Artist:The Imperials
Song:Wings of Love
Album:The Definitive Collection
The Imperials are a Southern Gospel group who adapted to changing musical trends. When they saw the rise of CCM in the 70s, they modernized their sound without alienating their Southern Gospel fanbase. The 1988 single Wings of Love topped the CCM chart. Jake Hess started The Imperials after leaving The Statesman Quartet in 1963. They toured with Elvis Presley from 1966-71. By that time, bass singer Armond Morales was the only original member. Seeing that the music was changing, he brought in Andrae Crouch & The Disciples member Sherman Andrus as lead singer. That's when they started recording "Jesus music" which would become CCM. Russ Taff was the key figure in this transformation when he became lead singer in 1976. That's when The Imperials signed with Word's Myrrh label. by the time Taff left to go solo in 1981, The Imperials had established themselves and Myrrh in CCM. Taff's replacement Paul Smith was lead singer of The Imperials until 1985. And he also wrote Wings of Love. That song was on the 1987 album This Year's Model. Ron Hemby was the lead singer. It topped the CCM charts. Brown Bannister produced the album. Keith Thomas played keyboards and wrote the arrangements. After Hemby left to join the country band The Buffalo Club, Morales turned The Imperials into a ministry group that sings. Morales retired in 2004. But he did return and retired again in 2018. Paul Smith is the current leader of The Imperials. This comp covers the Myrrh years and is available as a digital download. Here's The Imperials performing Wings of Love on PTL 1992. The members at the time were lead singer Jonathan Hildreth, Morales, his sister Pam Morales and David Will.
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