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.
Track listing
Personnel
Michael W. Smith – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ, keyboards, programming
Bryan Lenox – keyboards, programming, drums, percussion
Chris Graffignino – guitars
Matt Pierson – bass guitar
Craig Young – bass guitar
Chris Estes – drums, percussion
Eric Darken – drums, percussion
Dan Needham – drums, percussion
Scott Williamson – drums, percussion
David Downs (Dublin) – Illyan pipes
Hunter Lee – Illyan pipes
Marie Breathnach (Dublin) – Irish fiddle
John Catchings – cello
Max Dyer – cello
David Davidson – violin solo, string arrangements (5) Tim Theiss – nail gun (probably used as additional percussion) Joel White – nail gun Rod Schuler – DJ The Irish Film Orchestra – strings Catriona Walsh – music supervisor The Nashville String Machine – strings Carl Gorodetzsky – contractor David Hamilton – string arrangements and orchestra conductor Larry Paxton – string arrangements (5) Kristin Wilkinson – string arrangements (5) Ric Domenico – music preparation Eberhard Ramm – music preparation
Production
Michael W. Smith – executive producer, producer
Bryan Lenox – producer, engineer, mixing, string recording
Ronnie Brookshire – string recording
Bill Sommerville-Large – string recording (Dublin) David Bryant – assistant engineer Rob Burrell – assistant engineer Eric Elwell – assistant engineer, technical coordinator, production coordinator Terry Flowers – assistant engineer, production assistant Ron Jagger – assistant engineer Scott Lenox – assistant engineer Kieran Lynch – assistant engineer (Dublin) Fred Paragano – Pro Tools engineer Hank Williams – sequencing, editing, mastering Toby Gaines – production assistant Ryan Smith – production assistant Erin Williams – production assistant Chad Dickerson – production coordination Tim Parker – art direction, design Andrew Southam – photography (New York) Jimmy Abegg – photography (Ireland) Joe Oppedisano – wardrobe Julie Matos – hair, make-up James Masenburg – prop stylist
Studios
Recorded at Deer Valley Studio (Franklin, TN), East Iris Sound (Nashville, TN) and Windmill Lane Studios (Dublin, Ireland). Strings recorded at Windmill Lane Studios, Ocean Way Nashville (Nashville, TN) and Javelina Studio (Nashville, TN). Mixed at Deer Valley Studio Sequenced, Edited and Mastered at MasterMix (Nashville, TN).