God is Good is the fifth studio album by the Christian music group First Call.
Released in the fall of 1989, the trio switched to Word Records' Myrrh label for this album. The album is produced by Keith Thomas. A departure from their Manhatten Transfer-type sound of vocal jazz, God is Good is a straight-ahead pop album with Thomas handling the arrangements and the trio getting more involved in songwriting input. Most critics have said this is one of their best albums.
With only nine songs on God is Good, five songs were released as Christian radio singles from the fall of 1989 to the spring of 1991, including a pop jazz cover of "Forgiven," originally recorded by The Imperials. After being one of the founding members since 1984, Melodie Tunney left the group amicably in 1990 to join her husband, Dick Tunney, in their own concert and songwriting ministry, while maintaining her friendship with Marty McCall and Bonnie Keen and the song "Legacy" reflects that. Vocalist and session singer Marabeth Jordan joined McCall and Keen and replaced Tunney to continue on as a trio in the 1990s.
God is Good peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. In 1990, the trio was nominated for a Dove Award for Group of the Year and a year later, the album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album giving them their fourth and final Grammy nomination.
Track listing
1. Someday (Marty and Vickie McCall, Keith Thomas) -4:24
2. Breaking Through (Bonnie Keen, Tori Taff, Keith Thomas) -4:16
3. Forgiven (Michael Omartian, Bruce Hibbard, Hadley Hockensmith) -4:31
4. Sweet Love (Bonnie Keen, Dan Keen, Keith Thomas, Mark Hammond) -4:18
5. Without You (Michael W. Smith, Paul McCusker) -4:38
6. Poverty (Marty and Vickie McCall, Scott MacLeod, Trace Scarborough, Gwen
Moore) -5:02
7. True Love (Marty and Vickie McCall, Keith Thomas) -4:26
8. Legacy (Dick and Melodie Tunney) -4:28
9. Parable of the River (Bonnie Keen, Dan Keen) -4:50
Personnel
First Call:
Marty McCall -vocals
Bonnie Keen -vocals
Melodie Tunney -vocals
Radio singles
1989 "Sweet Love" -#1 Christian CHR, #1 Christian AC
1990 "Breaking Through" -#4 Christian CHR, #1 Christian AC
1990 "Someday" -#2 Christian CHR, #4 Christian AC
1990 "Legacy" -#8 Christian AC
1991 "Forgiven" -#30 Christian CHR, #2 Christian AC
Previous release: An Evening in December, Volume II (1987)
Next release: Human Song (1992)
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