I'll Lead You Home

I'll Lead You Home is a 1995 album by Michael W. Smith released by Reunion Records.

Sales and charts
The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 16, making it the highest-debuting Christian album in the history of the chart. It also topped the 'Top Contemporary Christian' chart. Released in August 1995, by December of that year it had sold over 51,500 copies in the Christian Bookstore market alone.

Reception
The album received a four and a half out of five star review from Allmusic, with Stephen Thomas Erlewine commenting on the "gospel songs with glistening, immaculate pop production". James Lloyd, reviewing the album for the Dayton Daily News considered it "his best work to date".

The album won the 1996 Grammy Award in the 'Best Pop-Contemporary Gospel Album' category, giving Smith his second Grammy win.

Tour
Smith toured in support of the album in 1996. Support came from Lori and Micah Wilshire (who he subsequently signed to his Rocketown Records label), Three Crosses, and Jars of Clay. Micah Wilshire had contributed backing vocals to the album.

Personnel
Musicians


 * Michael W. Smith – vocals, keyboards (1–7, 11–14), programming (4, 11), acoustic piano (8, 9, 10, 13)
 * Patrick Leonard – keyboards (1, 2), drum programming (2), organ (5, 10, 12, 13), synthesizer programming (14)
 * Dennis Patton – programming (2, 4, 7)
 * Dann Huff – guitars (1–3, 5–7, 11–13)
 * Bruce Gaitsch – acoustic guitar (5)
 * Paul Franklin – steel guitar (5, 11, 14)
 * Tommy Sims – bass (1, 3, 5–7, 11–13)
 * Leland Sklar – bass (10, 14)
 * Steve Brewster – drums (1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 13)
 * Chris McHugh – drums (2)
 * Marc Moreau – drum programming (6)
 * Vinnie Colaiuta – drums (7)
 * Brian MacLeod – drums (10, 11), additional programming (11)
 * Luis Conte – percussion (1, 3, 5–7, 10–13)
 * Jeremy Lubbock – orchestra arrangements and conductor (8, 9, 10)
 * Brent Bourgeois – backing vocals (1, 4, 6)
 * Tim Erwin – backing vocals (1)
 * Molly Felder – backing vocals (1)
 * Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals (1, 12)
 * Susan Ashton – harmony vocals (5)
 * Lisa Cochran – backing vocals (5, 11, 12)
 * Reneé Garcia-Bliss – backing vocals (5)
 * Micah Wilshire – backing vocals (5)
 * Natalie Jackson – backing vocals (6, 10)
 * Louis Johnson – backing vocals (6, 7, 10)
 * Richard Page – backing vocals (6, 7, 10)
 * Whitney Smith – guest vocal (10)
 * Gardner Cole – backing vocals (11)
 * Chris Harris – backing vocals (12)
 * Anointed (Nee-C Walls, Steve Crawford, Da'dra Crawford and Mary Tiller) – featured vocals (13)
 * Bob Bailey – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Kim Fleming – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Vicki Hampton – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Chris Harris – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Donna McElroy – vocal coordinator, choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Michael Mellett – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Nicole C. Mullen – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Angelo and Veronica Petrucci – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Chris Rodriguez – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)
 * Micah Wilshire – choir (3, 7, 12, 13)

Production

 * Patrick Leonard – producer
 * Michael W. Smith – executive producer
 * Michael Blanton – executive producer
 * Don Donahue – A&R
 * Keith Compton – engineer
 * Craig Hansen – engineer, mixing (1, 4)
 * Jerry Jordan – engineer, mixing (11, 14)
 * Bryan Lenox – engineer
 * Marc Moreau – engineer
 * David Thoener – mixing (2, 3, 5–10)
 * Bill Deaton – mixing (12, 13)
 * Rob Burrell – second engineer
 * Dave Dillbeck – second engineer
 * David Faulkner – second engineer
 * Mike Janas – second engineer
 * Patrick Kelly – second engineer
 * Scott Lenox – second engineer
 * Al Lay – second engineer
 * Paula Montondo – second engineer
 * Greg Parker – second engineer
 * Dennis Patton – second engineer
 * Krish Sharma – second engineer
 * Darren Smith – second engineer
 * J.T. Thomas – second engineer
 * Jason Wilder – second engineer
 * Jeff Wright – second engineer
 * Caribou Ranch (Nederland, Colorado) – recording studio
 * Johnny Yuma (Burbank, California) – recording studio
 * A&M Studios (Los Angeles, California) – recording studio
 * The Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Deer Valley (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * The Castle (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Studio at Mole End (Franklin, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Sixteenth Avenue Sound (Nashville, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Gambit Studio (Gallatin, Tennessee) – recording studio
 * Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (North Hollywood, California)
 * Pat Dorn – production coordinator
 * Derek Jones – production coordinator
 * Sandra Tomes – production coordinator
 * Rob Birkhead – art direction
 * Buddy Jackson – design, for Jackson Design
 * Karrine Caulkins – design, for Jackson Design
 * Diana Lussenden – creative assistant
 * Timothy White – cover photography
 * Ben Pearson – tray card photo, inside photos
 * Russ Harrington – inside photos