Sail On (Imperials album)

Sail On
Sail On
Studio album by The Imperials
Released	1977
Recorded	1976
Studio	Gold Mine Studios (Brentwood, Tennessee); Sound Stage Studios and Jack Clement Recording Studios (Nashville, Tennessee);
Genre	Contemporary Christian music, Gospel, Inspirational
Length	31:36
Label	DaySpring/Word Records
Producer	Chris Christian
The Imperials chronology

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]

Sail On is the 24th studio album by the Christian music vocal group The Imperials. Released in 1977, it is their first album on Word Records' DaySpring label.^[2]^[3] It is also the first appearance of two new members, Russ Taff on lead vocals and David Will on baritone vocals, in addition to founding member, bass vocalist Armond Morales and tenor Jim Murray. Taff and Will replaced Sherman Andrus and Terry Blackwood, who went on to form the Christian music duo Andrus, Blackwood and Company in 1977 after the release of the 1976 Imperials' album Just Because.

In 1978, the group won their second Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational for Sail On at the 20th Grammy Awards^[4] and at 10th GMA Dove Awards they were named Male Group of the Year.^[5] The Imperials' first chart appearances was on CCM Magazine's contemporary hit radio chart in August 1978 with the title song climbing to number three a couple of months later.^[6] Sail On has never been released on CD.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Water Grave"	Steve Chapman	3:56
2.	"Satisfaction Guaranteed"	Chris Christian	3:50
3.	"Gotta Watch, Gotta Pray"	Terry Wayne Robinson	3:08
4.	"More Each Day"	Tim Sheppard	3:28
5.	"There Will Never Be Any Peace"	Eugene Record	2:59
6.	"Sail On"	C. Christian	3:20
7.	"Keep On Walking"	Steve Chapman, Annie Chapman	2:52
8.	"Sonlight"	Jim Murray, James Hollihan, Jr.	3:03
9.	"Bread on the Water"	Bill Grine, Janny Grine	3:08
10.	"Try Again"	Russ Taff	2:59

Personnel

The Imperials

Russ Taff – lead vocals
Jim Murray – tenor, vocals
David Will – baritone, vocals
Armond Morales – bass, vocals

Musicians

Chris Christian – keyboards, guitars, banjo, arrangements
Shane Keister – keyboards
Bobby Ogdin – keyboards
Bobby Wood – keyboards
Pete Bordonali – guitars
Steve Gibson – guitars
Reggie Young – guitars
Joe Osborn – bass
Steve Schaffer – bass
Jack Williams – bass
Jerry Carrigan – drums
Kenny Malone – drums
Farrell Morris – percussion
Brown Bannister – bells
Denis Solee – saxophones
Billy Puett – horns
Buddy Skipper – horns
Don Sheffield – horns
The Shelly Kurland Strings – strings
Archie Jordan – arrangements
Bergen White – arrangements

Production

Chris Christian – producer
Lanny Avery – engineer
Brown Bannister – engineer
Shannon Smith – engineer
Travis Turk – engineer
Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
Dennis Ivy – cover photography
Phil Van Duivendyk – center photography
Mark Pleasant – back photography
Buddy Huey – liner notes

Charts

Radio singles

Year	Singles	Peak positions
Year	Singles	CCM AC^[6]
1978	"Sail On"	3
1979	"Water Grave"	14

Accolades

Grammy Awards

Year	Winner	Category
1978	Sail On	Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary or Inspirational

GMA Dove Awards

1978 Male Group of the Year

References

^ The Imperials – Sail On at AllMusic
^ The Imperials: Sail On. DaySpring Records. 1977.
^ Cusic, Don (2009-11-12). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Rock, and Worship: Pop, Rock, and Worship. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34426-8.
^ "20th Annual Grammy Awards". February 23, 1978.
^ "Dove Awards Past Winners". Retrieved November 5, 2022.
^ a b Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (2003). CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 - 2001. AuthorHouse. p. 120. ISBN 1-4107-3294-0.

[allmusic-1] The Imperials – Sail On at AllMusic

[Album-2] The Imperials: Sail On. DaySpring Records. 1977.

[3] Cusic, Don (2009-11-12). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music: Pop, Rock, and Worship: Pop, Rock, and Worship. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34426-8.

[4] "20th Annual Grammy Awards". February 23, 1978.

[5] "Dove Awards Past Winners". Retrieved November 5, 2022.

[:0-6] Brothers, Jeffrey Lee, ed. (2003). CCM Hot Hits: AC Charts 1978 - 2001. AuthorHouse. p. 120. ISBN 1-4107-3294-0.

v t e The Imperials
Paul Smith Rick Evans Ron Hemby Lonnie Ott Sherrill Neilsen Jake Hess Gary McSpadden Henry Slaughter Jim Murray Joe Moscheo Terry Blackwood Larry Gatlin Sherman Andrus Russ Taff Armond Morales David Will Jonathan (Pierce) Hildreth Steven Ferguson Jeremie Hudson Jason Morales
Studio albums	Sail On (1977) Heed the Call (1979) One More Song for You (1979) Priority (1980) Stand by the Power (1982) Side by Side (1983) The Imperials Sing the Classics (1984) Let the Wind Blow (1985) This Year's Model (1987) Free the Fire (1988) Love's Still Changing Hearts (1990) Big God (1991) Stir It Up (1992)
Compilation albums	The Very Best of the Imperials (1981)
Live albums	Imperials Live (1978)