Hero is the eighth album by Kirk Franklin, released October 4, 2005 on GospoCentric Records. Hero was certified as Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 2, 2005 and Platinum on December 14, 2006. it is one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time. In 2007, Hero won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album and "Imagine Me" won the Grammy Award for Best Gospel Song.
Kirk Franklin - Keyboards, Minimoog, Piano, Drum Programming Terry Baker - Drums Shaun Martin - Keyboards, Drum Programming, Minimoog, Programming, Drums Sheila E. - Percussion, Percussion Color Vidal Davis - Percussion, Additional Instruments Andre Harris - Percussion, Additional Instruments Ryan Toby - Percussion Jason Boyd - Percussion Braylon Lacy - Bass Guitar Doc Powell - Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar Jason Bell - Lead Guitar Jerome Harmon - Keyboards, Hammond B3 Ernie G - DJ, Keyboards, Programming Chris Godbey - Programming Humberto Ruiz - Trombone Lee Thornburg - Trumpet Paul Cerra - Saxophone Dave Monsch - Baritone Sax Jamie Hovorka - Trumpet
Orchestra Assa Drori – Violin Agnes Gottschewsky – Violin Armen Garabedian – Violin Elizabeth Wilson – Violin Sally Berman – Violin Brian Benning – Violin Irma Neumann – Violin Berj Garabedian – Violin Robert Brosseau – Violin Shari Zippert – Violin Kazi Pitelka – Viola Jorge Moraga – Viola Renita Koven – Viola Karie Prescott – Viola Cecilia Tsan – Cello Dan Smith – Cello Miguel Martinez – Cello Earl Madison – Cello Frances Liu – Contrabass Nicholas Phillippon – Contrabass Katie Kirkpatrick – Harp Gary Foster – Flute Sheridan Stokes – Flute Vince Trombetta, Jr. – Flute Larry Caplan – Flute Don Shelton – Clarinet Jeff Driskill – Alto Clarinet Phil Feather – Bass Clarinet/Oboe John Mitchell – E? Contrabass Clarinet/Bassoon David Duke – French horn John Reynolds – French horn Loren Marstellar – Baritone horn Chuck Koontz – Tuba Brent Fischer – cymbals/Timpani
