''Better Than I Used to Be'' is the title of the ninth studio album by American

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

artist

Sammy Kershaw Samuel Paul Kershaw (born February 24, 1958) is an American country music artist. He has released 16 studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications among them. More than 25 singles have entered the Top 40 on the ...

. The album was released on August 31, 2010 via Big Hit Records. It is produced by

Buddy Cannon Buddy Cannon (born April 20, 1947 Lexington, Tennessee) is an American country music songwriter and record producer. Active since the late 1970s, he is known primarily for his work with Willie Nelson and as Kenny Chesney's record producer, for w ...

. Two singles were released from the album: " Better Than I Used to Be" and "The Snow White Rows of Arlington". The album, along with the two singles, failed to enter a ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' chart. "Saltwater Cowboy" was originally recorded by

Tracy Byrd Tracy Lynn Byrd (born December 17, 1966) is an American country music artist. Signed to Universal Music Group Nashville, MCA Nashville Records in 1992, Byrd broke through on the country music scene that year with his 1993 single "Holdin' Heaven" ...

on his 2006 album ''

Different Things ''Different Things'' is the ninth studio album by American country music artist Tracy Byrd. It was released in 2006 on Byrd's own Blind Mule label. The songs "Cheapest Motel" and "Better Places Than This" were released as singles. The former reach ...

''. A cover song of " The Cover of the Rolling Stone" featuring

Jamey Johnson Jamey Johnson (born July 14, 1975) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to BNA Records in 2005, Johnson made his debut with his single " The Dollar", the title track to his 2006 album '' The Dollar''. He was dropped from ...

was also included on the album. A music video was made for "Better Than I Used to Be" and was directed by David Abbott. "Better Than I Used to Be" was later covered by

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

on his 2012 album '' Emotional Traffic''.

Critical reception

''Better Than I Used to Be'' generated positive reviews overall. Giving the album three and a half stars out of five, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock said that ''Better Than I Used To Be'' finds Sammy Kershaw in a great place." and states that "with 11 strong tunes ''Better Than I Used To Be'' reminds us exactly why Sammy Kershaw is still considered one of country music’s best vocalists." Eric Banister of Country Standard Time gave a favorable review, "On his first new album in four years, Kershaw nearly lives up to the title, displaying a voice that is as strong as it has ever been."

Track listing

Personnel

* Wyatt Beard – background vocals * Mark Beckett – drums *

– background vocals *

Melonie Cannon Melonie Cannon is an American singer, blending country and bluegrass on her solo albums and session work. Willie Nelson said, "Melonie Cannon is one of the best singers I know." Biography Early years Cannon was born in Jackson, Tennessee, but her ...

– background vocals *

Scotty Emerick Walter Scott Emerick (born July 11, 1973, in Hollywood, Florida) is an American country music artist, known primarily for his work with Toby Keith. In addition to penning several of Keith's singles, Emerick has also written for Sawyer Brown, Geo ...

– acoustic guitar * Sonny Garrish –

steel guitar A steel guitar ( haw, kīkākila) is any guitar played while moving a steel bar or similar hard object against plucked strings. The bar itself is called a "steel" and is the source of the name "steel guitar". The instrument differs from a conve ...

, background vocals * Kevin "Swine" Grantt – bass guitar *

Kenny Greenberg Kenneth S. "Kenny" Greenberg is an American guitarist, songwriter, producer, and session musician. He is known for bringing a rock-and-roll sensibility to Nashville recording sessions. Biography Greenberg was born in Cleveland, Ohio but attend ...

– electric guitar * Rob Hajacos – fiddle * Tim Hensley – background vocals * John Hobbs – piano,

Wurlitzer The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company, usually referred to as simply Wurlitzer, is an American company started in Cincinnati in 1853 by German immigrant (Franz) Rudolph Wurlitzer. The company initially imported stringed, woodwind and brass instruments ...

– vocals on "The Cover of the Rolling Stone" *

– lead vocals * Troy Lancaster – electric guitar * Randy McCormick –

Hammond B-3 organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

, piano, synthesizer * Willie McKee – background vocals * Larry Paxton – bass guitar * Hugh Prestwood – acoustic guitar, synthesizer *

Mickey Raphael Michael Siegfried "Mickey" Raphael (born November 7, 1951) is an American harmonica player, music producer and actor best known for his work with Willie Nelson, with whom he has toured as part of The Family since 1973. He has performed or reco ...

– harmonica * Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar

References

External links

* ''Better Than I Used To Be''at

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

{{Authority control 2010 albums Albums produced by Buddy Cannon Sammy Kershaw albums