Winds of Change (Russ Taff album)
# Winds of Change (Russ Taff album)

Winds of Change is the seventh studio album by singer-songwriter Russ Taff, released in 1995 on Reprise/Warner Bros. Nashville. It is Taff's first, and only, full-length mainstream country album. The title song and "I Cry" are the only two songs from his 1989 album The Way Home that he re-recorded for this album. The first country single "Love Is Not a Thing" debuted on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart on January 14, 1995, at number 64, peaking at number 53 on February 25, 1995, spending a total of 9 weeks. "One and Only Love" and "Bein' Happy" were also released as singles and music videos performing moderately well on country radio and CMT. Well-known country songwriter/producer/musician Randy Scruggs produced the album's first six tracks, while Taff and his long-time guitarist James Hollihan, Jr. produced the remaining four tracks.

## Track listing

* Tracks 1 - 6 produced by Randy Scruggs
* Tracks 7 - 10 produced by Russ Taff and James Hollihan, Jr.

## Personnel

* Russ Taff – lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar
* Larry Hall – acoustic piano
* James Hollihan Jr. – acoustic piano, keyboards, organ, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, slide guitar, bass, percussion, string arrangements
* John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano
* Steve Nathan – keyboards, organ
* Matt Rollings – acoustic piano
* Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitar
* Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
* Randy Scruggs – electric guitar
* Jerry Douglas – dobro
* Terry Crisp – steel guitar
* Paul Franklin – steel guitar
* Al Perkins – steel guitar
* Mike Brignardello – bass
* Jackie Street – bass
* Willie Weeks – bass
* John Hammond – drums
* Paul Leim – drums
* Tom Roady – percussion
* Rob Hajacos – fiddle
* John Darnall – string conductor
* Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor
* Nashville String Machine – strings
* Michael Black – backing vocals
* Cynthia Clawson – backing vocals
* Michael English – backing vocals
* Bonnie Keen – backing vocals
* Mac McAnally – backing vocals
* Jonell Mosser – backing vocals
* John Wesley Ryles – backing vocals
* Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
* Curtis Young – backing vocals

Production

* Doug Grau – executive producer, A&R
* Lynn Fuston – recording
* James Hollihan Jr. – recording
* Russ Long – recording
* Ron "Snake" Reynolds – recording
* Paul "Salvo" Salveson – recording
* Steve Tillisch – recording, mixing
* Brian Hardin – second engineer
* Benny Quinn – digital editing and mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
* Laura LiPuma-Nash – art direction, design
* Peter Nash – photography
* Zack Glickman – management
* Walt Quinn – management

## Critical reception

Tim Griggs of AllMusic said "With the aid of Nashville's elite studio musicians, Russ Taff makes a joyful noise on 'Bein' Happy,' the album opener on Winds of Change. Taff and gang then tackle topics such a marriage, love, and heartache with mixed results."

## Singles

| Year | Single | Position |
| - | - | - |
| 1995 | "Love Is Not a Thing" | 53 |
| 1995 | "One and Only Love" | 51 |
| 1995 | "Bein' Happy" | 66 |
