Focus (1989)

Focus is the tenth studio album by Christian singer - songwriter Chris Christian, originally released on November 7, 1989 by Home Sweet Home/Word Records. Christian produced and arranged the album himself.

Two years after his 1987 release Higher Ways, Christian returns with an album that's about parent/child relationships with its lead single "Focus On the Child," as well as three other tracks dealing with the same subject. The song was Christian's last charted song on the Christian AC chart. It also contains a track titled "The Man Behind the Man" as a tribute to former Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry and features Gerry Beckley of the soft rock duo America. Christian country artist Bruce Carroll provides guest vocals on "(Don't Blame It On) The Ones You Love." The album's sound is more adult contemporary than Higher Ways, which is contemporary pop with a Top 40 sound.

On the CD cover, Christian appears with his wife Shanon and their three children, Courtney, Casey Noel and Preston, in an ode to painter and illustrator Norman Rockwell as they are at a 1950's era soda shop. In the bottom chair where Casey Noel is sitting is a doll of Gerbert, which is based on a children's television program of the same name that Christian did the music for and is produced by Home Sweet Home Educational Media.

Track listing

All songs written by Chris Christian, except where noted.

1. Focus On the Child -4:46

2. (Don't Blame It On) The Ones You Love (guest vocals by Bruce Carroll) (Chris

Christian, Lynn Sutter-Adler) -3:54

3. The Man Behind the Man (a tribute to Tom Landry) (featuring Gerry Beckley)

-5:25

4. Forgive and Forget (Jeremy Dalton) -5:14

5. The Faith That Comes From You -3:08

6. Out Of My Hands -6:00

7. Proud to Be Your Friend (Dave Mullins, John Campbell) -4:32

8. One More Time -4:22

9. Where Would I Be (Joe Ninowski) -5:45

10. Focus (instrumental reprise) -1:29

Radio singles

1990 "Focus On the Child" -#34 Christian AC

Previous release: Thinking Of You This Christmas (1988)

Next release: Sketches (1990) (instrumental album)