Hero is the eighth album by Kirk Franklin, released October 4, 2005 on GospoCentric Records. Hero was certified as Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on and Platinum on . it is one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time. In 2007, Hero won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album and "Imagine Me" won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song.
Synopsis Produced by Franklin and co-produced by Shaun Martin and Chris Godbey, the album features songs with several urban contemporary gospel and R&B artists including Dorinda Clark-Cole, Tye Tribbett, Marvin Winans (member of the Winans), Stevie Wonder, Yolanda Adams, and J. Moss.
Track listing # TitleTimeNotes 1. "Intro (America the Beautiful)" 0:45 Vocals by the African Children’s Choir; written by Katharine Lee Bates and Samuel A. Ward 2. "Looking for You" 4:06 Samples "Haven't You Heard" written by Rushen, Charles Mims, Sheree Brown, Freddie Washington as performed by Patrice Rushen and appears on the soundtrack to "Norbit"; written by Kirk Franklin. 3. "Hero" (featuring Dorinda Clark Cole) 5:20Written by Franklin 4. "Interlude #1" (featuring Fred Hammond)0:55Written by Franklin 5. "Let It Go" (featuring Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D. and tobyMac) 4:59 Samples "Shout" written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley as performed by Tears for Fears; written by Franklin 6. "The Process" 1:08 7. "Imagine Me" 5:18 2007 Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song; written by Franklin 8. "Could've Been" (featuring J Moss and Tye Tribbett) 6:47Written by Franklin 9. "Better" 4:00 Produced & Written by Dre & Vidal and Kirk Franklin 10. "Afterwhile" (featuring Yolanda Adams) 2:51Written by Franklin 11. "Brokenhearted" (featuring Marvin L. Winans) 6:01Written by Franklin 12. "Without You" 5:02Written by Franklin 13. "Keep Your Head" 4:36Samples Keep Your Head to the Sky by Earth, Wind, and Fire 14. "Why" (featuring Stevie Wonder) 4:36Samples Free by Deniece Williams 15. "First Love" 5:52Written by Franklin 16. "The Appeal" 7:21Written by Franklin 17. "Brokenhearted (Reprise)" 1:09 18. "Interlude #2" 0:30 19. "Sunshine" 4:59 Samples "You Bring The Sun Out" written by Jessy Dixon and Tom Snow as performed by Randy Crawford and Say You Love Me written by D. J. Rogers as performed by Jennifer Holliday; written by Franklin and Ernie Green 20. "Outro" 1:11Written by Kerrion Franklin
Personnel *Note: Personnel listing from Hero album liner.
Vocalists Ashley Guilbert Nikki Ross Daphanie Wright Anaysha Figueroa Faith Anderson Erica Davis Jana Bell Charmaine Swimpson Isaac Carree Eric Moore Jason Champion Anthony Evans Myron Butler
Instrumentalists Kirk Franklin - Keyboards, Minimoog, Piano, Drum Programming Terry Baker - Drums Shaun Martin - Keyboards, Drum Programming, Minimoog, Programming, Drums Jerome Harmon - Keyboards, Hammond B3 Braylon Lacy - Bass Guitar Doc Powell - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar Ernie G - DJ, Keyboards, Programming Jason Bell - Lead Guitar Sheila E. - Percussion, Percussion Color Chris Godbey - Programming Vidal Davis - Percussion, Additional Instruments Andre Harris - Percussion, Additional Instruments Ryan Toby - Percussion Jason Boyd - Percussion Humberto Ruiz - Trombone Lee Thornburg - Trumpet Paul Cerra - Saxophone Dave Monsch - Baritone Sax Jamie Hovorka - Trumpet
Orchestra Assa Drori – Violin Agnes Gottschewsky – Violin Armen Garabedian – Violin Elizabeth Wilson – Violin Sally Berman – Violin Brian Benning – Violin Irma Neumann – Violin Berj Garabedian – Violin Robert Brosseau – Violin Shari Zippert – Violin Kazi Pitelka – Viola Jorge Moraga – Viola Renita Koven – Viola Karie Prescott – Viola Cecilia Tsan – Cello Dan Smith – Cello Miguel Martinez – Cello Earl Madison – Cello Frances Liu – Contrabass Nicholas Phillippon – Contrabass Katie Kirkpatrick – Harp Gary Foster – Flute Sheridan Stokes – Flute Vince Trombetta, Jr. – Flute Larry Caplan – Flute Don Shelton – Clarinet Jeff Driskill – Alto Clarinet Phil Feather – Bass Clarinet/Oboe John Mitchell – E♭ Contrabass Clarinet/Bassoon David Duke – French horn John Reynolds – French horn Loren Marstellar – Baritone horn Chuck Koontz – Tuba Brent Fischer – cymbals/Timpani
Notable singles Hero featured the singles "Looking for You" and "Imagine Me". "Looking for You" was released as a single on September 20, 2005 in the U.S. and was a top-five hit on the Billboard'''s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
ChartsHero peaked at No. 13 on The Billboard 200 chart on , It also reached No. 4 on the Billboard'' Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Weekly charts Chart (2005) Peak position
Year-end charts Chart (2006) Position US Billboard 200 108 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) 32
Decade-end charts Chart (2000–2009)PeakpositionUS Top Gospel Albums (Billboard)5
Awards
In 2006, the album won a Dove Award for Urban Album of the Year at the 37th GMA Dove Awards. The song "Looking for You" also won a Dove Award for Urban Recorded Song of the Year.37th Annual GMA Dove Awards Nominations & Winners on About.com; Jones, Kim
References
External links