The Heart of the Matter (Kenny Rogers album)
The Heart of the Matter is the RIAA Gold-certified seventeenth studio album by Kenny Rogers, released by RCA Nashville. It was Kenny's eleventh disc to hit #1 on Billboard's Country albums chart.
The Heart of the Matter | ||||
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Studio album by Kenny Rogers | ||||
Released | 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 37:50 | |||
Label | RCA Nashville | |||
Producer | George Martin | |||
Kenny Rogers chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Heart of the Matter | ||||
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Overview
This was Rogers' final album to hit #1 on the country charts until after his death. It peaked at #51 on the main Billboard album chart and was produced by George Martin.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic |
Singles
Two singles came from this album. "Morning Desire" reached the top of the country charts, as well as #8 on the adult contemporary chart and #72 on the pop charts. His next single, "Goodbye Marie", came from the Short Stories album (also released after Rogers signed to RCA) and charted. The final single from this album followed; "Tomb of the Unknown Love" was a #1 hit in the country charts.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "I Don't Wanna Have to Worry" | Steve Crossley, Michael Smotherman | 3:40 |
2. | "The Heart of the Matter" | Smotherman | 4:36 |
3. | "You Made Me Feel Love" | John Goin, Dave Loggins | 3:41 |
4. | "Morning Desire" | Loggins | 4:09 |
5. | "Don't Look in My Eyes" | Brian Potter, Frank Wildhorn | 3:34 |
6. | "The Best of Me" | David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock, Richard Marx | 4:01 |
7. | "Tomb of the Unknown Love" | Smotherman | 4:03 |
8. | "People in Love" | Mike Dekle, Byron Hill | 3:03 |
9. | "I Can't Believe Your Eyes" | Graham Lyle, Troy Seals | 3:02 |
10. | "Our Perfect Song" | David Briggs, Linda Thompson-Jenner | 4:01 |
Personnel
- Kenny Rogers – lead vocals
- Anne Dudley – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 7)
- John Hobbs – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
- Randy Waldman – keyboards (5, 8, 10)
- David Foster – acoustic piano (6), synthesizers (6), Moog bass (6), LinnDrum (6)
- Jimmy Cox – keyboards (9)
- Ian Bairnson – guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
- Billy Joe Walker Jr. – guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
- Michael Landau – guitar (3, 9)
- Steve Lukather – guitar (3)
- Stanley Jordan – guitar solo (4)
- Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (5, 8, 10)
- Fred Tackett – guitar (5, 8, 10)
- Mo Foster – bass guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
- Joe Chemay – bass guitar (3), backing vocals (3, 8)
- Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (5, 8, 10)
- Nathan East – bass guitar (9), backing vocals (9)
- Stuart Elliott – drums (1, 2, 4, 7)
- Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (9), percussion (9)
- Steve Leach – percussion (1)
- Richard Marx – percussion (1), backing vocals (1)
- Kin Vassy – percussion (1), backing vocals (3, 4, 7-10)
- Terry Williams – percussion (1), backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10)
- John Robinson – percussion (2), drums (3, 5, 8, 10)
- Gary Herbig – saxophone (1, 3)
- Larry Williams – saxophone (1)
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1)
- Gary Grant – trumpet (1, 9)
- Jerry Hey – trumpet (1, 9), horn arrangements (9)
- Donnie Sanders – saxello (2)
- James Galway – flute (6)
- James Thatcher – French horn (6)
- Richard Todd – French horn (6)
- Gayle Levant – harp (4)
- George Martin – arrangements (1, 3, 8), string arrangements (2, 4)
- Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (5, 6, 8, 10), additional keyboards (6)
- Jules Chakin – string contractor (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Israel Baker – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Arnold Belnick – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Denyse Buffum – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Stuart Canin – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Isabelle Daskoff – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Assa Drori – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Bruce Dukov – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Ronald Folsom – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Reginald Hill – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Bill Hybel – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- William Hymanson – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Dennis Karmazyn – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Ray Kelley – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Kathleen Lenski – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Gordan Marron – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Buell Neidlinger – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Bill Nuttycombe – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Garry Nuttycombe – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Don Palmer – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Jay Rosen – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Sheldon Sanov – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- David Schwartz – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Fred Seykoura – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Marshall Sosson – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Robert Sushel – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Mari Tsumari-Botnick – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Shari Zippert – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
- Kenny Rogers II – backing vocals (3, 9)
- Herb Pedersen – backing vocals (7, 9, 10)
- David Morgan – backing vocals (9)
Production
- Producer – George Martin
- Engineers – Terry Christian and Jon Kelley
- Second Engineers – Bino Espinoza, Laura Livingston and Stephen Shelton.
- Strings recorded by John Richards
- Second Engineer (strings) – Olivier de Bosson
- Recorded at Sunset Sound (Hollywood, CA), Lion Share Recording (Los Angeles, CA), Soundcastle (Santa Monica, CA), Evergreen Studios (Burbank, CA) and Studio Marcadet (Paris, France).
- Mixed by Jon Kelley at Soundcastle and Hollywood Sound Recorders (Hollywood, CA).
- Mix Assistants – Bino Espinoza and Mike Wuellner
- Mastered by Wally Traugott at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood, CA).
- Product Manager – Antony Amos
- Art Direction – Becky Stewart
- Design – John Coulter Design
- Photography – Matthew Rolston
- Liner Notes – Peter Doggett
- Management – Dreamcatcher Artist Management
Charts
Chart (1985) | Peak position |
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U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 1 |
U.S. Billboard 200 | 51 |
Australian (Kent Music Report) Albums | 69[1] |
Canadian RPM Top Albums | 57 |
References
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 256. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.