Hard-to-find Classic (Oldies) Contemporary Christian Music

[Lon]

Between the 70's and late 80's there is a lot of Christian music that isn't available on CD and so is hard to find.

Some of this is still very hard to find so I thought I'd start a thread.

A lot of you won't relate, I understand that, but maybe you'll appreciate some of it anyway.

So, if you are looking for some older songs you once heard or if you have some others are looking for, this is both an appreciation and research thread about those classic memories and tunes. Even if it doesn't get a lot of traffic, I'll post a few of my searches as well as finds.

This first one I searched for a number of years and finally found on YouTube.

Ken Pennell was a missionary who produced a record coming back to the US. I have tried describing why I like this song. One of the many reasons is because it is a song 'to' God and expresses as a prayer:

I Hear You Call

 

[Lon]

I pray these bless you as I keep giving what amounts to a lot of hope and research. Some of these I have on old unusable tapes or LP's. It has been a blessing to be able to find some of these amazing songs.

When I was a young Arminianesque teen, I wrestled with standing alone in a rough high school. This one was probably my high school anthem, as such

Righteous Man

 

[Lon]

When I came to Christ, I was seven. In my teens I began to realize what I had in Christ and this song echoed a Spiritual awakening from a pretty dark and ruined childhood:

Peace has got a grip on me!

 

[Lon]

In my later teens, I was involved in camps as a counselor and with Young Life.

This was a theme song of sorts that echoed that time.

with one hand reach out to Jesus

(I had a lot of Arminian influence at that time in my life)

 

[Lon]

I was always wrestling in my teen years to live for Him, which was part of the Arminian doubts from my surroundings but there is a trust in Jesus to carry us, even from Arminian perspective which is also reflected in a lot of Keith Green's music and expressions. Though I believe differently concerning Christ keeping us, this is still a song about a heart desire to love and please Jesus and so I still love this song:

Don't want to fall away

 

[Lon]

I began working at Dightman's Bible Book store in Tacoma Washington in about 1980-81 in November. Mr. Dightman, a devout Presbyterian, said he didn't have work and I said, "Please Mr. Dightman, I'll do anything." He said "Well, there is one thing..." He didn't believe I'd want to do it, as it entailed a lot of after-school work and weekends of chipping away at old asbestos tiles. I spent the next 6 months clearing the floor for new tile and carpet. One of my first albulms was Keith Green's but I also bought an LP by Silverwind.

I cannot find their song, but Phil Driscoll had done a cover of "I will Bless the Lord"

I Will Bless the Lord

 

[Lon]

Gratuitous Blue-Grass Plug

Gratuitous Blue-Grass Plug

I don't remember exactly when I bought this album from 1976, probably about 1980. It has a bit of an Eagles vibe to it with Darrell Mansfield singing, playing harmonica, and playing guitar.

Noah

 

[Lon]

Michael Omartian of Concerning Hobbits fame

Concerning Hobbits

Produced a lot of music, including a lot of well-knowns like Rod Stewart and Peter Cetera. I didn't buy those albums, but I did buy Michael Omartian's Gospel records and later CD's if they were available.

This song helped me stop idolizing musicians and simply learn to appreciate music. It was an important transition for a teenager to make (quality not great on this one).

Big Time

 

[Simon Baker]

The King - Elvis Presley Has A Plethora Of Christian Music. He Was Much More Than A Rock -n-Roll Artist.:jazz:

 

[Lon]

Petra

Petra

Why Should The Father Bother

You'll notice a lot of my early Christian music choices were mellow. I had thought that Rock Music was pleasing my 'flesh' too much so was looking for music and lyrics that kept my mind on Him.

Petra and a few other bands had me appreciating that God can use anything to bring our thoughts to Him.

 

[Lon]

Mylon LeFevre

Mylon LeFevre

When You are a Child of the Father

This one used to be hard to find. I bought the LP at a Mylon LeFevre concert, got home and a different LP was in the sleeve!

There are times I still scream "Take Me Home!"

Crack the Sky (& Take Me Home!!!)

 

[kmoney]

Go West Young Man

I'm not sure if this is even the right time.

EDIT - nope, looks like it was at 1990.

 

[Lon]

The King - Elvis Presley Has A Plethora Of Christian Music. He Was Much More Than A Rock -n-Roll Artist.:jazz:

In fact, the next group I was going to go with, Elvis really admired and listened to, along with the Jordanaires.

He also spent a lot of time recording his gospel albums with them as well as preformances in the sixties.

Elvis Presley - How Great Thou Art

In 1980, I heard "Bread Upon the Water and bought all of their CD's since then. An important song for me was this one

Finish What You Started In Me, Lord

(A lot of these are later ones aren't as hard to find anymore, but they were for awhile)

Elvis bought and sang several Mylon LeFevre's songs.

 

[Lon]

Michael W. Smith - Go West Young Man


I'm not sure if this is even the right time.

EDIT - nope, looks like it was at 1990.

It isn't that hard to find, but this one, from the early 80's is a lot more obscure and hard to find and in time for Palm Sunday/Easter:

Hosanna - Michael W. Smith

 

[Lon]

Promise songs, I believe, have an incredible impact upon our faith and our lives. We are freed, and transformed by love.

I'll Never Let Go Of Your Hand

Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

If Don Francisco's were harder to find, his wife's were near impossible. In fact,
Until this week, I had not seen it or heard it for a very long time.

The Wind Came Singing

 

[steko]

Keith Green
Don Francisco
Wendy and Mary

Huge affect on me as a young Christian.


:thumb:

Then.....Twila Paris

 

[Lon]

I had not heard of Benny Hester and a friend loaned a cassette tape to me.

I bought both his album and the second (all that were available at the time).

This is my favorite rendition of Christ the Solid Rock, in Whom we all stand or fall

Christ the Solid Rock

This one, for a very long time, was hard to find, and obscure as well.

The playlist after it, brings up a lot of other hard to find songs.

 

[Lon]

There have been 5 songs I've heard in my life and thought whoever heard them must surely have to come to Christ, and only the hardest heart would resist:

1981

Is there anyway you could say no?

The Best

I Wish You All The Happiness This Life Can Bring

I Only Want to See You There

For those leaving:

'Til You Find What it is You're Looking For

You've GOT to Start Right Here!

 

[Lon]

During the late 70's into the 80's a lot of musician were becoming Christians.

Dan Peek from America had been a wayward Christian but found emptiness.

In 1978 All Things Are Possible was released.

All Things Are Possible

 

[Lon]

Scriptures in song have always been the most meaningful to me because these words have been around 2000 years and will never disappear. Never. Bryan Duncan was in Sweet Comfort Band before striking out solo.

He sings 1 Corinthians 13 (in my sig) "Childish Things"

Childish Things