Kathy Troccoli

Let the peace of Christ settle into your soul! Unwind with tranquil instrumental arrangements of familiar favorites including "Softly and Tenderly," "There Is a Balm in Gilead," "Wonderful Peace," "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," "As the Deer," "Shout to the Lord," "This Is My Father's World," "Peaceful Light," "The Lord's Prayer," and "The Water Is Wide."

Michael W. Smith became one of the most enduringly popular artists in the contemporary Christian music market while also finding success as a mainstream artist. The songwriter was born in Kenova, West Virginia, the son of an oil refinery worker and a caterer. He became a devout Christian at age ten and spent his teenage years around a support group of fellow believers who frequently gathered to create music. That support group split up after high school, and Smith turned to alcohol, drugs, and wild times. Meanwhile, he scraped through a couple semesters of college and began honing his songwriting skills, which led to a songwriting company's interest in his music in 1978. He moved to Nashville, where he played with a series of local bands, including Rose. He was still heavily into drugs and continued using until October 1979, when he suffered an emotional mental breakdown that culminated in his recommitment to Christ. The next day, he auditioned for a new CCM group, Higher Ground, as a keyboardist. Smith landed the gig and began to clean up his act while touring with the band.