Lonely Grill
Encyclopedia
Lonely Grill is the third album released by American country group Lonestar
, released in the United States
on June 1, 1999
by BNA Records
. It reached number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, and number three on Hot Country Albums. With sales of three million copies in the United States, it has been certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.
Hot Country Songs
charts, all other singles from this album reached number 1 on that same chart. "Amazed" was also the group's biggest crossover hit, also peaking at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
and number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
charts. Also included on this album is an acoustic rendition of the group's late-1998 hit "Everything's Changed" (from their Crazy Nights
album). Dann Huff
produced all but the last track, which was produced by Sam Ramage and Bob Wright.
This was Lonestar's first album after the departure of bass guitarist John Rich
, who recorded a solo album for BNA that same year before pairing up with Big Kenny in the duo Big & Rich
. Richie McDonald
sings lead on all the tracks here, and studio bass guitarists are used in Rich's place.
of Allmusic wrote that Lonestar "take[s] a middle ground, moving back toward hardcore country while retaining elements of the pop sheen of Crazy Nights
. The results aren't always successful, but overall, the album is stronger than its immediate predecessor."
Lonestar
Lonestar is an American country music group consisting of Richie McDonald , Michael Britt , Keech Rainwater , Dean Sams , and Michael Hill . McDonald left the band in November 2007 for a solo career before returning in 2011...
, released in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on June 1, 1999
1999 in music
-Events:*January 7**After eight years of marriage, Rod Stewart and supermodel wife Rachel Hunter announce their separation.**Paul McCartney attends the first of his stepdaughter Heather's first housewares collection in Georgia....
by BNA Records
BNA Records
BNA Records, formerly known as BNA Entertainment, is a label group that shares ties with Arista Nashville and RCA Nashville from parent company Sony Music Nashville, which itself is a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, BNA features country music acts on its roster...
. It reached number twenty-eight on the Billboard Hot 200 album chart, and number three on Hot Country Albums. With sales of three million copies in the United States, it has been certified 3× Platinum by the RIAA.
Content
The singles released from Lonely Grill were, in order of release, "Saturday Night", "Amazed", "Smile", "What About Now", and "Tell Her". While "Saturday Night" peaked at number 47 on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
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, all other singles from this album reached number 1 on that same chart. "Amazed" was also the group's biggest crossover hit, also peaking at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number 2 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
charts. Also included on this album is an acoustic rendition of the group's late-1998 hit "Everything's Changed" (from their Crazy Nights
Crazy Nights (Lonestar album)
Crazy Nights is the second album released by country music band Lonestar. Four singles were released from this album: "Come Cryin' to Me", "You Walked In", "Say When", and "Everything's Changed". "Come Cryin' to Me" reached number one on the Hot Country Songs charts...
album). Dann Huff
Dann Huff
Dann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
produced all but the last track, which was produced by Sam Ramage and Bob Wright.
This was Lonestar's first album after the departure of bass guitarist John Rich
John Rich (musician)
John Rich is an American country music singer-songwriter. From 1992 to 1998, he was a member of the country music band Lonestar, in which he played bass guitar and alternated with Richie McDonald as lead vocalist...
, who recorded a solo album for BNA that same year before pairing up with Big Kenny in the duo Big & Rich
Big & Rich
Big & Rich is an American country music duo composed of Big Kenny and John Rich. Both members alternate as lead vocalists and play rhythm guitar...
. Richie McDonald
Richie McDonald
Richard Vance "Richie" McDonald is an American country music artist. From 1992 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his tenure as lead vocalist. McDonald co-wrote several of the band's singles, and sang...
sings lead on all the tracks here, and studio bass guitarists are used in Rich's place.
Critical reception
Giving it three stars out of five, Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic wrote that Lonestar "take[s] a middle ground, moving back toward hardcore country while retaining elements of the pop sheen of Crazy Nights
Crazy Nights (Lonestar album)
Crazy Nights is the second album released by country music band Lonestar. Four singles were released from this album: "Come Cryin' to Me", "You Walked In", "Say When", and "Everything's Changed". "Come Cryin' to Me" reached number one on the Hot Country Songs charts...
. The results aren't always successful, but overall, the album is stronger than its immediate predecessor."
Track listing
- "Saturday Night" (Chuck CannonChuck CannonCharles Marion "Chuck" Cannon, Jr. is an American country music songwriter. His compositions include hit singles for Toby Keith and John Michael Montgomery. Cannon has also received awards for Broadcast Music Incorporated, as well as an Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year...
, Jimmy Stewart) – 4:03 - "Simple as That" (Richie McDonaldRichie McDonaldRichard Vance "Richie" McDonald is an American country music artist. From 1992 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his tenure as lead vocalist. McDonald co-wrote several of the band's singles, and sang...
, Gary BakerGary Baker (songwriter)Gary Baker is an American country music singer and songwriter.-Career:In the late 1970s, Baker was a musician with the LeBlanc and Carr Band. Baker was also a singer musician with the country pop band, The Shooters. He has written songs for John Michael Montgomery, Alabama and others...
, Frank J. MyersFrank J. MyersFrank Joseph Myers is an American country music singer, songwriter and record producer. In his career, he has written songs for John Michael Montgomery, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Lonestar and others...
) – 3:17 - "AmazedAmazed"Amazed" is the title of a song written by Marv Green, Aimee Mayo and Chris Lindsey. The first version of the song was recorded by the American country music group Lonestar, whose version was released in March 1999 as the second single from their 1999 album Lonely Grill...
" (Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, Aimee MayoAimee MayoAimee Mayo is an American songwriter, primarily known for writing country hits for artists such as Lonestar, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Kellie Pickler. Mayo owns her own publishing company, Little Blue Typewriter Music.-Biography:Aimee Mayo grew up in Gadsden, Alabama...
) – 4:00 - "What About NowWhat About Now (Lonestar song)"What About Now" is the title of a song recorded by American country music group Lonestar. It was released in April 2000 as the fourth single from their 1999 album, Lonely Grill, it spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was written by Ron Harbin, Aaron...
" (Ron Harbin, Aaron Barker, Anthony L. Smith) – 3:30 - "Tell HerTell Her"Tell Her" is the title of a song co-written by Craig Wiseman and Kwesi B. It was recorded by American country music group Lonestar. It was released in September 2000 as the fifth and final single from their 1999 album Lonely Grill. The song reached Number One on the Billboard country charts,...
" (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....
, Kwesi B.) – 3:27 - "Don't Let's Talk About Lisa" (Don Henry, Benmont TenchBenmont TenchBenjamin Montmorency Tench, III is an American keyboardist best known as a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.-Early years:...
) – 3:14 - "I've Gotta Find You" (McDonald, Harbin, Marty Dodson) – 3:48
- "You Don't Know What Love Is" (Steve Bogard, Green) – 3:14
- "All the Way" (Stephony Smith, Shelly Sterling) – 3:34
- "SmileSmile (Lonestar song)"Smile" is the title of a song written by Keith Follesé and Chris Lindsey, and recorded by American country music band Lonestar. It was released in October 1999 as the third single from the album, Lonely Grill. The song reached the top of the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.-Chart...
" (Keith FolleséKeith FolleséKeith Follesé is an American songwriter and co-founder of Midas Records Nashville.Early in his career, Follesé recorded with his wife, Adrienne, on A&M Records. They never released an album, and moved to Los Angeles, California...
, Lindsey) – 3:33 - "Lonely Grill" (Bob DiPieroBob DiPieroBob DiPiero is an American country music songwriter. He has written 15. U.S. Number 1 hits and countless top 20 hits for the likes of Tim McGraw, The Oak Ridge Boys, Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Faith Hill, Shenandoah, Neal McCoy, Highway 101, Restless Heart, Ricochet, John Anderson, Montgomery...
, Tony Mullins) – 4:31 - "Everything's ChangedEverything's Changed"Everything's Changed" is the title of a song recorded by American country music band Lonestar. It was released in June 1998 as the fourth and final single from their 1997 album Crazy Nights. Their ninth chart single overall, it was also the last single to feature bass guitarist John Rich, who was...
" (Larry BooneLarry BooneLarry Eugene Boone is an American country music artist. Between 1985 and 1993, Boone recorded five major label studio albums, in addition to charting several singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles charts. His highest-charting single, "Don't Give Candy to a Stranger", reached #10 in 1988...
, Paul Nelson, McDonald) – 4:46- acoustic version, arr. by Lonestar
Lonestar
- Michael Britt – 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...
, 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...
, background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Richie McDonaldRichie McDonaldRichard Vance "Richie" McDonald is an American country music artist. From 1992 until his departure in 2007, he was the lead singer of the group Lonestar, which recorded seven studio albums on BNA Records during his tenure as lead vocalist. McDonald co-wrote several of the band's singles, and sang...
– lead vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Keech Rainwater – 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 ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Dean Sams – 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...
, keyboards, acoustic guitar, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, background vocals
Additional musicians
- Mike Brignardello – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Gary Burnette – acoustic guitar, 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...
- Chuck CannonChuck CannonCharles Marion "Chuck" Cannon, Jr. is an American country music songwriter. His compositions include hit singles for Toby Keith and John Michael Montgomery. Cannon has also received awards for Broadcast Music Incorporated, as well as an Academy of Country Music award for Song of the Year...
– background vocals - Robbie Cheuvront – bass guitar, background vocals
- Eric Darken – percussion
- Aubrey HaynieAubrey HaynieAubrey Haynie is an American bluegrass musician who plays the fiddle and mandolin. In his career, he has recorded three studio albums for the Sugar Hill Records label, all three of which contained mostly songs that he wrote himself...
– 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...
, mandolin - Dann HuffDann HuffDann Huff is an American musician, session musician, singer-songwriter and producer. For his work as a producer in the Country music genre he has won several awards including the Musician of the Year award in 2001 and 2004 at the Country Music Association Awards and the Producer of the Year award...
– electric guitar - Tim Lauer – accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
- Paul Leim – drums
- Steve Nathan – piano, synthesizer
- Matt RollingsMatt RollingsMatt Rollings is an American composer, musician and record producer. He plays piano, organ, and keyboards.Known mainly for playing in Lyle Lovett's Large Band, he has worked with many artists, not all country...
– Hammond B-3 organHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
, piano - Russell Terrell – background vocals
- Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
- Jonathan Yudkin – mandolin
Chart performance
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Country Albums | 2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 28 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 3 |