NASHVILLE--On his sterling new album, "Right Here, Right Now," venerable Christian pop artist Russ Taff offers an aural feast that combines fervent uptempo cuts with the kind of sweet ballads that have earned him a legion of loyal fans.
  The Benson project, due in stores July 27, also shows the artist vividly and emotionally dealing with the death of his father on several cuts. They are among the highlights of what is one of the more anticipated Christian music releases this year.
  "I don't know of a more distinctive voice in our industry," says Benson President John Mays. "In the tradition of all his recordsings, it is something completely different than anything you've ever heard Russ record."
  A former member of the legendary Imperials, Taff has won five Grammy Awards and nine Gospel Music Assn. Dove Awards, including pop/contemporary album of the year in 1986 for "Medals"; best rock album in 1989 for his self-titled album; and three male vocalist of the year trophies. He's headlined major Christian tours as well as opened for country artists like Randy Travis. Also, he's been prominently featured
on Southern gospel veteran Bill Gaither's popular "Homecoming" concerts and videos.
  Taff's last studio album created strictly for the Christian marketplace was 1991's "Under Their Influence," a vibrant collection of gospel classics on Word Records. His next project was a jazz-oriented Christmas record for Sparrow. Then he signed with Warner Bros. and released a country album on the Reprise label, "Winds of Change," which spawned three singles that made modest inroads on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1995.
  Taff says his detour into the country market was born out of his desire to try different things. "As an artist, you have to keep maturing and experimenting. I went to the three major labels in the gospel marketplace and none of them were interested in the kind of music I was writing and the style I was doing. I had so much success in the mid-'80s with the light pop stuff. I was in a very loving way told if I wanted to be signed, I'd have to move back to those years of light pop, and I couldn't do it."
  Taff says Warner Bros. Nashville president Jim Ed Norman allowed him to go into the studio and make the kind of record he wanted--and the label aggressively promoted it to the country market, while sister label Warner Alliance took it to the Christian audience.
  Taff had started working on a follow-up project when he fell victim to the trimmings at Warner Bros. From there, he began talking to then Benson president Jeff Moseley, who inked him to the label with a promise he could chart his own course.
  Co-produced by Taff and longtime collaborator James Hollihan Jr., "Right Here, Right Now" covers a variety of musical and emotional territory. "Shadow Of The Cross" is a 14-minute opus that opens with an original classical piece that flows into the vocal part of the song. Taff co-wrote that tune and several others on the album with Marcus Hummon (Tim McGraw's "One Of These Days," Alabama's "Cheap Seats," Wynonna's "Only Love"). "Back Into Grace" "is another Taff/Hummon composition that is also featured in the play "American Duet," which has received positive reviews in Nashville.
   Much of the album was inspired by Taff's late father, a Pentecostal minister. "Daddy died a year and a half ago, and something happened to me," Taff says. "I found myself digging real deep into my roots, into that Pentecostal jumping, running thing I grew up with. There are some songs on here like that. I feel a lot of abandonment in embracing my roots."
In addition to the uptempo gospel numbers, there are poignant songs dealing with his turbulent relationship with his father, including "Long Hard Road" and "Cry For Mercy," which feature a compelling, vulnerable vocal.
  That emotional intensity is a riveting element of the record. "He is one of the most passionate singers I have ever heard," says Rick Anderson, music buyer for the Cincinnati-based Berean chain. "I think he is extremely important to the Christian music community because he is so real."
Mark Campbell, VP of sales and marketing at Benson, says the first step in the label's campaign has been to reintroduce Taff to the industry. "It started last year in getting Russ together with radio guys again. Then there was an event in January for about 100 industry people, during which Russ sang and hung out with them. He was also at the Gospel Music Assn.'s April convention. He's been telling people where he's been and what's been going on the last few years."
  Campbell says the label will start reintroducing Taff to consumers at retail via posters, flats, displays, and other point-of-purchase materials. A series of in-store appearances is also planned.
  "The key is to let people know that Russ Taff is still around and he's making great music," says Campbell. "Everybody is excited that they are going to get to hear his voice again. There's a huge fan base already out there. Plus, we have a whole new fan base to introduce him to."
Taff is managed by Zack Glickman of Los Angeles-based Glickman Entertainment. Booked by Creative Artists Agency, Taff has been on a 25-city tour with Bob Carlisle and newcomer Natalie Grant. This fall, he'll tour with 4HIM.
  "The media is already very interested because he's got a story," says Campbell. "Here's an artist that's been around 20 years and had all different kinds of experiences . . . He's got a lot of perspective."

back to news page