Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for ''Surrounded'' Dove Awards * 1985 Songwriter of the Year * 1987 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for ''The Big Picture'' (producer, artist) * 1988 Long Form Music Video of the Year for "The Big Picture Tour Video" (artist) * 1990 Short Form Music Video of the Year for "I Miss the Way" (artist) * 1991 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for ''Go West Young Man'' (producer, artist) * 1992 Choral Collection of the Year for ''The Michael W. Smith Collection'' (artist) * 1992 Musical Album of the Year for ''Change Your World'' (artist) * 1992 Song of the Year for "Place in this World" (artist) *
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
Praise and Worship Album of the Year for ''Songs from the Loft'' (artist) *
1993 File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
Recorded Music Packaging of the Year for ''
The Wonder Years ''The Wonder Years'' is an American coming-of-age story, coming-of-age situation comedy, comedy/Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Neal Marlens and Carol L. Black, Carol Black. It ran on American Broadcasting Company ...
'' (artist) *
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
Musical Album of the Year for ''Living on the Edge'' (artist) * 1996 Songwriter of the Year * 1996 Special Event Album of the Year for ''My Utmost For His Highest'' (artist) * 1997 Special Event Album of the Year for ''Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch'' (artist) * 1998 Children's Music Album of the Year for ''Sing Me to Sleep Daddy'' (artist) * 1998 Special Event Album of the Year for ''God With Us: A Celebration of Christmas Carols and Classics'' (artist) * 1998 Enhanced CD of the Year for ''Live the Life – Maxi Single'' (artist) * 1999 Artist of the Year * 1999 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for ''Live the Life'' (producer, artist) * 1999 Producer of the Year * 1999 Special Event Album of the Year for ''Exodus'' (artist) * 2000 Short Form Music Video of the Year for "This is Your Time" (artist) * 2000 Song of the Year for "This Is Your Time" (artist) * 2000 Songwriter of the Year * 2001 Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year for ''This is Your Time'' (producer, artist) * 2001 Youth/Children's Musical Album of the Year for ''Friends 4 Ever'' (artist) * 2002 Album of the Year for ''Worship'' (producer, artist) * 2002 Artist of the Year * 2002 Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "Above All" (artist) * 2002 Instrumental Album of the Year for ''Freedom'' (producer, artist) * 2003 Album of the Year for ''Worship Again'' (producer, artist) * 2003 Artist of the Year * 2003 Long Form Music Video of the Year for ''Worship DVD/Video'' (producer, artist) * 2003 Male Vocalist of the Year * 2008 Christmas Album of the Year for ''It's a Wonderful Christmas'' * 2009 Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "A New Hallelujah" * 2009 Praise & Worship Album of the Year for ''A New Hallelujah'' * 2012 Best Instrumental Album of the Year for ''Glory'' * 2014 Inspirational Album of the Year for ''Hymns'' * 2015 Christmas Album of the Year for ''The Spirit of Christmas'' American Music Awards * 1992 Favorite New Adult Contemporary Artist Gospel Music Hall of Fame * 2008 Inductee


References


External links

* * *
Transcript of February 10, 2006 interview
with
Larry King Larry King (born Lawrence Harvey Zeiger; November 19, 1933 – January 23, 2021) was an American television and radio host, whose awards included 2 Peabodys The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Michael W. 1957 births Living people 20th-century American singers 20th-century Christians 21st-century American singers 21st-century Christians American male composers American male film actors American performers of Christian music Christian music songwriters Christians from Tennessee Christians from West Virginia Grammy Award winners Marshall University alumni Musicians from Huntington, West Virginia Singers from Tennessee People from Nashville, Tennessee Performers of contemporary Christian music Performers of contemporary worship music Reunion Records artists Songwriters from Tennessee Songwriters from West Virginia Tennessee Republicans 20th-century American composers 20th-century American pianists 21st-century American composers 21st-century American pianists American male pianists People from Kenova, West Virginia