- Source: Sail On (Imperials album)
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. 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 and at 10th GMA Dove Awards they were named Male Group of the Year. 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. Sail On has never been released on CD.
Track listing
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
=Accolades
Grammy Awards
GMA Dove Awards
1978 Male Group of the Year