If That Ain't Country
Encyclopedia
If That Ain't Country is the title of a studio album recorded by American country music
artist Anthony Smith. It was released in 2002 on Mercury Nashville Records as his only studio album. Three singles were released from it: the title track, followed by "John J. Blanchard" and "Half a Man". Respectively, these reached #26, #40 and #40 on the Hot Country Songs
charts.
on his 2002 debut album Then Came the Night
under the title "The Mind of John J. Blanchard", and "What Brothers Do" by Confederate Railroad
from their 2001 album Unleashed. Confederate Railroad also released this song as a single that year. Two more would later be recorded by other artists as well. Sammy Kershaw
recorded "Metropolis" on his 2003 album I Want My Money Back
, as did Trace Adkins
on his 2005 album Songs About Me
, while Trisha Yearwood
recorded "Who Invented the Wheel" on her 2005 album Jasper County
.
gave the album a five-star review, saying in her review "With 12 awesome tracks and a wonderful baritone
voice, Anthony Smith is decidedly modern while also having some 'outlaw' country tendencies." Dan MacIntosh of Country Standard Time
gave a positive review, saying that Smith "writes and sings songs with an expressively blues-y voice, voicing lyrics that incorporate plenty of humor and real heart."
Catt Gravitt
Liana Manis
Jill Terry
Melodie Crittenden
Tammy Jo Atkins
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
artist Anthony Smith. It was released in 2002 on Mercury Nashville Records as his only studio album. Three singles were released from it: the title track, followed by "John J. Blanchard" and "Half a Man". Respectively, these reached #26, #40 and #40 on the Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales...
charts.
Content
Two of this album's tracks were previously recorded by other artists: "John J. Blanchard" by Tommy Shane SteinerTommy Shane Steiner
Tommy Shane Steiner is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 2001 with the single "What If She's an Angel", which reached a peak of #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
on his 2002 debut album Then Came the Night
Then Came the Night
Then Came the Night is the debut album of American country music artist Tommy Shane Steiner, released in 2002 on RCA Records. It features the single "What If She's an Angel", a #2 hit for Steiner on the Hot Country Songs charts in late 2001-early 2002...
under the title "The Mind of John J. Blanchard", and "What Brothers Do" by Confederate Railroad
Confederate Railroad
Confederate Railroad is an American country rock band founded in 1987 in Marietta, Georgia by Danny Shirley , Michael Lamb , Mark Dufresne , Chris McDaniel , Warren "Gates" Nichols and Wayne Secrest...
from their 2001 album Unleashed. Confederate Railroad also released this song as a single that year. Two more would later be recorded by other artists as well. Sammy Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw
Samuel Paul "Sammy" Kershaw is an American country music artist. A third cousin of Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw and ex-husband of Lorrie Morgan, he has been active in country music since 1991. He has released ten studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications...
recorded "Metropolis" on his 2003 album I Want My Money Back
I Want My Money Back
I Want My Money Back is the title of an album released in 2003 by American country music artist Sammy Kershaw. His first album for Audium/Koch Entertainment, it produced two singles on the Billboard country charts: the title track at #33 and "I've Never Been Anywhere" at #58.Two songs on this album...
, as did Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
on his 2005 album Songs About Me
Songs About Me
-Personnel:*Larry Beaird - acoustic guitar*Bruce Bouton - Dobro, steel guitar*Mike Brignardello - bass guitar*Pat Buchanan - electric guitar*Tom Bukovac - electric guitar*Perry Coleman - background vocals*J.T...
, while Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
recorded "Who Invented the Wheel" on her 2005 album Jasper County
Jasper County (album)
Jasper County is the ninth studio album by country singer Trisha Yearwood. It was Yearwood's first studio album in four years since 2001's Inside Out....
.
Critical reception
Shelly Fabian of About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
gave the album a five-star review, saying in her review "With 12 awesome tracks and a wonderful baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
voice, Anthony Smith is decidedly modern while also having some 'outlaw' country tendencies." Dan MacIntosh of Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
gave a positive review, saying that Smith "writes and sings songs with an expressively blues-y voice, voicing lyrics that incorporate plenty of humor and real heart."
Track listing
- "Who Invented the Wheel" (Anthony Smith, Craig WisemanCraig WisemanCraig Michael Wiseman is an American country music songwriter. Active since the late 1980s as a songwriter, he has had his songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, and several other acts....
, Bobby Terry) – 3:32 - "If That Ain't Country" (Smith, Jeffrey SteeleJeffrey SteeleJeffrey LeVasseur is an American country music singer and songwriter, more commonly known by the name Jeffrey Steele...
) – 3:52 - "John J. Blanchard" (Smith, Chris Wallin) – 3:56
- "Impossible to Do" (Smith, Wallin, Tony Lane) – 4:35
- "Half a Man" (Smith) – 3:05
- "Metropolis" (Smith, Wallin) – 3:13
- "Up to the Depth" (Smith, Wallin, Bobby Terry) – 4:19
- "Airborn" (Smith) – 3:58
- "What Brothers Do" (Smith, Wallin) – 4:03
- "Hell of a Question" (Smith, John Burchett) – 4:09
- "Venus" (Smith, Wallin) – 3:33
- "Infinity" (Smith) – 4:08
Personnel
As listed in liner notes.- Shannon Forest — drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Mark Hammond — drum loops
- Shelby Kennedy — background vocals on "Venus"
- Jami McMahon — background vocals on "Infinity" and "If That Ain't Country"
- Russell Terrell — background vocals
- Anthony Smith — vocals; electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
on "Impossible to Do" - Bobby Terry — background vocals, all other instruments
Additional musicians
Background vocals and handclaps and foot stomping and crowd noise on "If That Ain't Country":Catt Gravitt
Liana Manis
Jill Terry
Melodie Crittenden
Tammy Jo Atkins
Chart performance
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 26 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers | 16 |