Songs of Inspiration is the twentieth studio album and the first gospel album by American country music group Alabama, released on October 24, 2006. The album debuted at No. 1 on both the Top Country Albums and Top Christian Albums charts, with 41,000 copies sold the first week. The album has sold 170,000 copies as of September 2015. It ranked at No. 15 on Billboard 200 album charts and No. 1 on Billboard Country Albums chart.
Track listing
"His Eye Is on the Sparrow" (Civilla D. Martin, Charles H. Gabriel) - 4:10
"In the Garden" (C. Austin Miles) - 3:28
"Amazing Grace" (John Newton) - 3:35
"How Great Thou Art" (Stuart K. Hine) - 4:26
"I Need Thee" (Annie S. Hawks, Robert Lowry) - 2:09
"Old Shep" (Red Foley) - 3:06
"Jesus Loves Me" (William Batchelder Bradbury, David Rutherford McGuire, Anna Bartlett Warner) - 3:19 "Silent Night" (Franz Gruber, Josef Mohr) - 3:31 "I Am the Man Thomas" (Larry Sparks, Ralph Stanley) - 2:02 "Rock of Ages" (Augustus Montague Toplady, Thomas Hastings) - 2:36 "In the Sweet By and By" (Sanford F. Bennett, Joseph Philbrick Webster) - 3:28 "The Old Rugged Cross" (George Bennard) - 3:09 "What Will I Leave Behind" (Sherrill Brown) - 2:40 "One Big Heaven" (Randy Owen) - 4:16 "Rain" (Owen) - 3:35
Personnel
Alabama
Jeff Cook – electric guitar, vocals
Randy Owen – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
Teddy Gentry – bass guitar, vocals
Additional Musicians
Gary Prim – acoustic piano, synthesizers, Hammond B3 organ
Joey Miskulin – accordion
Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar, banjo, dobro, harmonica
Randy Kohrs – acoustic guitar, dobro
James Alan Shelton – acoustic guitar
Larry Paxton – electric guitar, nylon string guitar, acoustic bass, bass guitar, string arrangements Steve Sparkman – banjo Nathan Stanley – mandolin Eddie Bayers – drums, percussion Dewey Brown III – fiddle Aubrey Haynie – fiddle, mandolin Kristin Wilkinson – string arrangements Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor Kirsten Cassi – cello Anthony LaMarchina – cello Bruce Christensen – viola Christopher Farrell – viola Gary Vanosdale – viola David Davidson – violin Conni Ellisor – violin Carolyn Huebel – violin Pamela Sixfin – violin Alan Umstead – violin Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin Bailey Barnes – backing vocals Karstin Brewis – backing vocals Kensley Brewis – backing vocals David Burt – backing vocals Sawyer Burt – backing vocals Michael Curtis – backing vocals Melinda Doolittle – backing vocals Kim Fleming – backing vocals Ella Fowler – backing vocals Abby Fraebel – backing vocals Griffin Horton – backing vocals Kaden Horton – backing vocals Rebecca Isaacs Bowman –backing vocals (5) Ben Isaacs – backing vocals (5) Nathan Isaacs – backing vocals (5) Alexis Lutz – backing vocals Emma Lutz – backing vocals Jesse Lutz – backing vocals Belinda Wallace – backing vocals Nathan Young – backing vocals Ralph Stanley – vocals (9)
Chart performance
Awards
In 2007, the album was nominated for a Dove Award for Country Album of the Year at the 38th GMA Dove Awards.