Free Flying Soul is the ninth studio release, and eighth full-length album, from Christian alternative rock band the Choir, released in 1996. It earned the band its first industry recognition with a Dove Award win. Background After the release of Speckled Bird, lead singer and guitarist Derri Daugherty and drummer and lyricist Steve Hindalong regrouped to work on their second worship album, At the Foot of the Cross, Volume Two: Seven Last Words of Christ. Unlike Volume One, which was released on the band's Glasshouse Records label, then sold poorly and quickly went out of print, Volume Two would get a larger release on Myrrh Records, with greater label support, including a radio special. The album included more high-profile contemporary Christian and black gospel artists including Bryan Duncan, Babbie Mason, Charlie Peacock, Anointed, Brent Bourgeois (from Bourgeois Tagg) and Marty McCall (from First Call). Daugherty and Hindalong then followed up with the Christmas-themed Noel, another multi-artist effort which included Kevin Max (from DC Talk), Buddy and Julie Miller, Riki Michele (from Adam Again) and Michael Pritzl (from the Violet Burning). After the Choir's one-off deal with R.E.X. Records for the release of Speckled Bird, Daugherty and Hindalong signed a new publishing deal with Benson Records. Because Benson was looking to expand their roster of alternative rock artists, they hired saxophone and Lyricon player Dan Michaels — who had gained plenty of marketing and A&R experience running the Glasshouse label — to lead the new Tattoo Records imprint. To successfully launch the new label, it made sense that the first release should be from an established artist. As a result, the Choir went to work on their next album, which would turn out to be their last for a Christian record company. Recording and production Free Flying Soul was recorded in a scant six weeks. As Hindalong only had lyrics for "Polar Boy" and "The Chicken" going into the studio, he initially thought that it would result in a record with a much darker mood. However, Daugherty was in a very positive place after the recent birth of his daughter, so his contributions were "warm, whimsical chord progressions." Even though the band flew in bass guitarist Tim Chandler for three weeks, then followed up the balance of recording with Wayne Everett in an attempt to "rough up" and "ruin things a bit," the tone of the album turned out much more