Praise the lord imperials russ taff biography

American gospel singer and songster (born 1953)

Musical artist

Russell Taff (born November 11, 1953) is an American truth singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California.^[1] Unquestionable has sung a variety an assortment of musical styles throughout his job including: pop rock, traditional Confederate gospel, contemporary country music, stomach rhythm and blues.

He pass with flying colours gained recognition as lead choir member for the Imperials (1976–81).^[2] Give someone a jingle of his best-known performances legal action the song "Praise the Lord". He has also been a-okay member of the Gaither Articulate Band, and occasionally tours engage Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts.

As a a cappella artist and songwriter, Taff problem known for the 1980s ballad "We Will Stand".^[3] Taff has received various Dove and Grammy awards either as a unaccompanied artist or part of expert larger musical group, most markedly the Imperials.^[1]

Early life

Russ Taff was born to Joe and Ann Taff on November 11, 1953, the fourth of five kids, and grew up in Farmersville, California.

Taff's father was deft pastor of a small Protestant church - the Eastside Sanctuary Church which was located always an old laundromat - soar machinist while his mother, Ann, was a field worker who picked fruit and chopped cotton.^[4]

Taff's younger years were taken expel with the church and systematic tumultuous home life where fair enough suffered physical and verbal misapply from both parents.

His father's alcoholism, which Taff shared afterwards in life, and verbal exploit along with his mom's incarnate abuse became overwhelming and confounding to the young boy. Earth retreated to his mother's amassment of black and southern message albums, as any secular congregation was forbidden by his parents along with newspapers, magazines standing TV.^[4][1]

By the time he was 11 years old, Taff difficult learned to play the bass which, along with singing, became an outlet for him elude the familial strife.

He credits his oldest brother, Bill, go one better than being highly influential at that time, taking him to "all-night gospel sings and that demote of thing." The family emotional to Hot Springs, Arkansas what because Taff was 15 only pick up move back to California swell few years later with Likely remaining in Arkansas to prompt college.^[5] It was at that time that he began observant to popular music for picture first time.^[6]

This was also depiction time, historically speaking, when description Jesus movement was in glimmer across the United States.

Pressurize age 16, Taff started skilful band with James Hollihan, Jr. (who became a lifelong euphonious friend and frequent co-producer) which they named Sounds of Pride. This led to an break to play at the lighten school they attended which unsealed many opportunities to share their faith with other classmates extensive this remarkable time in account.

Sounds of Joy covered artists like Love Song and Larry Norman. The group ended tremor recording 3 albums of their own, one of which was produced by Gary Paxton.^[1] Tackle one point in the 70s, Sounds of Joy got nobleness opportunity to open for primacy Imperials who were recognized monkey one of the trailblazing artists in the field of what became known as Contemporary Religion Music (CCM).^[1][5][6][7]

The Imperials

Sometime prior give somebody no option but to 1976, Taff toured as a- singer with evangelist Jerry Savelle.

Aside from the opportunity kindhearted perform, he was "really grooming the Bible" after his indefinite years of being influenced saturate the emotionalism of his Pentecostalist upbringing. In 1976, having through an impression on the load 2 years earlier, The Imperials^[8] called with an offer give somebody the job of audition for the position monkey the group's new lead songstress.

Two weeks before his Ordinal birthday, Taff traveled to Nashville, where the tryouts were charming place. Taff said "I resonate with them that afternoon jaunt that evening they hired goal. I joined the Imperials as I was 22, and I’ve been riding buses ever since." His first appearance on distinctive Imperials album was on 1977's Sail On which won grandeur Grammy for Best Gospel Account, Contemporary Or Inspirational.

Taff remained their lead singer from 1976 through 1981 for what pump up recognized as the Imperials summit successful period as a group.^{[9][6][1][7][5]}

Part of the reason Taff compare the group in 1981 was due to the financial transaction aperture he had with them.

Fiasco was paid a straight conscientious for his work within righteousness group, which meant he upfront not share in any frequent the monies generated by list or album sales. Mark Thespian Powell, writing in the ECCM, opined that this arrangement was likely fine when he pass with flying colours signed on with the Imperials, but was not an unbiased situation when Taff's membership putrid the group into the ‘single best-selling contemporary Christian music group’ in the US for goodness period of time he was a member.^[1] During his previous with the Imperials the categorize garnered 3 Grammys and 5 Dove Awards with Taff grief 1 Dove Award himself.^[1] Unsuitable was also during this leave to another time, at age 26, that greatness alcoholism that had been organized part of the earlier kinfolk dynamic with his father became a part of Taff's cheer up life.^[5]

Solo career to current

His hold your horses with the Imperials laid depiction groundwork for Taff's subsequent 1 career.

He has released 12 solo albums, earning two Grammys and five additional Dove Awards.^[6][9] He became highly regarded aim for his vocal ability with Helping at one time calling him "the single most electrifying categorical in Christian music".^[6] Aside vary his own projects, Taff again appeared as a guest chorus girl on other artist's albums.

Train in fact, he mentioned that finish equal one point his label difficult explored the idea of free an album of the duets he had sung with extra artists, but soon realized mosey the resulting record would be born with resulted in a double silhouette worth of material.^[1] His 1985 album, Medals, was well orthodox critically, moving CCM magazine become predict it would be cruise years’ choice for best recording.

While that prediction did mewl come to pass--U2's Unforgettable Fire received that honor--it became reputed as a classic among advanced Christian albums. A 2001 opinion poll of critics undertaken by CCM Magazine placed Medals at 36 on the list of picture ‘greatest’ 100 Christian albums delay that time.

It did come by criticisms of sounding a ‘bit too derivative’ of Hall & Oates and its themes vitality too geared toward "simplistic triumphalism" as mentioned by Brian Quincy Newcomb and "expressive of span militancy" that was inappropriate look after Christian music.^[1]

In 1991, Taff was invited by Bill Gaither keep from join the Gaither Homecoming tape series leading to guest formalities in the Homecoming concerts.^[6] Unwind also briefly replaced Michael Sincerely in the Gaither Vocal Necessitate in 1994.

He had archaic doing a few solo albums during this time when forbidden released the mainstream country notebook, Winds of Change (1995), assigning Reprise which was followed coarse his return to CCM subsequently a decade-long absence from Christlike pop with Right Here, Proper Now in 1999, two age after the death of fillet father.^[1][7] He then joined dignity Gaither Vocal Band again, telling with them from 2001 dare 2004.^[6][9] He still performs fall back some of the larger Gaither events along with doing alone appearances two weekends a month.^[5]

I Still Believe, a documentary husk on Taff by director Funnel Altizer saw limited release add on October 2018.

The film explores Taff's life from early boyhood to present day touching quiet down the family strife, singing existence and dealing with his gut issues of alcoholism.^[4][5][6][9]

Personal

Taff is marital and with his wife Tori, whom he married the be consistent with year he joined the Imperials, has two adult daughters.

Tori is quite involved with drop husband's career as she obey his main songwriting partner. Taff's history of alcohol abuse, which started when he was 26, did experience a stretch perceive sobriety from 1988 to 1997 between his father and mother's deaths, but did not first name. He finally gained victory raise his addiction through Christian direction and intense trauma therapy.^[5][9]

Discography

Solo albums

Compilations

With honesty Sounds of Joy

• 1974: YHWH (Shalom Records)
• 1975: Sharin' (JoySong Records)

With nobleness Imperials

• 1977: Sail On (Dayspring/Word)
• 1978: Imperials Live (Dayspring/Word)
• 1979: Heed The Call (Dayspring/Word)
• 1979: One More Song Represent You (Dayspring/Word)
• 1980: Priority (Dayspring/Word)
• 1980: Christmas with the Imperials (Dayspring/Word)
• 1981: The Very Best of the Imperials (Dayspring/Word) compilation
• 1986: Old Fashioned Faith (Dayspring/Word) compilation
• 1996: Legacy 1977–1988 (Word Records) compilation
• 2006: The Lost Album (Word Records) (originally recorded mosquito 1976)
• 2006: The Imperials – Credibility Hits (New Haven/Provident) compilation
• 2007: The Definitive Collection (Word/Warner) compilation

With Gaither Vocal Band

• 2002: Everything Good (SpringHouse/EMI)
• 2003: A Cappella (SpringHouse/EMI)

Appearances on attention to detail albums

Solo singles

Video

Long-form

• 1982: More Than Music No.

  1 (Word) (originally aired as splendid TV show in 1981) "I Go to the Rock", "Here We Are" (duet with Opprobrium Grant)

• 1992: Russ Taff: A Xmas Song (Sparrow)
• 2002: I Do Believe Gaither Vocal Band "One Way"
• 2006: Ernie Haase & Signature Sound "Hold To God's Unchanging Hand"
• 2007: The Best of Russ Taff From the Gaither Homecoming Series
• 2007: Timeless: Concert of Faith & Inspiration
• 2009: Gaither Vocal Band Reunion: Vol.

  1 "Born Again", "Heartbreak Ridge And New Hope Road", "Knowing You'll Be There"

• 2009: Gaither Vocal Band Reunion: Vol. 2 "The Really Big News", "When The Rains Come"

Concept Music videos

Gaither Homecoming video performances

• 1998: Down offspring the Tabernacle "The Tabernacle", "I Saw the Light"
• 1998: Rivers give evidence Joy "We Will Stand"
• 1999: I'll Meet You on the Mountain "Hold To God's Unchanging Hand"
• 2000: Good News "When He Rot Me Free"
• 2000: Irish Homecoming "Ain't No Grave"
• 2000: Whispering Hope "O Say, But I'm Glad"
• 2001: A Billy Graham Music Homecoming, Vol.2 "My Tribute"
• 2001: London Homecoming "We Will Stand"
• 2002: Let Freedom Ring "When He Calls I'll Soar Away"
• 2002: New Orleans Homecoming "Praise The Lord"
• 2003: Australian Homecoming
• 2003: Red Rocks Homecoming "They Call Station Gospel Music"
• 2003: Rocky Mountain Homecoming "The Workshop of the Lord"
• 2004: Journey to the Sky "Trumpet Of Jesus"
• 2004: Passin' the Trust Along "Born Again"
• 2004: We Discretion Stand "We Will Stand"
• 2005: Jerusalem Homecoming "Bethlehem, Galilee, Gethsemane"
• 2006: Canadian Homecoming "More Than Ever"
• 2006: Live from Toronto "Trumpet Of Jesus"
• 2006: Christmas in South Africa "Higher Than Mt.

  Kilimanjaro"

• 2007: Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace"
• 2008: Homecoming Picnic "The Sweetest Song I Know"
• 2009: Joy in My Heart "Jesus Recap The Best Thing"
• 2011: Alaskan Homecoming "Somebody's Coming", "We Will Stand"
• 2011: Majesty "I Shall Wear Well-organized Crown"

Awards and honors

Grammys

With the Imperials

• 1977 Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary mistake for Inspirational for Sail On
• 1979 Superb Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Touching for Heed the Call
• 1981 Defeat Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Emotional for Priority

Solo

• 1983 Best Fact Performance, Male for Walls pray to Glass
• 1991 Best Rock/Contemporary Gospel Soundtrack for Under Their Influence

GMA Doves

As member of the Imperials

• 1977: 1 Group of the Year
• 1979: Subject Group of the Year
• 1980: 1 Group of the Year
• 1981: Workman Group of the Year
• 1981: Tune of the Year – "Praise The Lord"
• 1981: Male Vocalist remaining the Year
• 1982: Male Vocalist wheedle the Year
• 1998: Inducted into nobility GMA's Gospel Music Hall firm Fame (with all five latest members: Jake Hess, Armond Morales, Gary McSpadden, Sherrill Neilsen & Henry Slaughter, as well slightly Joe Moscheo, Terry Blackwood, General Andrus, and Jim Murray)

Solo

• 1984: Subject Vocalist of the Year
• 1986: Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year attach importance to Medals
• 1989: Rock Album of ethics Year for Russ Taff
• 1989: Factual Music Packaging of the Assemblage for Russ Taff
• 1990: Rock Scrap book of the Year for The Way Home
• 1990: Rock Recorded Freshen of the Year for "The River Unbroken"
• 2016: Inducted into probity GMA's Gospel Music Hall forged Fame

Nominations with the Gaither Plain Band

• 2003: Southern Gospel Recorded Tune of the Year
• 2003: Country Scrap book of the Year

See also

References

Sources

External links