Kathleen Colleen ‘Kathy’ Troccoli was born on June 24, 1958
in Brooklyn, New York. According to
Wikipedia.org her Dad died of colon cancer when she was fifteen, and her Mom
died of breast cancer in 1991. Kathy’s
debut album STUBBORN LOVE came out in 1982.
Her 1991 album PURE ATTRACTION birthed the mainstream hit ‘Everything
Changes’ which hit #14 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1994 she released a self-titled album on
Reunion Records. In the liner notes, she
writes: “This album is dedicated to my 8th grade teacher, Rose
Czygier, for giving me my first glimpse of what God had in store for me”.
First up is the pop/dance number ‘Just You’, about love at
first sight: “Some girls need a little time/Some just can’t make up their
mind/When you came knocking at my door/Oh, this girl just knew for sure/It was
love, it was right/I knew you were now my once in a lifetime/It was love, it
was right/And I never looked behind me/Since you came and found me”. The gifted Diane Warren wrote ‘Tell Me Where
It Hurts’, a lovely ballad about emotional healing, with Dann Huff on guitars:
“Why don’t you tell me where it hurts now baby?/And I’ll do my best to make it
better/Yes, I’ll do my best to make the tears all go away/Just tell me where it
hurts, now tell me/And I’ll love you with a love so tender/And if you’ll let me
stay/I’ll love all of the hurt away”.
The Nashville String Machine is utilized on the ballad ‘If
I’m Not in Love with You’. It finds
Kathy thinking out loud: “Why do I go crazy every time I think about you
baby?/Why else do I want you like I do?/If I’m not in love with you/And if I
don’t need your touch/Why do I miss you so much tonight?/And if it’s just
infatuation then why is my heart achin’ to hold you forever?” ‘I’ll Be There (For You)’ is an upbeat R&B/pop
song about true friendship: “Who knows tomorrow?/Everyday there can be
change/And I know you’ve gone with me/Down many roads/And now that you’re here
in a place where you can’t see/Let me be what you’ve been to me/Gonna lead you
to a better day”. Background vocalists
used are: Donna McElroy, Michael Mellet, Ashley Cleveland, Kenny Greenberg, and
Michael Omartian.
‘All of My Life’ is one of two co-writes by Kathy and
Michael Omartian. He’s also one of the
producers on the album. Mark Douthit
plays saxophone on this ballad that is romantic: “Forgive me for all of the
ways that I’ve hurt you/You’re the last one I’d ever want to harm/Oh, I want
you back in my arms/All of the days of all of my life/I pray will be with you/All
of my nights right by your side/Never a time away from you and from the love we
share/Oh, now I know we’ll make it through/Spending all of the days of all of
my life with you”. ‘Takin’ A Chance’ was
written by Whitney Houston, BeBe Winans, and Keith Thomas. It’s a peppy pop song that reminds us love
can sometimes be a gamble: “There’s a chance that maybe once I could be wrong,
but I never felt so right/There’s a chance that maybe I’m risking much too
soon/But our hearts just fell in tune/Good things come to those who wait/I’m
just afraid that I might sit here and wait too late/So, I’m takin’ a chance on
loving you/No matter the price, I’ll pay my dues/I’m takin’ a chance on loving you/They
tell me I’m crazy”.
‘Mission of Love’ is a happy pop song with a spiritual
message: “I wanna find somebody/I wanna bare my soul/Wanna tell the world/So
the world will know/That I’m sending out my heart on a mission of love/Light
this single life/Turn this black to white/Reach into this desperate night/Cause
so many are all alone and tired of feeling cold/Living on their own”. ‘Never My Love’ was penned by Don and Dick
Addrisi and was a #1 hit for The Association in October of 1967. This quiet song is one of loving assurance:
“You ask me if there’ll come a time when I’ll grow tired of you/Never my love,
never/You wonder if this heart of mine will lose its desire for you/Never my
love (2X)/What makes you think love will end/When you know that my whole life
depends on you?”
Jerry McPherson plays guitar on ‘Fallin’’ which finds Kathy
head over heels: “When I’m down/Your voice can always soothe my soul/Without a
sound/You touch me and you let me know that you love me.../It’s like a dream
come true/Me and you...baby”. Last up is
‘My Life is in Your Hands’, one of two co-writes by Kathy and Bill Montvilo. This inspirational number would become a
signature song for Kathy. It offers
these words of personal testimony: “My life is in Your hands/My heart is in
Your keeping/I’m never without hope/Not when My future is with You/My life is
in Your hands/And though I may not see clearly/I will lift my voice and
sing/Cause Your love does amazing things/Lord, I know my life is in Your
hands.../So, I will find my rest and I will find my peace/Knowing that You’ll
meet my every need”.
If you think Christians should only sing songs about God,
you’ll be sorely disappointed with this album.
Eight of the ten songs here are mainstream songs. They celebrate love between women and men,
and also speak of romantic longing and heartache. One song speaks of the commitment friendship
takes. Musically, half of the album is
upbeat pop in nature, with the other half being pop and adult contemporary
ballads. Quality wise, the
instrumentation is superb and Kathy’s vocals are moving and soulful. The background vocals are also strong. The pictures of Kathy included with the CD
are beautiful. I’m rating KATHY TROCCOLI
95% and recommending it to fans of Amy Grant and Kim Boyce. For more info visit: www.kathytroccoli.com.