Closer is the sixth studio album by American Christian and country music singer Susan Ashton. It was released in 1999 on Capitol Nashville. It was her only disc for the label. It was produced by Emory Gordy Jr. The album contains songs written by Diane Warren, Matraca Berg and Kim Richey. Ashton herself only co-wrote one song here, "Think of Me".
Three singles were released, with the Warren-penned "Faith of the Heart" being first. It peaked at No. 51 on the Hot Country Songs chart in the US, while peaking twenty spots lower in Canada. The second single, "You're Lucky I Love You", fared a bit better reaching No. 37 in the US and No. 52 in Canada. The title track didn't chart. The album itself reached No. 34 on the country charts, while failing to find a footing on the Christian music charts.
"Breathless" was later released as a single by River Road in 2001. Both The Jenkins and Hall & Oates released versions of "Getaway Car". "Supernatural" was later recorded by American country music singer Sara Evans on her 2005 album Real Fine Place.
Contents
Reception
AllMusic's Heather Phares called Ashton "an emotive vocalist", and said that Closer "finds Ashton hitting her stride as a performer and singer", giving the album four stars out of five.
Personnel
Susan Ashton – lead vocals, harmony vocals
Mike Lawler – keyboards
John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano
Matt Rollings – acoustic piano
Phil Madeira – Hammond organ
Steve Nathan – Hammond organ
Dann Huff – electric guitars, acoustic guitars
Steve Gibson – electric guitars, gut-string guitars, bouzouki, mandolin
Biff Watson – acoustic guitars
Dan Dugmore – steel guitar
Paul Franklin – steel guitar
Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
Stuart Duncan – fiddle, octave fiddle, mandolin
Emory Gordy Jr. – bass guitar, string arrangements
Steve Brewster – drums, percussion
Owen Hale – drums, percussion
Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion
Kristin Wilkinson – concertmaster
Anthony LaMarchina – cello
Bob Mason – cello
Monisa Angell – viola
Jim Grosjean – viola
Gary Vanosdale – viola
Connie Heard – violin
Pamela Sixfin – violin
Chris Teal – violin
J.D. Cunningham – backing vocals
Vince Gill – backing vocals
Vicki Hampton – backing vocals
Billy Mann – backing vocals
Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
Harry Stinson – backing vocals
Neil Thrasher – backing vocals
Production
Emory Gordy Jr. – producer
Russ Martin – engineer
Rob MacMillan – assistant engineer
John Guess – mixing
Patrick Murphy – mix assistant
Glenn Meadows – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
Virginia Team – art direction
Chris Ferrara – design
Mark Tucker – photography