Oxygen (Avalon album)

Oxygen
Studio album by Avalon
Released	May 22, 2001
Recorded	2000
Genre	CCM, Inspirational
Length	54:10[1]
Label	Sparrow
Producer	Brown Bannister, Grant Cunningham
Avalon chronology
Joy: A Christmas Collection (2000) Oxygen (2001) O2: Avalon Remixed (2002)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Oxygen is Avalon's fifth studio album, released on May 22, 2001, and produced by Brown Bannister and Grant Cunningham. The project was strongly supported by Christian radio, containing six No. 1 radio singles^[2]—the most of any Avalon album to date. Oxygen is the first (and so far, only) album by the group to release alongside a Collector's Edition, which features a hidden bonus track, "Beyond the Clouds".

Track listing[]

1. "Wonder Why" (Grant Cunningham, Matt Huesmann) - 4:00; Sung by Janna and Jody
2. "The Best Thing" (Mark Pennells, Zack Porter) - 4:55; Sung by Michael and Cherie
3. "By Heart, by Soul" (feat. Aaron Neville) (Stephanie Lewis, Phil Silas) - 4:08; All split lead
4. "Undeniably You" (Billy Chapin, Jim Cooper, Kevin Cyka, Tresa Jordan) - 3:57; Sung by Cherie
5. "I Don't Want to Go" (Jess Cates, Yanci) - 5:25; Sung by Janna
6. "Never Givin' Up" (Tommy Collier, Scott Faircloff, Tresa Jordan) - 4:26; All split lead
7. "Make It Last Forever" (Jess Cates, Michael Linney) - 3:23; Sung by Michael, Jody and Cherie
8. "The Glory" (Jim Cooper, Reggie Hamm) - 5:02; Sung by Jody and Cherie
9. "Oxygen" (Nik Kershaw, Richard Page) - 4:53; Sung by Michael and Janna
10. "Love Remains" (Randy Goodrum, Rob Mathes) - 4:31; Sung by Jody
11. "Come and Fill My Heart" (Cunningham, Huesmann) - 5:09; Sung by Michael
12. "Beyond the Clouds" (Hidden track) - 4:21; Sung by Janna and Cherie

Personnel[]

Avalon

• Janna Long – vocals
• Jody McBrayer – vocals
• Cherie Adams – vocals
• Michael Passons – vocals

Musicians

• Dan Needham – programming (1), synthesizer (4)
• Dan Muckala – programming (2, 3, 6, 7, 10)
• Blair Masters – synthesizer (2, 5), acoustic piano (5), keyboards (6, 9), additional keyboards (10)
• Jeff Savage – programming (4, 7)
• Bernie Herms – programming (5, 11)
• Alan Pasqua – keyboards (6, 8, 9)
• Phil Madeira – Hammond B3 organ (11)
• Chris Rodriguez – electric guitar (1, 3, 4), BGV arrangements (1), acoustic guitar (4, 10)
• Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (2, 6, 11), guitar (5, 10)
• Michael Thompson – electric guitar (3, 6-9), acoustic guitar (9)
• Tim Pierce – electric guitar (6-9), mandolin (8)
• Leland Sklar – bass (6, 8, 9)
• Steve Brewster – drums (5)
• Neal Wilkinson – drums (6, 8, 9)
• Chris McHugh – drums (11)
• Eric Darken – percussion (1, 2, 5)
• Luis Conte – percussion (6, 9)
• Patrick Kiernan – violin (7)
• Michael Mellett – BGV arrangements (1, 2, 4, 10)
• Carl Marsh – string arrangements (5, 11)
• Gavyn Wright – concertmaster (5, 11), violin (7)
• The London Session Orchestra – strings (5, 11)

Production

• Producer – Brown Bannister
• Executive Producer – Grant Cunningham
• Recorded and Mixed by Steve Bishir at The Sound Kitchen (Franklin, TN).
• Assistant Engineers – Bill Deaton, Patrick Kelly and Russ Long.
• Mix Assistant – Hank Nirider
• Strings on Tracks 5 & 11 recorded by Jonathan Allen, assisted by Andrew Dudman.
• Digital Editing – Fred Paragano
• Production Coordinator – Traci Bishir
• Art Direction – Jan Cook and Dan Harding
• Design – Dan Harding
• Photography – Matthew Barnes

Radio Singles[]

• "The Glory" +
• "Make It Last Forever" +
• "Wonder Why" +
• "Come and Fill My Heart" +
• "I Don't Want To Go" +
• "Undeniably You" +

+ Denotes #1 Radio Hit

Audience Reaction[]

Radio[]

Oxygen received a warm welcome from Christian radio, as the album now boasts six No. 1 radio hits^[2]—the most of any Avalon album to date. Highlights include:

• "The Glory", the first AC single from Oxygen, received 41 adds from all 41 reporting stations its debut week—the first single at radio to ever achieve 100% participation its first week. "Make It Last Forever", the single issued to CHR, received an initial 14 adds out of 19 reporting stations, giving Avalon a total of 55 adds in just one week. This is an unprecedented mark in not only Avalon's radio history, but for Christian radio as well.^[2]

Sales[]

Riding the momentum of its radio successes, Oxygen was an out-of-the-box bestseller. It sold more than 33,400 copies its first week of release,^[3] debuting at #37 on the Billboard 200^[4] and #1 on Billboard's Christian albums chart.^[5] Both chart positions represent the highest performances on their respective charts in the group's illustrious career.

References[]