Michael Whitaker Smith became one of the most enduringly popular artists on the contemporary christian front and also found considerable success as a mainstream artist. In 1981, he signed to Meadowgreen Music as a staff writer, providing gospel hits to such artists as Sandi Patty, Kathy Troccoli, Bill Gaither, and Amy Grant. His 1983 debut album, The Michael W. Smith Project, garnered him a Grammy nomination for Best Gospel Performance. Afterward, he changed musical directions and began recording more rock-oriented music in order to reach a younger audience. As a result, some of his songs became more secular and began breaking through to mainstream audiences. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi