MORE THAN a decade and a half after Jesus Music pioneer Keith Green was tragically killed in an airplane accident; Sparrow Records are planning to put the spotlight back on the singer/songwriter. Sparrow Records are instigating a major new reissue campaign of Green's recordings of the 70s and '80s with The Songs Of Keith Green series. The series features four individual recordings based on the major themes of Green's ministry: worship, devotion, testimony and evangelism. Each full-length release will include at least three never-before-heard in-concert versions of Keith's most well known songs, as well as five to 10 minutes of Keith's teaching. The four 12-song albums are entitled: 'Oh Lord You're Beautiful: Songs Of Worship', 'Make My Life A Prayer To You: Songs Of Devotion', 'Because Of You: Songs Of Testimony', and 'Here I Am: Songs Of Evangelism'.

Bill Baumgart, director of A&R for Sparrow Records, oversaw the production of the four-album series, spending six months reviewing 150 hours of live recordings and all of Keith's studio releases to compile and edit this series. Since some of these recordings were nearly 20 years old, and not of the best quality, Baumgart's production team spent an extensive amount of time digitally restoring the masters.

"I was saved in 1981, so I was not directly impacted by Keith Green's ministry before he died in '82. But, coming to know him through this project has impacted my life in a truly profound way," Baumgart says.

Following the release of The Songs Of Keith Green series, Sparrow will announce the re-release of the acclaimed 'Ministry Years' box set in the winter of 1999. The 'Ministry Years', which was first issued in 1988, will be followed by a Keith Green video biography. This biography will mark the first time such a video on Green has been offered to the public.

All of these recordings will culminate with a brand new recording of Green's album, 'Songs For The Shepherd'. The album will be completely re-recorded by EMI Music Group's leading artists for a late summer/early autumn 1999 release.