Freedom (Michael W. Smith album)

Freedom is Michael W. Smith's fifteenth album. It was released in 2000 on Reunion Records, and is his first full-length album consisting of only instrumentals. A promotional live EP, The Acoustic Set - A Live Recording, was available as a pre-order bonus.[3]

Freedom
Studio album by Michael W. Smith
Released	November 21, 2000
Recorded	May–September 2000
Studio	Deer Valley Studios, Franklin, Tennessee Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland East Iris Studios, Nashville, Tennessee Ocean Way Recording, Nashville, Tennessee Javelina Studios, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Instrumental
Length	40:57
Label	Reunion
Producer	Michael W. Smith, Bryan Lenox
Michael W. Smith chronology
This Is Your Time (1999) Freedom (2000) Worship (2001)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Jesus Freak Hideout	[2]

The Acoustic Set - A Live Recording
Live album by Michael W. Smith
Released	November 21, 2000
Recorded	June 17, 2000
Venue	Living Word Church, Middletown, Ohio
Label	Reunion
Michael W. Smith chronology
This Is Your Time (1999) The Acoustic Set - A Live Recording (2000) Freedom (2000)

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Freedom"	Michael W. Smith	3:37
2.	"The Offering"	Smith	1:26
3.	"Carol Ann"	Smith	3:34
4.	"The Giving"	Smith	3:18
5.	"Hibernia"	Smith	4:47
6.	"Letter to Sarah"	Smith	1:45
7.	"Freedom Battle"	Smith	4:33
8.	"Cry of the Heart"	Smith	2:23
9.	"Prayer for Taylor"	Smith	3:01
10.	"The Call"	Smith	5:02
11.	"Thy Word"	Smith, Amy Grant	3:30
12.	"Free Man"	Smith	3:56

The Acoustic Set - A Live Recording (Pre-order bonus EP)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Secret Ambition"	Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Amy Grant	5:27
2.	"Intro to Love Me Good"		2:25
3.	"Love Me Good"	Smith, Kirkpatrick	4:08
4.	"Intro to Greatest Hits Medley"		1:03
5.	"Greatest Hits Medley Live the Life I'll Lead You Home Place in This World I WIll Be Here for You For You Rocketown"	Smith, Brent Bourgeois Smith, Kirkpatrick Smith, Kirkpatrick, Grant Smith, Diane Warren Smith, Kirkpatrick, William Owsley Smith, Kirkpatrick	11:06
6.	"Intro to This Is Your Time"		3:44
7.	"This Is Your Time"	Smith, Wes King	5:14

Personnel

• Chris Graffignino: guitars
• Michael W. Smith: piano, Hammond B3 organ, keyboards, programming
• Bryan Lenox: drums, percussion, keyboards, programming
• Craig Young, Matt Pierson: bass guitar
• Chris Estes, Dan Needham, Scott Williamson: drums
• Eric Darken: drums, percussion
• Hunter Lee, David Downs (Dublin): Illyan pipes
• Marie Breathnach (Dublin): Irish fiddle
• David Davidson: violin solo
• Max Dyer, John Catchings: cello
• Joel White, Tim Theiss: nail gun (probably used as additional percussion)
• Rod Schuler: DJ
• Strings by The Irish Film Orchestra; Catriona Walsh: music supervisor, and The Nashville String Machine; Carl Gorodetzsky: contractor
• David Hamilton: string arrangements and orchestra conductor
• String arrangements on "Hibernia" by David Davidson, Kris Wilkinson and Larry Paxton
• Music Preparation: Ric Domenico and Eberhard Ramm

Production

• Executive producer: Michael W. Smith
• Produced by Michael W. Smith and Bryan Lenox
• Production assistants: Terry Flowers, Toby Gaines, Ryan Smith and Erin Williams
• Production and technical coordination: Eric Elwell
• Engineered and mixed by Bryan Lenox
• Assistant recording engineers: Eric Elwell, Rob Burrell, Scott Lenox, Terry Flowers, Ron Jagger, David Bryant at Ocean Way Nashville; Kieran Lynch at Windmill Lane Studios.
• Recorded at Deer Valley Studio (Franklin, TN), East Iris Sound (Nashville, TN) and Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin, Ireland).
• Pro Tools engineering: Fred Paragano
• Strings recorded at Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin, Ireland) by Bill Sommerville-Large; Ocean Way Nashville by Ronnie Brookshire; Javelina Studio (Nashville, TN) by Bryan Lenox.
• Mixed at Deer Valley Studio (Franklin, TN)
• Mastering, sequencing and editing: Hank Williams at Master Mix (Nashville, TN).
• Production coordination: Chad Dickerson
• Art direction and design: Tim Parker
• Photography: Andrew Southam (New York) and Jimmy Abegg (Ireland).
• Wardrobe: Joe Oppedisano
• Hair and make-up: Julie Matos
• Prop stylist: James Masenburg

Chart performance

Chart (2014)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[4]	70
US Christian Albums (Billboard)[5]	2

References

1. Freedom at AllMusic
2. "Michael W. Smith, "Freedom" Review". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
3. Evans Price, Deborah (November 18, 2000), "Reunion's Smith Finds Instrumental 'Freedom'", Billboard, retrieved June 27, 2015
4. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
5. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2014.