Stephen Bishop bows out gracefully on “THIMK”
After 50 years in the music business, Stephen Bishop is stepping away gracefully on his final album.
For “THIMK,” the 73-year-old California native gets by with a little help from his friends like Art Garfunkel, Michael McDonald, Sting, Eric Clapton, Graham Nash, Kenny Loggins and Christopher Cross.
Bishop’s 20th album serves as a celebration of a fruitful recording and songwriting career that originated with the release of “Careless” in 1976 and featured the hits “On and On” and “Save It for a Rainy Day.”
To mark his recording farewell, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter unveils previously unreleased arrangements and reworked select tracks from past albums.
“Now That I’ve Hit the Big Time” opens the album with Sting providing backing vocals and Clapton playing guitar as Bishop sings sentimentally about his mother’s influence and his humble nature when he confesses, “And now that I’ve hit the big time/Seems like the big time still hasn’t hit me.”
Originally released on Bishop’s second album from 1978, “Only the Heart Within You” once again possesses the angelic voice of Garfunkel to accompany Bishop on this beautiful arrangement that is as moving as ever.
“Liz (So in Love With You)” is a touching love letter to his wife and manager. It demonstrates the type of love that makes you better and grows stronger each day as Bishop declares, “All I long for is your embrace.”
The love songs freely flow as Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell of America lend their voices to “Really Wanting You,” and Nash assists on “She’ll Always Be My Girl.”
“It Might Be You” gets a stripped-down reworking that adds to the hit’s intimacy, with Bishop proclaiming, “I’ve been saving love songs and lullabies.”
Bishop closes the set with a personal message of thanks to his fans before seamlessly transitioning to friend Jimmy Webb on piano, playing out the set with “On and On.”
It’s a satisfying conclusion to a collection that brings plenty of love and sunshine to each crafted number.
Clinton Rhodes is a freelance writer who lives in Belle Vernon.