Closer (Susan Ashton album)

Closer is the sixth studio album by American Christian and country music singer Susan Ashton. It was released in 1999 on Capitol Nashville. It was her only disc for the label. It was produced by Emory Gordy Jr. The album contains songs written by Diane Warren, Matraca Berg and Kim Richey. Ashton herself only co-wrote one song here, "Think of Me".

Three singles were released, with the Warren-penned "Faith of the Heart" being first. It peaked at No. 51 on the Hot Country Songs chart in the US, while peaking twenty spots lower in Canada. The second single, "You're Lucky I Love You", fared a bit better reaching No. 37 in the US and No. 52 in Canada. The title track didn't chart. The album itself reached No. 34 on the country charts, while failing to find a footing on the Christian music charts.

"Breathless" was later released as a single by River Road in 2001. Both The Jenkins and Hall & Oates released versions of "Getaway Car". "Supernatural" was later recorded by American country music singer Sara Evans on her 2005 album Real Fine Place.

Reception
AllMusic's Heather Phares called Ashton "an emotive vocalist", and said that Closer "finds Ashton hitting her stride as a performer and singer", giving the album four stars out of five.

Personnel

 * Susan Ashton – lead vocals, harmony vocals
 * Mike Lawler – keyboards
 * John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano
 * Matt Rollings – acoustic piano
 * Phil Madeira – Hammond organ
 * Steve Nathan – Hammond organ
 * Dann Huff – electric guitars, acoustic guitars
 * Steve Gibson – electric guitars, gut-string guitars, bouzouki, mandolin
 * Biff Watson – acoustic guitars
 * Dan Dugmore – steel guitar
 * Paul Franklin – steel guitar
 * Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
 * Stuart Duncan – fiddle, octave fiddle, mandolin
 * Emory Gordy Jr. – bass guitar, string arrangements
 * Steve Brewster – drums, percussion
 * Owen Hale – drums, percussion
 * Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion
 * Kristin Wilkinson – concertmaster
 * Anthony LaMarchina – cello
 * Bob Mason – cello
 * Monisa Angell – viola
 * Jim Grosjean – viola
 * Gary Vanosdale – viola
 * Connie Heard – violin
 * Pamela Sixfin – violin
 * Chris Teal – violin
 * J.D. Cunningham – backing vocals
 * Vince Gill – backing vocals
 * Vicki Hampton – backing vocals
 * Billy Mann – backing vocals
 * Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
 * Harry Stinson – backing vocals
 * Neil Thrasher – backing vocals

Production
 * Emory Gordy Jr. – producer
 * Russ Martin – engineer
 * Rob MacMillan – assistant engineer
 * John Guess – mixing
 * Patrick Murphy – mix assistant
 * Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
 * Virginia Team – art direction
 * Chris Ferrara – design
 * Mark Tucker – photography