Never Picture Perfect

Never Picture Perfect
Studio album by Rich Mullins
Released	December 1, 1989
Recorded	1989
Studio	OmniSound Recording Studios and Digital Recorders (Nashville, Tennessee) Big Dog Studio (Wichita, Kansas) The Pond (Franklin, Tennessee)
Genre	Contemporary Christian music
Length	37:27
Label	Reunion
Producer	Reed Arvin
Rich Mullins chronology
Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988) Never Picture Perfect (1989) The World as Best as I Remember It (1991-1992)

Never Picture Perfect is the fourth solo album by songwriter Rich Mullins^[1] and was released in 1989 on Reunion Records.

Track listing

All songs written by Rich Mullins.

Side one

1. "I Will Sing" – 1:27
2. "Hope To Carry On" – 2:33
3. "While The Nations Rage" – 4:50
4. "First Family" – 3:06
5. "Alrightokuhhuhamen" – 4:12

Side two

1. "Higher Education and The Book of Love" – 5:47
2. "Bound to Come Some Trouble" – 3:41
3. "The Love of God" – 2:48
4. "My One Thing" – 3:42
5. "Somewhere" – 4:32
6. "The Love of God (Reprise)" – 0:49

Personnel

• Rich Mullins – lead vocals, acoustic piano (4, 7, 8), hammered dulcimer (9)
• Reed Arvin – keyboards (2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10), Synclavier (3, 5, 6, 9, 10), string arrangements
• Jerry McPherson – guitars (2–6, 9, 10), mandolin (10)
• Mark O'Connor – mandolin (4), fiddle (4)
• Tom Hemby – guitar solo (9)
• Jimmie Lee Sloas – bass (2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10)
• Danny O'Lannerghty – bass (4)
• Paul Leim – drums (2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10)
• Bill Sinclair – harmonica (5, 9)
• Ed Calle – saxophone (6)
• Kristin Wilkinson – string contractor
• Ashley Cleveland – featured vocals (1)
• Pam Tillis – featured vocals (1)
• Richard Gibson – backing vocals (1)
• Donny Monk – backing vocals (1)
• Guy Penrod – backing vocals (1)
• Jon Sherberg – backing vocals (1)
• Gary Smith – backing vocals (1)
• Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals (2, 6)
• Bonnie Keen – backing vocals (5, 9)
• Marabeth Jordan – backing vocals (5, 9)
• Marty McCall – backing vocals (5, 9)
• Margaret Becker – backing vocals (6)

Production

• Michael Blanton – executive producer
• Terry Hemmings – executive producer
• Reed Arvin – producer
• Bill Deaton – engineer, mixing
• Brent King – additional engineer
• Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
• D.L. Rhodes – cover coordinator
• Jackson Design – art direction, design
• Mark Tucker – photography

References

1. Colgan, Craig (January 5, 1991). "Mullins To Perform In Vero Beach". Indian River Press Journal. Retrieved August 1, 2025.