Trying to Be Me is the only album by American country music singer Laura Bryna. It was released on January 22, 2008 via Equity Music Group. "Make a Wish", "Life Is Good" and "Hometown Heroes" were all released as singles.

Trying to Be Me
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 22, 2008 (2008-01-22)
Studio
  • Sony/Tree Studios, OmniSound Studios, Quad Studios, The Compound, Loud Recording, Blackbird Studios, 1808 Studios, The Insanery and Vibe 56 (Nashville, Tennessee)
  • Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee)
GenreCountry
LabelEquity Music Group
Producer

Critical reception

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Country Weekly gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Bryna's voice but criticizing the album for containing "some of the most over-the-top tear-jerkers in recent memory."[1] Jacquilynne Schlesier of Country Standard Time similarly said that Bryna had "lots of character in the phrasing", but said "most of the lyrics sound like songs you've heard before."[2] PopMatters also criticized the album for "play[ing] a variety of obvious cards in her pursuit of country or pop audiences."[3]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Life Is Good"Billy Crain, Tammy Hyler, Liz Rose3:32
2."Maybe She Fell"Pat Bunch, Georgia Middleman4:15
3."Set It on Fire"Tony Mullins, Danny Wells3:36
4."Room 228"Victoria Banks3:08
5."Same Dog"Jennifer Hanson, Mark Nesler, Tony Martin3:06
6."Make a Wish"Laura Bryna, Jeff Batson, Roger Sarchet, Steven J. Williams3:31
7."Out the Window"Marv Green, Chris Lindsey, Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo3:21
8."640 Battlefield Dr."Bonnie Baker, Connie Harrington4:13
9."According to the Radio"Monty Powell, Keith Urban4:08
10."She Can't Save Him"Sherrié Austin, Will Rambeaux, Steven J. Williams4:20
11."No Man's Land"Kaci Bolls, Marty Dodson, Liz Hengber3:01
12."Smoke from a Bridge You Burned"Skip Ewing, Donny Kees3:46
Bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."I Don't Have a Thing to Wear"Monty Holmes, Monty Criswell3:40

Personnel

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  • Laura Bryna – lead vocals
  • Tony Harrell – keyboards
  • John Hobbs – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Bob Patin – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Mike Rojas – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Catherine Styron-Marx – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
  • Bryan Austin – electric guitars
  • Jeff King – electric guitars
  • Brent Mason – electric guitars
  • Dan Dugmore – electric guitars, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar
  • Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar
  • Kerry Marx – acoustic guitar
  • Michael Noble – acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar
  • Billy Panda – acoustic guitar, mandolin
  • Mike Severs – acoustic guitar
  • Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar, electric guitars, banjo, mandolin
  • Sonny Garrish – dobro, steel guitar
  • Mike Douchette – steel guitar
  • Mike Johnson – steel guitar
  • Zach Runquist – mandolin, cello, violin
  • David Hungate – bass guitar
  • Alison Prestwood – bass guitar
  • Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
  • Eddie Bayers – drums
  • Paul Leim – drums, percussion
  • Greg Morrow – drums
  • Casey Wood – chimes, cymbals, shaker, tambourine, timpani, gongs
  • Kirk "JellyRoll" Johnson – harmonica (5, 11)
  • Larry Franklinfiddle
  • Andrea Zonn – fiddle (2, 12)
  • Larry Hall – strings
  • Bekka Bramlett – backing vocals
  • Lisa Cochran – backing vocals
  • Perry Coleman – backing vocals
  • Thom Flora – backing vocals
  • Tania Hancheroff – backing vocals
  • Wes Hightower – backing vocals
  • Gale Mayes West – backing vocals
  • Kim Parent – backing vocals
  • Angela Primm – backing vocals
  • Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
  • Russell Terrell – backing vocals

Production

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  • Roger Sarchet – producer, management
  • Kyle Lehning – producer (3, 6, 8, 9, 13), mixing
  • Pat McMackin – recording, additional mixing
  • Casey Wood – recording, overdub recording (3, 13), additional engineer (6, 8, 9)
  • Jason Lehning – engineer (6, 8, 9)
  • Adam Engelhardt – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Paul Hart – recording assistant, mix assistant
  • Matt Coles – recording assistant (3, 13)
  • Lowell Reynolds – assistant engineer (6)
  • Eric Tonkin – additional vocal engineer and editing
  • Doug Sax – mastering
  • Sangwook Nam – mastering
  • The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California) – mastering location
  • Lorna Leighton – art direction, design
  • flytedesign.com – art direction, design
  • Dana Tynan – photography
  • Felix Fischer – hair stylist
  • John Stapleton – make-up
  • WRPG Management, Inc. – management

References

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  1. ^ "Trying to Be Me review". Country Weekly. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  2. ^ Schlesier, Jacquilynne. "Trying to Be Me review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  3. ^ Heaton, Dave (10 March 2008). "Trying to Be Me review". PopMatters. Retrieved 6 May 2011.