Susan Rae Hill, better known as Susan Ashton, was born on July 17, 1967 in Irving, Texas. She released her debut album, WAKENED BY THE WIND, in 1991 and was nominated for 'New Artist of the Year' at the Dove Awards. In 1992 her second album, ANGELS OF MERCY, was released. It birthed four CCM #1 singles and was nominated for a Grammy for 'Best Pop Gospel Album'. In 1994 Ashton opened for Garth Brooks on a European tour. Fast forward to 1996 and she put out the album A DISTANT CALL (Sparrow). It was produced by Wayne Kirkpatrick, Brown Bannister, and Michael Omartian. In the liner notes, Susan writes: "To quote the Heidelberg Catechism; This is my only comfort in life and in death: that I belong-body and soul-not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of His own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me".
1. First up is 'You Move Me' a pretty and light country ballad penned by Gordon Kennedy and Pierce Pettis, with background vocals by Dan Tyminski. It speaks of God's transforming power: "So I lie here on the couch/With my heart hanging out/Frozen solid with fear/Like a rock in the ground.../Oh, but You move me, yeah/Out of myself and into the fire/You move me, oh/Burning with love and with hope and desire/How You move me".
2. On 'Blind Side' Gordon Kennedy plays the sitar and Phil Madeira plays the Hammond B-3. This country/pop song speaks of how the devil works: "So I went walking through/The garden of temptation unaware/And I tasted what I wanted/Not looking for the subtle warnings/That might be hidden there/And I barreled through undaunted/Oh, I was seduced by a craving/That left me defenseless".
3. Jimmy Mattingly plays violin and mandolin on 'Body and Soul', a lovely ballad of testimony: "And as sin gives way to atoning blood/And a debt is paid with the riches of love/There's a hope that I see/There's a freedom in me/There's a comfort in death and in life/Knowing that I belong/To the Savior who's making me whole/Body and soul".
4. Sheryl Crow, Kevin Gilbert, and Eric Pressley wrote 'All Kinds of People'. This upbeat pop/rock track offers a commentary on society: "There's a time for love and a time for healing/Can't go back and undo what's been done/Word of mouth, time is revealing/Just how far we've let this kingdom come/Hand in hand we're finding our way/And today is just tomorrow's yesterday/Some would die for you, some will lie to you/There's all kinds of people in this world".
5. Jimmy Mattingly plays fiddle and Kenny Greenberg plays electric guitar and national guitar on 'Crooked Man'. It's a terrific country/rocker about an undesirable fella: "Goodness, like an arrow, lodges where it can/But it never pierces the heart of a crooked man/Justify-when justice wouldn't pay the toll/Subtle lies-when the truth was better half than whole/Driven by an insatiable lust/For power that was just out of reach/Living on an illusion of trust/With a steady dose of control and greed".
6. Wayne Kirkpatrick and Ashton co-wrote 'Spinning Like a Wheel', while Dan Dugmore plays pedal steel and Matt Rollings plays piano. This is an easy listening love song: "Falling like the sand/Deeper than I ever have before/When you take my hand/You take me to forever/A sweet touch, a heart rush/Now I can't catch my breath/Falling like sand/Through the hands of time".
7. 'Hundreds of Tears' includes these words: "In the longest days, in the darkest night/Down the longest road, there's a presence of light/But I hear a voice that calls me/It's love's name I'll call in the end". It's a light pop song.
8. Gayla Borders, Jeff Borders, and Amy Grant wrote 'Send a Message'. Brown Bannister is responsible for the mellotron, strings, and the Chamberlin Flute. This great pop song is one about being in a love relationship: "Just send a message if there's trouble here/I could be oceans away/Just send a message to me loud and clear/Baby, I'll be there for you/Hold me close, don't you ever let go/We got a love that was meant to be/The day we met, I'll never forget/Fate smiled at destiny".
9. Michael Omartian plays piano and Tim Akers plays organ on 'I Will Follow', a country love ballad: "And if fate had carved a canyon wide/And you were caught on the other side/I'd cry some tears deep as the ocean blue/And swim that great divide to get to you/Heaven knows I will go, I will follow (2X)/What is logic compared to love/From the depths of the sea to the stars above/I will follow".
10. Wayne Kirkpatrick and Michael W. Smith co-wrote 'Lonely River' which utilizes the Nashville String Machine. It's a pretty song that is a philosophical diary entry of sorts: "Lonely river/I think I am a lot like you/Winding on in hopes to find the sea/And flooded by uncertainties/The current can be strong/But drifting towards our destinies/The arm of God is long/And I believe that through this journey/'Til we're finally home/Lonely river, we will never, run alone".
11. Alison Krauss & Union Station are featured on the closing song 'Love Profound'. This country ballad reflects on the nature of romantic love: "Our love knows no limits and our love knows no bounds/Oh, it confounds the wisest of sages/Isn't love profound?/Oh, it sings when we're weary from so many tears/Rocking us gently it cradles our fears/In those times when we feel like we've come to our end/It gives us the strength to start over again".
A DISTANT CALL clocks in at 52 minutes and 52 seconds to be exact! Susan's vocals are very soothing and heartwarming. You can tell she really 'feels' these songs and the messages in them. Country and pop are the main musical genres presented on these eleven tracks. There is almost an even number of fast paced songs and ballads. Truth be told this is an album that could be enjoyed by Christians and non-Christians. On some tracks, Ashton does sing about God's love and having an intimate relationship with Him, but she does so in a non-judgmental way. Several of the songs also speak of happy, romantic love, while one or two warn against 'bad apples' so to speak. There are four modest but beautiful pics of Susan included with this CD which I'm rating 96.5 %. For more info visit: www.susanashtonmusic.com and/or connect with her on Facebook.