Year: | 1985-88 |
Genre: | Rock, Pop, Alternative Rock |
Producer: | Tyler Bacon |
1985 Independent
Ebay auction description: “WXIR Indy Christian Album Project (Star Trax 410048X, no date - but approximately 1985). Nearly impossible to find compilation LP!! This was the first in a series of four annual compilations of indie contemporary Christian music artists from central Indiana in the mid-1980s. Radio station WXIR-FM (Plainfield, IN), the CCM radio station serving the Indianapolis market in the 1980s and 1990s, sponsored an annual contest in the mid- to late-1980s that culminated in ten original songs being chosen for inclusion on a WXIR Christian Album Project LP. In the early years, one song was chosen for the top prize - a recording contract with a CCM label; the winner of the very first project was Ray Boltz, whose debut album Watch The Lamb on Heartland Records was his prize for winning this contest, and ultimately launched his successful CCM career. This particular LP was the very first in this series, and although there is no date anywhere, it was released around 1985. The song from this album that won the top prize was Ray Boltz' anti-abortion themed song “What Was I Supposed To Be,” which later received national airplay when released on his 1986 Heartland Records debut album Watch The Lamb.”
1986 Independent
Ebay auction description: “WXIR Christian Album Project Volume II (Star Trax 512057X, no date - but approximately 1986). Nearly impossible to find compilation LP!! This was the second in a series of four annual compilations of indie contemporary Christian music artists from central Indiana in the mid-1980s. Radio station WXIR-FM (Plainfield, IN), the CCM radio station serving the Indianapolis market in the 1980s and 1990s, sponsored an annual contest in the mid- to late-1980s that culminated in ten original songs being chosen for inclusion on a “WXIR Christian Album Project” LP. In the early years, one song was chosen for the top prize - a recording contract with a CCM label; the winner of the very first project was Ray Boltz, whose debut album Watch The Lamb on Heartland Records was his prize for winning this contest, and ultimately launched his successful CCM career. This particular LP was the second in this series, and although there is no date anywhere, it was released around 1986. This particular release included an obscure but nevertheless very early (1986!) attempt at Christian rap–the song “Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego” by Roger Byrd.”
1987 Independent
Ebay auction description: “WXIR Christian Album Project Volume III (Innerlight WRA1-437, no date - but approximately 1987). Nearly impossible to find compilation LP!! This was the third in a series of four annual compilations of indie contemporary Christian music artists from central Indiana in the mid-1980s. Radio station WXIR-FM (Plainfield, IN), the CCM radio station serving the Indianapolis market in the 1980s and 1990s, sponsored an annual contest in the mid- to late-1980s that culminated in ten original songs being chosen for inclusion on a “WXIR Christian Album Project” LP. In the early years, one song was chosen for the top prize - a recording contract with a CCM label; the winner of the very first project was Ray Boltz, whose debut album Watch The Lamb on Heartland Records was his prize for winning this contest, and ultimately launched his successful CCM career. This particular LP was the third in this series, and although there is no date anywhere, it was released around 1987. This particular release included a power ballad from Stephen C. Murray, who a few years later formed and led the critically-acclaimed Christian alternative rock band Curious Fools. Also includes a song from Bobby Jo Mann, who in 1990 released the independent Christian pop-rock album Sendin' Out Signals that caught some national attention, with reviews in periodicals such as CCM Magazine.”
1988? Independent
(unknown)