This Time Thru
DeGarmo and Key’s debut album This Time Thru set a new standard for high quality songwriting, musicianship, and production raising the bar for all the future albums to come. From the opening acoustic guitar intro to “Emmanuel,” which soon explodes into a classic rock song filled with keyboards, guitar solos, passionate singing, and Biblically based lyrics, one is ushered into a sound that was every bit as high quality as anything being released in the mainstream market. Elements of progressive rock appear in songs such as “Too Far, Too Long,” which features a keyboard intro that echoes the work of Keith Emerson from Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, and “Chase the Wind,” which features elements that would be at home in a Kansas song. Then there’s the country/rock flow of “Sleeper,” the grooving R&B shuffle of their cover of the traditional “Wayfaring Stranger,” and the title track, which closes the album and features a keyboard solo in the vein of Styx. All in all, This Time Thru, released in 1978, has stood the test of time and remains one of the finest debut albums in Christian rock history.
Dana Key: Lead Vocals, Background Vocals, Lead Guitar
Eddie DeGarmo: Background Vocals, Lead Vocals (Chase the Wind), Keyboards
Ken Porter: Bass, Percussion
David Spain: Drums
Max Richardson: Drums
Carl Marsh: Arp Programing, Background Vocals
Background Vocals: Joe Hardy, William C. Brown III, Mary Wethington, Phyllis Duncan
All songs written by Eddie DeGarmo & Dana Key except Emmanuel and Alleyways of Strife - Dana Key & Max Richardson
Tracklist:
Emmanuel 3:03
Addey 4:11
Only The Meek Survive 3:03
(Gone, Gone, Gone) Too Far, Too Long 4:29
Alleyways Of Strife 3:10
Sleeper 2:45
Wayfaring Stranger 3:38
In The Days Of Thy Youth 1:26
Chase The Wind 5:21
This Time Thru 4:52
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Straight On
Straight On, the second album by DeGarmo and Key, raised the bar for quality even higher. Eddie and Dana took part in its production, and established a tight knit band that gelled together like a well-oiled machine. On the opening track, “Jericho,” a classic rocker that features impeccable sound quality, we hear a band at the top of their game. On the catchy “Livin’ on the Edge of Dyin’,” Eddie is featured on lead vocals and this track hit #25 on the Christian radio charts. Flourishes of the progressive rock sound of their debut continue on “Bad Livin’,” but the band also mix in elements of gospel and soul on tracks like “I Never Knew You” and funkiness on the classic rocker “Long Distance Runner.” There’s even some Southern rock flavor blended in on “Let Me Help You Today.” This album helped establish DeGarmo and Key as musicians and songwriters of the highest order and is widely considered their masterpiece.
Eddie DeGarmo: Keyboards, Lead Vocals (Livin' on the Edge of Dyin')
Dana Key: Guitars, Lead Vocals, All Background Vocals
Terry Moxley: Drums
Ken Porter: Bass
Lewis Collins: Sax
Carl Marsh: Recorders
All songs written by Eddie DeGarmo & Dana Key
Tracklist:
- Jericho 4:34
- Livin' On The Edge Of Dyin' 4:33
- Go Tell Them 3:52
- Bad Livin' 4:36
- Enchiridion 1:36
- Long Distance Runner 4:09
- Let Him Help You Today 4:15
- I Never Knew You 4:04
- Mary 3:03
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This Ain't Hollywood
The band’s third album This Ain’t Hollywood proved to establish a trilogy of classic albums that would stand the test of time. Featuring the opening “Stella, This Ain’t Hollywood,” a plea to evaluate one’s values against eternal destiny, DeGarmo and Key prove to be passionate songwriters. The album also yielded two radio hits: “You Gave Me All,” an infectious slow rocker that charted at #19 and the duet with Amy Grant on “Nobody Loves Me,” which charted at #6 and led to DeGarmo and Key being a part of Amy Grant’s touring band. The album also features the hooky “Love Is All You Need,” co-written with rocker Mylon LeFevre, who is also featured on backing vocals. Mylon would later record this song with his band, Look Up, when he was signed to CBS Records in 1987. This album also became the first Christian rock album to be nominated for a Grammy award. Its timeless songs still pack a powerful punch of conviction wedded to a pulsating beat of rock and roll heaven.
Eddie DeGarmo: Keyboards, Background Vocals
Dana Key: Guitars, Lead Vocals
John Hamptone: Drums
Joe Hardy: "Mint" Bass
Roy (Dunno) Howell: Slide Guitar (All Night)
The Memphis Horns - Andrew Love (Saxaphone), Ben Cavley (Trumpet), Jack Hale (Trombone): Horns
Background Vocals: Jack Holder, Mylon LeFevre, Jimi Jamison, Suzanne Jerome, Beverly Baxter
Finger Snaps: Louie Swift
Semi-tough Mumble: Fat Mexican
Vocal Duet (Nobody Loves Me): Amy Grant
All songs written by Eddie DeGarmo & Dana Key except:
You Gave Me All - Joe Hardy, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key
All You Need - Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, Mylon LeFevre
Tracklist:
- Stella, This Ain't Hollywood 3:24
- When He Comes Back 2:43
- You Gave Me All 3:30
- Never Be The Same 2:55
- All Night 4:22
- All You Need 3:47
- Nobody Loves Me Like You 3:22
- Light Of The World 3:01
- Over And Over 3:27
- One Step Closer 3:28