Friday Night in America

Friday Night in America
Studio album by
New Grass Revival
Released1989
GenreBluegrass, country
Length40:54
LabelCapitol
ProducerWendy Waldman[1]
New Grass Revival chronology
Hold to a Dream
(1987) 		Friday Night in America
(1989) 		Best of New Grass Revival
(1994)

Friday Night in America is a studio album by progressive bluegrass band New Grass Revival, released in 1989.[2] The album includes the single "Callin' Baton Rouge", the band's only Top 40 hit on Hot Country Songs. Both it and "Do What You Gotta Do" were later released as singles by Garth Brooks: the former in 1993 from his album In Pieces, and the latter in 2000 from his album Sevens. The band promoted the album by touring with Emmylou Harris.[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]

Newsday deemed the band "one of the more exuberant and professional amalgams of country and bluegrass talent."[5] USA Today called the album "the best yet from the best acoustic band around... Bluegrass never has been stretched so far toward jazz, folk, blues, Cajun, reggae and rock."[6] The Edmonton Journal wrote that the "superb instrumental skills are reduced to the odd flash of brilliance, as most of the material embraces standard Poco/Eagle country arrangements."[7]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Friday Night in America"Pat Flynn, Russell Smith3:55
2."You Plant Your Fields"Wendy Waldman, Donny Lowery3:11
3."Let's Make a Baby King"Jesse Winchester3:30
4."Do What You Gotta Do"Pat Flynn3:30
5."Let Me Be Your Man"Kim Ritchey3:04
6."Lila"Pat Flynn3:38
7."Callin' Baton Rouge"Dennis Linde2:39
8."Whatever Way the Wind Blows"Marshall Crenshaw2:54
9."Big Foot"Béla Fleck7:54
10."Angel Eyes"John Hiatt, Fred Koller4:28
11."I'm Down"John Lennon, Paul McCartney2:11
Total length:40:54

Personnel

Additional musicians and staff

  • Eddie Bayers - drums
  • Garth Fundis - backing vocals
  • Caroline Greyshock - photography
  • Bob Mater - drums
  • Denny Purcell - mastering engineer
  • Gary Laney - recording engineer, mixing
  • Tom Roady - percussion
  • Wendy Waldman - backing vocals, producer

References

  1. ^ Joyce, Mike (22 Sep 1989). "Grass Greener on Other Side of Ocean". The Washington Post. p. N25.
  2. ^ Washburn, Jim (9 Mar 1989). "For the Members of New Grass Revival, Home Is Home—Be It Country or Rock". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 12.
  3. ^ Mayes, Alison (21 Aug 1989). "Country music's queen more remote than regal". Calgary Herald. p. C7.
  4. ^ "Friday Night in America Review by Zac Johnson". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Records". Part II. Newsday. 12 June 1989. p. 2.
  6. ^ Zimmerman, David (29 June 1989). "New Grass Revival: Friday Night in America". USA Today. p. 5D.
  7. ^ Campbell, Rod (16 July 1989). "Country". Edmonton Journal. p. D10.