Barbara Mandrell

Gaither Music Group and Capitol Christian reissue country queen Barbara Mandrell's 1989 album Precious Memories: 20 Hymns and Gospel Classics on CD and digital formats.  The double-record set was originally issued by the mail-order Heartland Music label, and heavily promoted on radio and television at the time.  It was produced by Barbara's longtime collaborator Tom Collins who had helmed 19 albums and such hits for her as "Standing Room Only," "Sleeping Single in a Double Bed," "Years," and "I Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool."  Precious Memories was an album close to the singer's heart as her second LP of gospel recordings following 1982's He Set My Life to Music. Recording at Nashville's Groundstar Laboratories, she was accompanied by such key players as "Nashville cat" David Briggs, Toto's David Hungate, the TCB Band's David Ogdin, Steppenwolf's Larry Byrom, and producer-arranger Shane Keister on the collection of 20 inspirational favorites, all rendered by Mandrell in heartfelt style.  Tracks included "The Old Rugged Cross," "Peace in the Valley," "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," "Farther Along," and the title song.