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]
| Friday Night in America | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1989 | |||
| Genre | Bluegrass, country | |||
| Length | 40:54 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Wendy Waldman[1] | |||
| New Grass Revival chronology | ||||
| ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| 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
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Friday Night in America" | Pat Flynn, Russell Smith | 3:55 |
| 2. | "You Plant Your Fields" | Wendy Waldman, Donny Lowery | 3:11 |
| 3. | "Let's Make a Baby King" | Jesse Winchester | 3:30 |
| 4. | "Do What You Gotta Do" | Pat Flynn | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Let Me Be Your Man" | Kim Ritchey | 3:04 |
| 6. | "Lila" | Pat Flynn | 3:38 |
| 7. | "Callin' Baton Rouge" | Dennis Linde | 2:39 |
| 8. | "Whatever Way the Wind Blows" | Marshall Crenshaw | 2:54 |
| 9. | "Big Foot" | Béla Fleck | 7:54 |
| 10. | "Angel Eyes" | John Hiatt, Fred Koller | 4:28 |
| 11. | "I'm Down" | John Lennon, Paul McCartney | 2:11 |
| Total length: | 40:54 | ||
Personnel
edit- Sam Bush - fiddle, mandolin, guitar, vocals
- John Cowan - bass guitar, vocals
- Béla Fleck - banjo, vocals
- Pat Flynn - guitar, vocals
Additional musicians and staff
edit- 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
edit- ^ Joyce, Mike (22 Sep 1989). "Grass Greener on Other Side of Ocean". The Washington Post. p. N25.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Mayes, Alison (21 Aug 1989). "Country music's queen more remote than regal". Calgary Herald. p. C7.
- ^ "Friday Night in America Review by Zac Johnson". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
- ^ "Records". Part II. Newsday. 12 June 1989. p. 2.
- ^ Zimmerman, David (29 June 1989). "New Grass Revival: Friday Night in America". USA Today. p. 5D.
- ^ Campbell, Rod (16 July 1989). "Country". Edmonton Journal. p. D10.