Singer Sower is the sixth studio album by the Christian vocal trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in the fall of 1983 on Sparrow Records. The album is produced by Buck Herring with vocal arrangements by the trio.
Starting with this album, up until the end of their career, the trio started recording their final albums in Texas. They had moved from California to Texas in 1981, after the release of Rejoice. The trio took a year off from touring to seek new strength and new direction and then went into the recording studio to record the album. Singer Sower was recorded at a newly built recording facility called Easter Song Studio in Garden Valley, Texas (not too far from Keith Green's Last Days Ministries compound). The lead single "Takin' the Easy Way" peaked into the Top 5 at number 2 in April 1984 on the combined Christian AC/CHR chart. 2nd Chapter of Acts released a 30-minute video on VHS titled The Making of...Singer Sower, which features an intimate look at the trio as a family and ministry during the making of the album. The video was produced by Steve Greisen, husband of trio member Nelly Greisen.
Singer Sower climbed to number 14 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart in the spring of 1984. In 1990, this album and their 1981 album Rejoice were re-issued together as one CD and one cassette tape by Live Oak Records as part of The Collector's Series. A year later, Sparrow Records re-issued Singer Sower on CD on its own.
NOTE: Singer Sower marks the last album 2nd Chapter of Acts recorded on the Sparrow Records label. They would record on their own independent label Live Oak Records with distribution by Word, Inc for future releases.
The album's opening track "Room Noise" features additional vocals by the sibling trio's brother Jack Ward. The reading of the Chinese translation of Ezekiel 33:31 and 32 is credited to the Overseas Radio and Television, Inc.
Track listing
All songs were written by Annie Herring, except where noted.
1. Room Noise (Annie Herring, Matthew Ward) -4:08
2. Beware My Heart -4:26
3. Ocean Liner (Annie and Buck Herring) -4:33
4. Takin' the Easy Way -4:04
5. No One Will Have a Secret -4:06
6. Spin Your Light -3:33
7. Open Up My Blind Eyes (Annie and Buck Herring) -4:25
8. I'm Wastin' No More Time -3:45
9. Lift Me Up (Annie Herring, Keith Green, Jimmy and Carol Owens) -3:31
Personnel
2nd Chapter of Acts:
Annie Herring -vocals, piano
Nelly Greisen -vocals
Matthew Ward -vocals
Radio singles
1983 -1984 "Takin' the Easy Way" -#2 Christian AC/CHR
1984 "Spin Your Light" -#31 Christian AC/CHR
Previous release: Together Live (1983) (with Michael & Stormie Omartian)
Next release: Night Live (1985)
To watch the video The Making of...Singer Sower, click here.
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