[Jonular]

Multi-time GRAMMY-winning artist Michael W. Smith will release his 18th studio project, titled Healing Rain, on Reunion Records October 26.

Healing Rain is Smith's first pop-oriented studio record since 1999's This Is Your Time, but the veteran artist has been far from idle in the meantime. Smith exercised his passion for instrumental music with 2000's Freedom, and showed his heart for music for the church with the dual live albums, the platinum selling Worship and Grammy award-winning Worship Again.

Healing Rain returns Smith to his early pop songwriting roots, first shown on tracks for artists such as Amy Grant and Sandi Patty. His own voluminous body of solo work has garnered him 13 gold and five platinum records. Smith's career sales exceed twelve million units. But Smith has never been an artist willing to rest on his laurels, this time expanding his creative partners to include co-producers Matt Bronleewe (Natalie Imbruglia, Kimberley Locke) and Sam Ashworth, and co-writers including Dan Hill and Martin Smith, as well as longtime collaborator Wayne Kirkpatrick.

Smith commented, "This album has been a labor of love for me. I have been stretched and inspired by the people I've worked on this project with, and I feel that the songs on this album capture exactly who I am right now, and what I have to say."

The songs on Healing Rain reflect and amplify the music found on his best-selling projects Worship and Worship Again. The common thread running through tracks on the album of surrender stems from Smith's desire to see people reconciled to their Creator. Songs such as "Human Spark" and "All I Want" show a man whose motivation is to illuminate the need of the human heart for God.

Healing Rain captures elements more than a year and a half in the making, with Smith and his partners writing nearly three dozen songs that were whittled down to the album's final 11. Smith began writing and recording at Dark Horse Studios Franklin, TN, and continued work at George Lucas' inspirational Skywalker Ranch in California and during Smith's headlining tours with INO Records artists MercyMe, and a Christmas tour with Point of Grace and The Katinas.

For more information on Michael W. Smith, click here.