Keys to the Highway
Encyclopedia
Keys to the Highway is the title of a studio album by American
country music
artist, Rodney Crowell
. It was released in October 1989 by Columbia Records
(see 1989 in country music
). Expected by many to be as successful as his previous record-breaking album, Diamonds & Dirt
, It was not. It peaked at #15 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Many a Long and Lonesome Highway", "If Looks Could Kill", "My Past Is Present", "Now That We're Alone" and "Things I Wish I'd Said" were released as singles. The last single failed to reach the top 40.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
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, Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell
Rodney Crowell is a Grammy Award-winning musician, known primarily for his work as a singer and songwriter in country music....
. It was released in October 1989 by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
(see 1989 in country music
1989 in country music
This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 1989.-Events:* May 9 — Rising country star Keith Whitley is found dead at his home, a victim of alcohol poisoning. News of his death sent shockwaves through the industry, given that he had been hailed as a future...
). Expected by many to be as successful as his previous record-breaking album, Diamonds & Dirt
Diamonds & Dirt
Diamonds & Dirt is the title of an album released in 1988 by American singer-songwriter Rodney Crowell . His fifth studio album, it was also his second release for the Columbia Records label. The album was also his most successful, achieving RIAA gold certification...
, It was not. It peaked at #15 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Many a Long and Lonesome Highway", "If Looks Could Kill", "My Past Is Present", "Now That We're Alone" and "Things I Wish I'd Said" were released as singles. The last single failed to reach the top 40.
Track listing
All songs written By Rodney Crowell except when noted- "My Past Is Present" (Crowell, Steuart SmithSteuart SmithSteuart Smith is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, writer and producer currently working with American rock band the Eagles. Smith is from Arlington, VA.]].-Current work:...
) - 2:49 - "If Looks Could KillIf Looks Could Kill (Rodney Crowell song)"If Looks Could Kill" is a single by American country music artist Rodney Crowell. Released in January 1990, it was the second single from Crowell's album Keys to the Highway. The song reached #6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in May 1990 and #4 on the RPM Country Tracks chart...
" - 3:25 - "Soul Searchin'" - 3:57
- "Many a Long and Lonesome HighwayMany a Long and Lonesome Highway"Many a Long and Lonesome Highway" is a single by American country music artist Rodney Crowell. Released in September 1989, it was the first single from Crowell's album Keys to the Highway. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in January 1990 and #1 on the RPM...
" (Crowell, Will JenningsWill JenningsWilbur H. "Will" Jennings is an American songwriter who is popularly known for writing the lyrics for "My Heart Will Go On", the theme for the film Titanic .-Life and education:...
) - 4:16 - "We Gotta Go on Meeting Like This" (Crowell, Larry WilloughbyLarry WilloughbyLarry Willoughby is an American country music singer-songwriter and the vice president of A&R at Capitol Records.Willoughby's debut album, Building Bridges, was released in 1984 by Atlantic America...
) - 2:54 - "Faith Is Mine" - 4:29
- "Tell Me the Truth" (Crowell, Jim Hanson, Vince Santoro, Smith) - 3:35
- "Don't Let Your Feet Slow You Down" - 3:18
- "Now That We're Alone" - 4:14
- "Things I Wish I'd Said" - 4:08
- "I Guess We've Been Together for Too Long" (Guy ClarkGuy ClarkGuy Clark is an American Texas Country artist. In his career, he has released more than twenty albums, primarily on major labels. He has also written singles for other artists, including Ricky Skaggs, Steve Wariner and Rodney Crowell....
, Crowell) - 2:46 - "You Been on My Mind" - 3:28
Personnel
- Eddie Bayers - drums
- Barry BeckettBarry BeckettBarry Edward Beckett was a keyboardist who worked as a session musician with several notable artists on their studio albums...
- organ, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Ashley ClevelandAshley ClevelandAshley Cleveland is an American singer/songwriter perhaps best known as a background vocalist and Grammy-winning gospel singer. Ashley Cleveland was born in Knoxville, Tennessee...
- background vocals - Rodney Crowell - vocals, acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
- Hank DeVito - acoustic guitar, steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use...
- Paul FranklinPaul Franklin (musician)Paul Franklin is an American multi-instrumentalist, known mainly for his work as a steel guitarist. He began his career in the 1970s as a member of Barbara Mandrell's road band; in addition he toured with Mel Tillis and Jerry Reed. He has since become a prolific session musician in Nashville,...
- steel guitar - Vince GillVince GillVincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
- background vocals - Jim Hanson - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, background vocals - Mark O'ConnorMark O'ConnorMark O'Connor is an American bluegrass, jazz, country and classical violinist fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging, critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition...
- fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single... - Michael Rhodes - bass guitar
- Vince Santoro - drums
- Steuart SmithSteuart SmithSteuart Smith is a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, writer and producer currently working with American rock band the Eagles. Smith is from Arlington, VA.]].-Current work:...
- 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...
, acoustic guitar - Harry Stinson - background vocals
Album
| Chart (1989) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 15 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 180 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country 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... |
CAN Country RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
||
| 1989 | "Many a Long and Lonesome Highway" | 3 | 1 |
| 1990 | "If Looks Could Kill" | 6 | 4 |
| "My Past Is Present" | 22 | 12 | |
| "'Now That We're Alone" | 17 | 13 | |
| 1991 | "Things I Wish I'd Said" | 72 | — |