Simple Things (Amy Grant album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Simple Things
| type = Studio
| artist = Amy Grant
| cover = Simple Things.jpg
| border = yes
| alt =
| released = August 19, 2003
| recorded = 2002–2003
| studio =
- The Bennett House, Franklin
- Sound Kitchen, Franklin
- The Beanstalk, Franklin
- The Parlor, Nashville
- Ocean Way, Nashville
| genre = Pop, contemporary Christian music
| length = 39:52
| label = A&M
| producer = {{flatlist|
- Keith Thomas
- Wayne Kirkpatrick
- Brown Bannister
- Ron Hemby
}}
| prev_title = Legacy... Hymns and Faith
| prev_year = 2002
| next_title = Greatest Hits 1986–2004
| next_year = 2004
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}} {{Allmusic|class=album|id=mw0000041116 |label=Review |first=Daniel |last=Malich |accessdate=30 April 2021 }}
}}
Simple Things is the fifteenth studio album by CCM singer-songwriter Amy Grant, released in 2003.
Simple Things did not have the effect of Grant's previous pop efforts from the 1990s. The album topped Billboard{{'}}s Christian album chart and the title track became a Top Ten Christian single, Simple Things peaked just outside the Top 20 on the Billboard 200, at No. 23. The title track peaked at the same position on the AC chart.
Track listing
{{track listing
| headline =
| title1 = Happy
| writer1 = Amy Grant, Holly Lamar, Jerry McPherson, Keith Thomas
| length1 = 4:10
| title2 = Eye to Eye
| writer2 = Grant, Thomas
| length2 = 3:58
| title3 = Simple Things
| writer3 = Grant, Dillon O'Brian, William Owsley, Thomas
| length3 = 3:58
| title4 = Beautiful
| writer4 = Austin Cunningham, Trina Harmon
| length4 = 4:11
| title5 = Out in the Open
| writer5 = Grant, Chris Eaton
| length5 = 4:37
| title6 = I Don't Know Why
| writer6 = Grant, Wayne Kirkpatrick
| length6 = 3:31
| title7 = Looking for You
| writer7 = Grant, Thomas
| length7 = 4:12
| title8 = Touch
| writer8 = Grant, McPherson, O'Brian, Owsley, Thomas
| length8 = 3:28
| title9 = Innocence Lost
| writer9 = Ron Hemby
| length9 = 4:20
| title10 = After the Fire
| writer10 = Grant
| length10 = 3:21
|}}
Personnel
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Amy Grant – lead vocals, backing vocals (5, 7), acoustic guitar (10)
- Keith Thomas – keyboards (1-4, 7-9), programming (1, 2, 4, 8, 9), drum programming (2, 3, 7), bass programming (3, 7), acoustic guitar (7, 8)
- Jeffrey Roach – keyboards (6)
- Bruce Gaitsch – acoustic guitar (1, 3)
- Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (1, 3, 7-9)
- Kenny Greenberg – electric guitar (1-3, 7-9)
- Will Owsley – electric guitar (1-3), backing vocals (1), acoustic guitar (2), lead guitar solo (3)
- Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar (2)
- Pat Buchanan – acoustic guitar (4)
- Tom Bukovac – acoustic guitar (4), electric guitar (4)
- Vince Gill – acoustic guitar solo (4), guest vocals (4), backing vocals (7), mandolin (8)
- Gordon Kennedy – guitars (5), electric guitar (6)
- Tim Pierce – guitars (5)
- Wayne Kirkpatrick – acoustic guitar (6), backing vocals (6)
- Ron Hemby – acoustic guitar (9), nylon guitar (9), bass (9), drums (9)
- Tommy Sims – bass (1, 2, 8)
- Craig Nelson – bass (4)
- Leland Sklar – bass (5)
- Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (6)
- Chad Cromwell – drums (1, 7)
- Chris McHugh – drum programming (2), drums (4-6)
- Mark Hammond – drums (8)
- Eric Darken – percussion (1, 2, 5, 7-9)
- David Browning – percussion (2)
- Rebecca Owsley – backing vocals (1)
- Katy Hudson – backing vocals (2)
- Tiffany Arbuckle Lee – backing vocals (2, 3)
- Becky Corcoran – backing vocals (3)
- Kim Keyes – backing vocals (6)
- Felicia Sorensen – backing vocals (7, 8)
{{div col end}}
Production
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
- Keith Thomas – executive producer, producer (1-4, 7-10), mixing
- Brown Bannister – producer (5)
- Wayne Kirkpatrick – producer (6)
- Ron Hemby – co-producer (9)
- Bill Whittington – engineer (1-4, 7-10), mixing
- Steve Bishir – engineer (5)
- James "JB" Baird – engineer (6)
- Greg Fogie – assistant engineer (1-4, 7-10)
- Kevin Edlin – assistant engineer (1-4, 7-10)
- David Streit – assistant engineer (1-4, 7-10)
- Hank Nirider – assistant engineer (5)
- Chris Yoakum – ProTools editing, MIDI technician
- Scott Hull – mastering at The Hit Factory (New York City, New York)
- Shaun Shankel – production coordinator (1-4, 7-10)
- Darryl Bush – production coordinator (1-4, 7-10)
- Jennifer Sigler – production coordinator (1-4, 7-10)
- Traci Sterling Bishir – production manager (5)
- D'Ann McAllister – production assistance (6)
- Susan Browne – package design
- Sam Jones – photography
- Charles Dujic – stylist
- Jeanne Yang – stylist
- Kendra Richards – make-up
{{div col end}}
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Chart ! Peak |
|---|
| rowspan="3"| 2003
{{albumchart|BillboardChristian|1|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB1|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| {{albumchart|BillboardAlbumSales|23|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB2|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| {{albumchart|Billboard200|23|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB3|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable" |
| Title
! Date ! Chart ! Peak |
|---|
| rowspan="3"|"Simple Things"
| August 15, 2003 {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary|23|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB4|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| rowspan="2"|August 29, 2003
{{singlechart|Billboardchristianairplay|7|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB5|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardchristiansongs|7|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB6|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| rowspan="2"|"Out In the Open"
| rowspan="2"|February 20, 2004 {{singlechart|Billboardchristiansongs|24|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB7|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardchristianairplay|24|artist=Amy Grant|refname=BB8|accessdate=April 30, 2021}} |