Heart in Motion

Heart in Motion is the ninth studio album by Christian singer-songwriter, Amy Grant, released on March 5, 1991.^[2] Unlike Grant's previous albums, Heart In Motion contains pop songs mingled with Christian values (with the exception of "Hope Set High" and "Ask Me"). The album features Grant's biggest worldwide hit, "Baby Baby" and was certified 5× platinum in the United States, selling over five million copies.^[3]

Commercial success

Heart in Motion peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 of the Christian albums chart for 32 weeks. It sold five million copies by the end of 1997. The first single from the album, "Baby Baby" offers the lyric that provides the album title and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks charts. The following four singles also performed well on the pop and AC charts: "Every Heartbeat" (No. 2 Hot 100, No. 2 AC), "That's What Love Is For" (No. 7 Hot 100, No. 1 AC), "Good for Me" (No. 8 Hot 100, No. 4 AC), and "I Will Remember You" (No. 20 Hot 100, No. 2 AC). The album was listed at No. 30 in the 2001 book, The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music^[4] and was certified 5× platinum by the RIAA for sales of over five million copies.

The album also received a nomination at the Grammy Awards of 1992 for Album of the Year, which was awarded to Unforgettable... with Love by Natalie Cole.^[5] The lead single received three nominations, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.

A 30th-anniversary remaster of the album, including a second disc of demos, outtakes, and remixes, was released by Amy Grant Productions, with distribution by Capitol Christian Music Group, on July 9, 2021.^[6]

Personnel

Musicians

• Amy Grant – vocals
• Keith Thomas – arrangements (1, 2), synthesizers (1, 2), bass (1, 2), drum programming (1, 2), percussion programming (1)
• Brian Tankersley – additional synthesizer programming (1, 2)
• Robbie Buchanan – additional keyboards (3), keyboards (7, 10), bass (7), drum programming (10)
• Blair Masters – additional keyboards (3), keyboards (7)
• Charlie Peacock – keyboards (3, 7, 8, 10), programming (3), horn arrangements (3, 8), drum programming (10)
• Michael Omartian – keyboards (4–7, 9, 11), drum sequencing (5, 6, 9, 11)
• Jerry McPherson – guitars (1–3)
• Don Kirkpatrick – guitars (4–6, 9)
• Dann Huff – guitars (7)
• Gordon Kennedy – guitars (7)
• Chris Rodriguez – guitars (8)
• Tom Hemby – guitars (10)
• Tommy Sims – bass (3, 7, 8)
• Mark Hammond – drum and percussion programming (1)
• Chris McHugh – drums (3, 7, 8)
• David Raven – drums (4)
• Mark Douthit – saxophone (3, 8)
• Sam Levine – baritone saxophone (8)
• Barry Green – trombone (3, 8)
• Mike Haynes – trumpet (3, 8)
• Chris McDonald – horn arrangements (3, 8)

Background vocalists

• Ron Hemby – backing vocals (1, 2)
• Donna McElroy – backing vocals (1, 2)
• Keith Thomas – backing vocals (1)
• Vicki Hampton – backing vocals (2, 3)
• Chris Eaton – backing vocals (3, 7, 8)
• Kim Fleming – backing vocals (3)
• Amy Grant – backing vocals (3, 6–8, 10)
• Gary Chapman – backing vocals (4)
• Diana DeWitt – backing vocals (4)
• Michael Omartian – backing vocals (5, 6, 11)
• Susanne Schwartz – backing vocals (6, 11)
• Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals (7, 8)
• Kurt Howell – backing vocals (11)

Production

• Michael Blanton – executive producer
• Amy Grant – executive producer
• Todd Moore – production assistant (1, 2)
• Traci Sterling – production coordinator (3, 7, 8, 10)
• Richard Headen – production coordinator (3, 7, 8, 10)
• Janet Hinde – production coordinator (4–6, 9, 11)
• Chuck Beeson – art direction
• Rowan Moore – design
• Victoria Pearson-Cameron – photography

Technical

• Stephen Marcussen – mastering at Precision Mastering (Hollywood, California)
• Bill Whittington – recording (1, 2)
• Brian Malouf – mixing (1, 2, 7)
• Jeff Balding – recording (3, 7, 8, 10), mixing (3, 8, 10)
• Steve Bishir – overdub engineer (3, 7, 8, 10)
• Bill Deaton – overdub engineer (3, 7, 8, 10)
• Terry Christian – engineer (4–6, 9, 11), mixing (4–6, 9, 11), overdub engineer (7)
• Rick Will – overdub engineer (7)
• Clark Germain – overdub engineer (10)
• David Ahlert – additional engineer (4–6, 9, 11)
• Laura Livingston – additional engineer (4–6, 9, 11)
• Todd Culross – assistant engineer (1, 2)
• Todd Moore – assistant engineer (1, 2)
• Kelly Pribble – assistant engineer (1, 2)
• Pat MacDougal – mix assistant (1, 2, 7)
• Bob Loftus – assistant engineer (3, 7, 8, 10)
• Clif Norrell – mix assistant (3, 8, 10)

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

References

1. ^ Breihan, Tom (November 22, 2021). "The Number Ones: Amy Grant's "Baby Baby". Stereogum. Retrieved December 22, 2023. Musically, [Heart in Motion] goes for the upbeat drum-machine synth-bloop dance-pop sound of its moment.
2. ^ "Heart in Motion — Amy Grant". AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
3. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 2016-03-24.
4. ^ Granger, Thom (ed.) (2001). The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. Harvest House. pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-7369-0281-3.
5. ^ "34th Annual Grammy Awards - 1992". Rock on the Net. February 25, 1992. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
6. ^ "Amy Grant Announces 30th Anniversary Edition of Iconic Album Heart in Motion". The Media Collective. June 3, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
7. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
8. ^ "Top Christian Albums 1990s". Retrieved February 27, 2014.

External links

• Heart In Motion: 20 Years (1991-2011) at chonnie.com