'The Prince Of Egypt': Three Times The Fun?

08/07/1998 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(8/7/98, 12 p.m. PDT) - Soundtracks and even soundtrack sequels are back in a big way, but would you believe three albums related to one film? That's what DreamWorks has planned for its first animated film, The Prince Of Egypt.

Aside from the usual soundtrack album, DreamWorks will release two albums featuring music "inspired by the film." One album will feature R&B, pop and gospel artists, while the second disc will consist of an all-star line-up of country performers.

What is being billed as the "inspirational" album will feature Boyz II Men, Kirk Franklin, DC Talk, Take 6, Jars Of Clay and others.

Jheryl Busby, the former chief of Motown Records who is now the head of DreamWorks black music efforts, obviously has high hopes for the projects. He calls the albums "two of the most exciting visual-to-music projects in the history of the music business."

The country album features such Nashville heavy-hitters as Vince Gill, Reba (one name only now, apparently), Randy Travis, Clint Black, Wynonna, Pam Tillis, Faith Hill, Alison Krauss, Mac McAnally, Beth Nielsen Chapman and Gary Chapman. DreamWorks Nashville label head James Stroud is executive producer of the album and co-produced several of its tracks.

Stroud is also quite proud of the project. "This is possibly the greatest group of Nashville artists that's ever been assembled for a record like this," he stated. "The country artists and songwriters who saw the film were immediately affected by it and wanted to be a part of this project."

Consumers will be able to decide for themselves when the albums are released sometime in "mid-Fall," preceding the December 18 opening of the film.