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Live The Life
Studio album by Michael W. Smith
Released	April 28, 1998
Recorded	1997
Genre	Christian rock
Length	56:52
Label	Reunion
Producer	Mark Heimmerman, Michael W. Smith, Stephen Lipson
Michael W. Smith chronology
I'll Lead You Home (1995) Live The Life (1998) Christmastime (1998)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Live the Life is an album by Michael W. Smith. One notable song on this album was "In My Arms Again," which Michael W. Smith wrote for the film Titanic. "Missing Person" also received airplay on Christian radio.

There were 26 songs written and completed for the album, whose release date was pushed back twice as Smith wasn't fully satisfied with the track list. Along with the 12 songs which eventually made it on the album, the tracks "Greater Than We Understand" and "Evening Show" were released on the B-sides of the CD singles for "Live the Life" and "Love Me Good" respectively. The remaining 12 songs appeared in some form on Smith's 1999 album This Is Your Time.

"Song for Rich" is an instrumental tribute to Rich Mullins who died in a car crash in September 19, 1997.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael W. Smith, Wayne Kirkpatrick except where noted

Personnel

• Michael W. Smith – vocals, keyboards (1, 4–8, 10, 11, 12), acoustic piano (2, 3, 5), programming (2, 5, 6, 10), guitars (3, 7, 9), Hammond B3 organ (6)
• Mark Heimmerman – keyboards (1, 3–5, 8, 9, 11, 12), Hammond B3 organ (1), backing vocals (1, 3, 5, 8, 9)
• Bryan Lenox – programming (2, 6, 10), keyboards (10)
• Phil Madeira – Hammond B3 organ (2)
• Dennis Patton – programming (5, 9)
• Marc Harris – Hammond B3 organ (5)
• Stephen Lipson – programming (7), guitars (7)
• George Cocchini – guitars (1, 3)
• Jerry McPherson – guitars (1–4, 6, 8, 12)
• Will Owsley – guitars (1)
• Micah Wilshire – backing vocals (1, 5, 6), guitars (3)
• Tom Hemby – guitars (4)
• Nik Kershaw – guitars (7)
• Robbie McIntosh – guitars (7)
• Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals (6), guitars (8, 9, 12)
• Dann Huff – guitars (9)
• Brent Barcus – guitars (10)
• Brent Milligan – bass (1)
• Jackie Street – bass (1–3, 8, 9, 12)
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (4)
• Dan Needham – drums (1, 3, 4)
• Neil Conti – drums (7)
• Scott Williamson – drums (8, 9, 12)
• Terry McMillan – percussion (1–5, 9)
• Luis Jardim – percussion (7)
• Steve Brewster – percussion (8, 12)
• Ronn Huff – string arrangements and conductor (3)
• Tom Howard – string arrangements and conductor (9), orchestrations and arrangements (10)
• The Nashville String Machine – strings (3, 9)
• John Mock – woodwinds (11), woodwind arrangements (11), tin whistle (12)
• Peter Cairney – woodwinds (11)
• Hunter Lee – woodwinds (11)
• William Verdier – woodwinds (11)
• Judson Spence – backing vocals (1, 3, 5)
• Wayne Kirkpatrick – backing vocals (4, 9, 12)
• Michael Black – backing vocals (5)
• Lori Wilshire – backing vocals (6)
• Brent Bourgeois – backing vocals (8)

Choir on "Love Me Good"

• Da'dra Crawford, Vicki Hampton, Mark Heimmerman, Nicole C. Mullen, George Pendergrass, Scat Springs, Lori Wilshire and Micah Wilshire

Technical personnel

• Producers – Mark Heimmerman (Tracks 1–5, 8, 9, 11 & 12); Michael W. Smith (1–6, 8-12); Stephen Lipson (Track 7).
• Executive Producer – Michael Blanton
• Engineers – Keith Compton, Tom Laune, Bryan Lenox, Heff Moraes and Todd Robbins.
• Assistant Engineers – Rob Burrell, Robert "Void" Caprio, Dave Dillbeck, Patrick Kelly, Alan Litten, Shawn McLean and Tim Putnam.
• Recorded at Deer Valley, Fun Attic, The Bennett House and Dark Horse Recording Studio (Franklin, TN); The Tracking Room (Nashville, TN); The Aquarium (London, England).
• Mixing – Joe Baldridge, Bryan Lenox and Heff Moraes.
• Mix Assistants – Joe Costa and Adam Hatley.
• Mixed at Deer Valley and The Playground (Franklin, TN); Sixteenth Avenue Sound (Nashville, TN); The Aquarium (London, England).
• Computer Editing – Dan Rudin
• Mastered by Hank Williams at MasterMix (Nashville, TN).
• Photography – Jimmy Abegg
• Art Direction and Design – Diana Lussenden

Chart performance

References

1. Allmusic review
2. Billboard – 13 Dec 1997 – Page 45 " "Live The Life" has already won the hearts of Smith's faithful fans in Christian music circles."
3. "www.philcallaway.com". www.philcallaway.com. Retrieved 2011-12-23.
4. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.
5. "Michael W. Smith Chart History (Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2019.

• Michael W. Smith albums
• 1998 albums
• Reunion Records albums
• Albums produced by Stephen Lipson