Michael W. Smith

The song is about America's ability to rise from the ashes and remain strong even after such horrific events. As a member of the Stills-Young Band. Smith mentioned that the President, a personal fan of the artist, had asked him to attempt to write a song about the attacks. As a member of Crosby, Stills, and Nash (and Young). Bush in the Oval Office in October of 2001, a short time after the attacks. As a member of the Buffalo Springfield. In introducing the song before he performed it, he made remarks about meeting personally with President George W. As a member of the Au Go Go Singers.

He performed this song live for the 2004 Republican National Convention. Solo. Smith wrote a song entitled "There She Stands," prompted by the |September 11th terrorist attacks. In 2000, Stills was an Al Gore delegate from Florida during the Democratic National Convention. After two decades, Smith finally won the coveted Male Vocalist of the Year award at the GMA Music Awards in 2003. CSNY has long been associated with liberal causes. A Worship Again DVD was released in 2002, which immediately topped the Billboard video charts. In 1997, Stills became the first person to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice in the same night for his work with CSN and the Buffalo Springfield.

Both albums were recorded live in concert. This has led to the semi-permanent CSN reunion even though all three have released solo records since then. The following year, Smith released an all praise and worship album, called Worship, which was followed by a sequel, Worship Again. Stills was contractually obligated to finish the tour, but he did reunite with Crosby and Nash shortly afterwards. Nearly all of Smith's albums contain at least one instrumental track, and in 2000, Smith recorded his first all instrumental album, Freedom. However, Young would leave midway through the resulting tour. He states the label is driven by the artists, and one of its first artists signed was Chris Rice, who had written "Go Light Your World," a #1 hit song by Kathy Troccoli, in 1995. At one point, Long May You Run was supposed to be a CSNY record, but when Crosby and Nash left to fufill recording and touring obligations, Stills and Young decided to go on as the Stills-Young Band.

In 1996, Smith opened his own record label (although he does not record on it), Rocketown Records, named for a teen club which he established for Christian youth in the Nashville area. Then he switched to Columbia Records before an attempted reunion with Young. Smith had been asked to perform at some of the memorial services that were held in honor of the victims, which made a huge impression on Smith. The next year, Stills teamed up with ex-Byrd Chris Hillman and several CSNY sidemen to form the band Manassas. In 1999, Smith released This Is Your Time, largely inspired by the Columbine shootings. It provided Stills with the hit single "Love The One You're With" as well as the concert favorite "Black Queen." Stills followed this with Stephen Stills 2, which featured "Change Partners", a metaphor for the many relationships in CSNY. Also in 1998, Smith released his second Christmas effort, Christmastime. Stephen Stills featured guests Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and Ringo Starr as well as contributions from other members of CSNY.

That album was followed by 1992's Change Your World, 1995's I'll Lead You Home and 1998's Live The Life. In the wake of CSNY's success, all four members recorded solo albums. In 1990, Smith released Go West Young Man, which was his first real mainstream effort. Despite several breakups and reformations, CSN (and sometimes CSNY) still records and tours to this day. The following year, Smith recorded his first Christmas album. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, CSN and CSNY was one of the few North American groups to rival the Beatles in popularity. After the release of his 1988 effort, I 2 eye, Smith once again teamed up with Amy Grant for her "Lead Me On World Tour". Neil Young would be added for their second album, and the group would become Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.

In 1986, Smith released the critically acclaimed rock effort The Big Picture, with well known record producer Johnny Potoker (Brian Eno, Genesis, Madonna, No Doubt, Talking Heads, etc). During the disintegration of the Buffalo Springfield, Stills would join up with ex-Byrd David Crosby and ex-Hollie Graham Nash to form the supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash. By the time Smith's second pop album was released in 1984, he was headlining his own tours. Soon Stills' playing would show the influence of his friend Jimi Hendrix and also sometimes the rhythms and riffs of various kinds of Latin music. He would eventually become Grant's opening act, and recorded his first Grammy nominated solo album, Michael W. Smith Project (which he also produced), in 1983, on the Reunion label, a label started by Grant's brother-in-law, Dan Harrell, along with Michael Blanton. Early on, it would display sources in generic rock'n'roll, blues, and country music, as well as the chordings familiar in the acoustic-folk music scene. In 1981, Smith was signed as a writer to Meadowgreen Music, where he racked up a number of highly successful gospel hits penned for artists like Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither and Amy Grant. The following year, Smith began touring as a keyboardist for Grant on her Age to Age tour. Stills' guitar playing continually evolved.

He cleaned up his substance abuse problem and began playing keyboards for the CCM group, Higher Ground. The band would release three albums (Buffalo Springfield, Buffalo Springfield Again, and Last Time Around) and one hit single (Stills' "For What It's Worth") before breaking up. In October of 1979, Smith suffered an emotional and mental breakdown that awakened a recommitment to the Christian beliefs of his childhood. Years later, Stills, Furay, and Young would meet up in Los Angeles and form the core of the Buffalo Springfield. Nevertheless, he was able to get through a couple of years of college and develop his songwriting skills with various local bands. Main articles: Buffalo Springfield, Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Young). By the time Smith graduated from high school, he had found himself with serious drug and alcohol abuse problems. On the VH1 CSNY Legends special, Stills would say that at that time, Young was doing what he always wanted to do, "play folk music in a rock band." The Au Go Go Singers would break up shortly afterwards.

By 2003, he had 10 gold records and 3 platinum records. This group would release one album and embark on a tour of Canada where Stills and Furay would meet a young guitarist named Neil Young. Smith had sold more than seven million records and had 25 #1 hit songs. Stills eventually ended up in a nine member vocal harmony group called the Au Go Go Singers where he met Richie Furay. Smith has frequently topped both Christian radio and Billboard charts, and is often listed as one of the top keyboardists in rock and roll in Keyboard Magazine. He was in a series of unsuccessful bands including the Continentals, which featured future Eagles guitarist Don Felder. Since his first solo project in 1983, Smith has become one of the most popular artists in the Contemporary Christian music world, while also finding considerable success in the mainstream. Stills dropped out of the University of Florida to pursue a music career in the early 1960s.

Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957 in Kenova, West Virginia), often nicknamed "Smitty", is an American singer, songwriter and keyboardist. He was also influenced by Latin music after spending his teenage years in Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Zone, where he graduated high school. Moving around as a child, he developed an interest in blues and folk music. Stills was born in Dallas, Texas on January 3, 1945 to a military family. Stephen Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with the Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (at first it was Crosby, Stills and Nash; Young joined the group after their first album).

Long May You Run, 1975. Looking Forward, 1999. Carry On, 1998. After The Storm, 1994.

CSN (box set), 1991. Live It Up, 1990. American Drean, 1988. Allies, 1983.

Daylight Again, 1982. Replay, 1980. CSN, 1977. So Far, 1974.

Four Way Street, 1971. Deja Vu, 1970. Crosby, Stills, and Nash, 1969. Box Set, 2001.

Best of the Buffalo Springfield, 1969. Last Time Around, 1968. Buffalo Springfield Again, 1967. Buffalo Springfield, 1967.

Au Go Go Singers, 1964. Turning Back The Pages, 2003. Stills Alone, 1991. Right By You, 1984.

Thoroughfare Gap, 1978. Illegal Stills, 1976. Still Stills: The Best of Stephen Stills, 1976. Stills, 1975.

Stills Live, 1975. Down The Road, 1973. Manassas, 1972. Stephen Stills 2, 1971.

Stephen Stills, 1970. Super Sessions (with Al Kooper and Mike Bloomfield), 1968.