I Still Believe ― A Memoir of Wreckage, Recovery, and Relentless Love

Faith. Fame. Abuse. Shame. Alcoholism. Recovery. Redemption. This is the captivating, untold story of Christian music legend, Russ Taff.

I Still Believe is a story that spans decades of multiple Grammy winner and Christian music icon Russ Taff's life, told from the first-hand perspective of Russ and his wife, Tori. You’ve seen the movie; now get the complete, unflinchingly honest details of the journey from childhood abuse to massive success with music, from the searing pain of addiction to his hard-won recovery. Russ opens up in-depth for the first time about the shame and trauma that irrefutably impacted his faith, his family, and his career. But woven throughout I Still Believe is a miraculous testament to the power of love—from God, family, and friends, but especially from Tori, who was fierce in her love for her best friend who was slowly disappearing before her eyes. And how this relentless love and a lot of hard work, have helped Russ move out of hiding and into the light of recovery and acceptance.

Above all, this is a story about hope. Hope for anyone who feels they have been hurt too badly, fallen too far, or caused too much damage along the way. This memoir stands as a testament that there is always a reason to believe that life and marriage can be saved. Russ and Tori’s beautifully broken story will encourage any reader that there is no need to be defined or held back by the trauma of the past; instead, life can be rooted in and restored through faith, recovery, love, and the promise that God will never let you go.

Read more about the I Still Believe film in this article from The Tennessean: http://bit.ly/TNTaffFilm

Russ Taff is a legend in Gospel and Contemporary Christian music. He first gained recognition as lead vocalist for The Imperials (1977–81). He has also been a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, and occasionally tours with Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts. As a solo artist and songwriter, Taff released three of CCM’s most critically-acclaimed projects in the mid-Eighties, and is best known for the unity anthem “We Will Stand.” He and his wife Tori have been married for 43 years and reside in Bell Buckle, Tennessee.

Mark Smeby has been a Nashville-based writer and musician for the past 25 years, covering trends and artists throughout the years, including writing for dozens of magazines, online outlets, and record labels. As an artist, Smeby is focused on the topic of hope, desiring to encourage people that choosing hope is always a viable option. Hear his daily doses of hope in the “Live Hope Minute” daily radio feature, free mobile app, or one-year hardcover devotional.