"What a Difference You've Made in My Life" is an inspirational song written by Archie Jordan and first made famous by two artists during 1977: then-teenage Christian music singer Amy Grant and country music singer Ronnie Milsap.
"What a Difference You've Made in My Life" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Ronnie Milsap | ||||
from the album It Was Almost Like a Song | ||||
B-side | "Selfish" | |||
Released | November 1977 | |||
Recorded | April 1977 | |||
Genre | Country, inspirational | |||
Length | 3:59 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | Archie Jordan | |||
Producer(s) | Ronnie Milsap, Tom Collins | |||
Ronnie Milsap singles chronology | ||||
|
Song history
editAmy Grant's version was included on her self-titled debut album, which was sold largely in Christian bookstores and outlets. The song was released as a single to Christian-oriented radio stations, charted at No. 5 on the US Christian charts, and helped Grant become well known in what was then a small sub-genre of religious-themed music.[citation needed]
However, Milsap's version became better-known. It was released in November 1977 as the second single from the album It Was Almost Like a Song. The song soon scored the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was his ninth No. 1 song on that chart. Milsap re-recorded the song for his 2009 country gospel album, Then Sings My Soul.
In 1978, B. J. Thomas covered the song on his Happy Man album, which became a Top 10 Christian hit.
Chart history
editChart (1977–1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles[1] | 1 |
US Billboard Hot 100[2] | 80 |
Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
Canadian RPM Top Singles | 96 |
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Tracks | 43 |
References
edit- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 232.
- ^ "Ronnie Milsap Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.