Richard Wayne Mullins was born on October 21, 1955 in Richmond, Indiana, and died on September 19, 1997 as a result of a vehicle accident in Illinois. In 1998 AWESOME GOD: A TRIBUTE TO RICH MULLINS (Reunion) was released. In the liner notes, producer Reed Arvin shares: "This recording is not about Rich Mullins; it's about his songs. I like that. I don't want to worship or idolize him or pretend he didn't have defects. I just want to hear his music because I love it so much and because that's all there is now". Nine of the eleven songs here were penned solely by Rich.
First up, we have Michael W. Smith covering the congregational classic 'Awesome God'. The Nashville String Machine is used to good effect here and Lincoln Brewster provides an electric guitar solo. It's a song about the greatness of our God: "Our God is an awesome God/He reigns from heaven above/With wisdom, power, and love/Our God is an awesome God/And when the sky was starless in the void of the night/Our God is an awesome God/He spoke into the darkness and created the light/Our God is an awesome God". Mandolin and fiddle are used on Carolyn Arends' cover of 'Jacob and 2 Women'. The song draws from the Old Testament: "Jacob, he loved Rachel and Rachel, she loved him/And Leah was just there for dramatic effect/Well, it's right there in the Bible, so it must not be a sin/But it sure does seem like an awful dirty trick". Billy Crockett is up next with 'Verge of a Miracle', on which Charles Williams plays dobro. It's a quiet song of encouragement: "Someone's waiting to put wings upon your flightless heart/You're on the verge of a miracle/Standing there/Oh, you're on the verge of a miracle/Just waiting to be believed in/Open your eyes and see/You're on the verge of a miracle".
Amy Grant follows with 'Hold Me Jesus'. It serves as a prayer: "I've beat my head against so many walls/I'm falling down/I'm falling on my knees.../Oh, hold me Jesus, I'm shaking like a leaf/You have been King of my glory/Won't You be my Prince of Peace?" Chris Rice covers 'Calling Out Your Name' which finds George Cocchini on electric guitar. It's a song nature lovers will appreciate: "And a single hawk bursts into flight/And in the east the whole horizon is in flames/I feel thunder in the sky/I see the sky about to rain/And I hear the prairies calling out Your Name".
Gary Chapman puts his spin on 'Elijah'. Steel guitar and Hammond B-3 are used. It reflects on passing on: "When I leave I want to go out like Elijah/With a whirlwind to fuel my chariot of fire/And when I look back on the stars/It'll be like a candlelight in Central Park/And it won't break my heart to say goodbye". Jars of Clay cover 'If I Stand' which was written by Rich and Steve Cudworth. Accordion, melodica, and upright bass are used. It speaks of faith: "So if I stand let me stand on the promise that You will pull me through/And if I can't let me fall on the grace that first brought me to You.".
Billy Sprague is up next with 'A Place to Stand'. Aimee Weimer is on backing vocals. These lyrics could be a diary entry: "I've seen a lot of injustice/I've seen sweet mercy too/I was blinded by the things I saw until I looked at You/There's a lot of things this world has hidden/I'm beginning to see/So hold on to my hand/Hold on to my hand/I need a place to run to and a place to stand". Kevin Max covers 'Save Me'. Jimmy A. plays guitars and Otto Price plays bass. The lyrics are relevant for us today: "Save me from Soviet propagandists/Lord, save me from Washington/Please save me/Oh Lord, save me.../Save me from trendy religion that makes cheap cliches out of timeless truths".
Ashley Cleveland presents 'I See You'. The now late Rick Elias is a backing vocalist. It's a song of praise: "Everywhere I go I see You/Well, the grass will die and the flowers fall/But Your Word's alive/And it will be after all/Everywhere I go I see You". Last up is Caedmon's Call covering a tune written by Rich's good friend Beaker, called 'Step by Step'. Like the album opener, it is a congregational number: "Oh God, You are my God and I will ever praise You/I will seek You in the morning/And I will learn to walk in Your ways/And step by step You'll lead me/And I will follow You all of my days".
This tribute album to the late Rich Mullins includes contributions from some of the best known CCM artists as well as some of the lesser knowns. It features eight adult contemporary selections and three praise and worship ones. A drawback is that nine of the eleven songs are slow, making it a bit of a sleepy record. Message-wise there are several songs that cry out to God for help and peace along life's journey. There are also several songs that speak of how wonderful God is. He is a God of wisdom, power, and love. He is also our Creator and Sustainer. Rich encourages the disheartened and makes it known he longs for heaven. The CD booklet is full of memories and thoughts about Rich. I'm rating AWESOME GOD; A TRIBUTE TO RICH MULLINS 85%.