Rock Me Back to Little Rock

Rock Me Back to Little Rock is the tenth studio album by American country artist Jan Howard. It was released in June 1970 on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. The album featured two singles, one of which became a top 20 hit on the Billboard country chart. Additionally, the album would reach peak positions on the Billboard country albums chart.

Rock Me Back to Little Rock
Studio album by
Jan Howard
ReleasedJune 1970 (1970-06)
Recorded1969 – 1970
VenueBradley's Barn
GenreCountry
LabelDecca
ProducerOwen Bradley
Jan Howard chronology
If It's All the Same to You
(1970)		 Rock Me Back to Little Rock
(1970)		 Bill and Jan (Or Jan and Bill)
(1972)
Singles from Rock Me Back to Little Rock
  1. "We Had All the Good Things Going"
    Released: August 1969
  2. "Rock Me Back to Little Rock"
    Released: February 1970

Background and content

Rock Me Back to Little Rock was recorded in several sessions between 1969 and 1970 at Bradley's Barn, located in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. All sessions were produced by Owen Bradley, Howard's collaborator since signing with the Decca label.[1] The album consisted of 11 tracks, most of which were cover versions of songs by other artists. Of these covers was The Beatles's "Let It Be", Glen Campbell's "Try a Little Kindness" and Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". The album also included original tracks, such as the title track and Howard's self-penned "Love Is a Sometimes Thing". The latter track would later be released as a single by Howard's friend and musical collaborator, Bill Anderson.[2] Rock Me Back to Little Rock also included two songs that were previously recorded by Connie Smith. The album's second track "You and Your Sweet Love" was a top 10 hit for Smith in 1969 and was co-written by Bill Anderson. The album's tenth track, "I Never Once Stopped Loving You", was composed by both Anderson and Howard. The song also became a top 10 hit for Smith.[1]

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
BillboardFavorable

Rock Me Back to Little Rock was released in June 1970 on Decca Records via a vinyl record format. The record included six songs on the first side and five songs on the remaining side.[2] The album peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart on June 23, 1970. It spent a total of 3 weeks on the chart.[3] The album also featured two singles. The first single, "We Had All the Good Things Going", reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in November 1969. It became Howard's sixth and final top 20 hit[4] as a solo artist. The title track was released in 1970, reaching number 26 on the Billboard country songs chart on May 2.[5]

The album was reviewed positively by Billboard in 1970. In their commentary, writers called it a "pop-country product with a few mavericks that she (and produced Owen Bradley) adopted and adapted." Magazine writers praised Howard's covers of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and "I Never Once Stopped Loving You".[6]

Track listing
Side one[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Can You Feel It"
2:35
2."You and Your Sweet Love"
2:45
3."We Had All the Good Things Going"
  • Jerry Monday
  • Mervin Shriner
2:30
4."Hello Stranger"
2:15
5."Journey Goin' Nowhere"
  • Dee Moeller
2:09
6."Let It Be"
2:37
Side two[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rock Me Back to Little Rock"
  • Lola Jean Dillon
2:19
2."Love Is a Sometimes Thing"
2:53
3."Try a Little Kindness"
2:12
4."I Never Once Stopped Loving You"
  • Anderson
  • Howard
2:54
5."Bridge Over Troubled Water"
4:11

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Rock Me Back to Little Rock.[1]

Musical and technical personnel

Chart performance
Chart (1970) Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[7] 42

Release history
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States June 1970 Vinyl Decca [2]
United Kingdom 1972 MCA [8]
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References
  1. Howard, Jan (1970). "Rock Me Back to Little Rock liner notes (vinyl insert)". Decca Records.
  2. "Jan Howard -- Rock Me Back to Little Rock (1970, Vinyl)". Discogs. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  3. "Rock Me Back to Little Rock chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  4. ""We Had All the Good Things Going" chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  5. ""Rock Me Back to Little Rock" (single) chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  6. "Billboard album reviews". Billboard. 82 (25): 57. June 20, 1970.
  7. "Jan Howard Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  8. "Jan Howard -- Rock Me Back to Little Rock (UK release)". Discogs. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
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