''I'm American'' is the twelfth studio album released 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, ...
singer
Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus (born August 25, 1961) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums and 53 singles since 1992, and is known for his hit single "Achy Breaky Heart", which topped the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and ...
.
The album, released on June 28, 2011, is composed of patriotic songs, including a re-recording of Cyrus' song "Some Gave All", which originally appeared on his
debut album of the same name. The re-recording features vocals from country music singers
Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: '' Hard Rain Don't Last'' (2000), ''I Miss My Friend'' (20 ...
,
Craig Morgan
Craig Morgan Greer (born July 17, 1964) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army as a forward observer, Morgan began his musical career in 2000 on Atlantic Records, releasing his self-titled debut album for that ...
, and
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 ...
. It was intended on being released as the album's first single, however, in 2011, the single was changed to "Runway Lights". The second single, "
Nineteen", was released on September 26, 2011.
Background
''I'm American'' was initially scheduled to be released in November 2010. After being pushed back numerous times, it was released on June 28, 2011. In early 2011, a re-recording of "Some Gave All" was planned to be the first single released from the album. The song, which features vocals from singers
Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: '' Hard Rain Don't Last'' (2000), ''I Miss My Friend'' (20 ...
,
Craig Morgan
Craig Morgan Greer (born July 17, 1964) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army as a forward observer, Morgan began his musical career in 2000 on Atlantic Records, releasing his self-titled debut album for that ...
, and
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 pulled from radio and replaced with "Runway Lights". The latter song was released as the lead-off single from the album. "Runway Lights" is also the theme song to Cyrus' new show, ''Surprise Homecoming'', which debuted on
TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an A ...
, May 30, 2011.
On May 12, 2011, Cyrus announced via ''The Boot'' that he was planning on retiring from recording after releasing ''I'm American'', but he stated that he would continue to perform live because he "loves playing in a band." However he wrote numerous songs surrounding issues with the separation and reconciliation with his wife, and wants to record those for one final album.
Reception
Commercial
''I'm American'' debuted at number 153 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 and number 24 on the US ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums,
with first week sales of 3,797 copies. The album's first single, Runway Lights", failed to enter the US ''
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 ...
''
Hot Country Songs
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
chart. However, the second single, "
Nineteen", debuted on the country chart at number 58 for the week ending October 8, 2011. It is Cyrus' first charted single since "A Good Day" peaked at number 59 on the country chart in September 2009.
Critical
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
of
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 ...
gave the album a three-out-of-five star rating. Erlewine said that Cyrus "sounds like a ruminative, mumbling
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
, so Billy Ray muscularly strums his guitar while rhapsodizing about the downtrodden working class." He also went on to say that ''I'm American'' is more relaxed than Cyrus' album ''
Home at Last'', by saying it is sincere in Cyrus' singing and what he's singing about. He finished his review by saying ''I'm American'' is "more engaging than his last few attempts to make country-pop that appeals to everybody".
Billy Dukes from Taste of Country reviewed the album positively, giving it three-and-half stars out of five. Dukes praised Cyrus' patriotism, and packing every song on the album with plenty of emotion. He goes on to describe "Nineteen" and "We Fought Hard" as songs of soldiers who didn't make it home from war, and noted they are predictable, powerful ballads that may leave some needing a tissue. Dukes also commented on the re-recording of "Some Gave All", saying that it was not any better or worse than the original. He closed by saying Cyrus gives a great effort, as he does with everything he touches.
Track listing
Personnel
* Bob Bailey – background vocals
*
Bucky Baxter
William "Bucky" Baxter (1955May 25, 2020) was an American guitarist. He is best known as a member of Steve Earle and The Dukes and as a member of Bob Dylan's backing band in the mid-90s during the Never Ending Tour. He released his only solo ...
– steel guitar
* Wyatt Beard – background vocals
*
Pat Buchanan
Patrick Joseph Buchanan (; born November 2, 1938) is an American paleoconservative political commentator, columnist, politician, and broadcaster. Buchanan was an assistant and special consultant to U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, an ...
– electric guitar
*
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 ...
– 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
* Butch Carr – synthesizer
*
J.T. Corenflos
Jerry Troy "J. T." Corenflos (November 6, 1963 – October 24, 2020), was an American session musician and country guitarist, who played on an estimated 75 Number One hit records as well as hundreds of other recordings and hits. He received 14 n ...
– electric guitar
* Billy Ray Cyrus – lead vocals, background vocals
*
Chip Davis
Louis F. "Chip" Davis Jr. (born September 5, 1947 in Hamler, Ohio) is the founder and leader of the music group Mannheim Steamroller. Davis composed the music for several C. W. McCall albums, including the hit 1975 song "Convoy". He has also wri ...
– background vocals
*
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...
– vocals on "Stripes and Stars"
*
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
* Wes Hightower – background vocals
*
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 ...
– vocals on "Some Gave All"
*
Paul Leim
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
* Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
– drums
* 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
*
Craig Morgan
Craig Morgan Greer (born July 17, 1964) is an American country music artist. A veteran of the United States Army as a forward observer, Morgan began his musical career in 2000 on Atlantic Records, releasing his self-titled debut album for that ...
– vocals on "Some Gave All"
* Larry Paxton – bass guitar
* Gary Prim – Hammond B-3 organ, piano
* Angela Primm – background vocals
*
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
* Deanie Richardson – fiddle
*
Scott Vestal
Scott Vestal is an American banjoist, songwriter and luthier, known for his innovative approach to playing and designing the banjo.
Biography Early years
The older of two children, Scott Vestal was raised in Duncan, Oklahoma in a musical fam ...
– banjo
* Gale Mayes-West – background vocals
*
John Willis – banjo, acoustic guitar
*
Darryl Worley
Darryl Wade Worley (born October 31, 1964) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to DreamWorks Records Nashville in 1999, Worley released four albums for the label: '' Hard Rain Don't Last'' (2000), ''I Miss My Friend'' (20 ...
– vocals on "Some Gave All"
Chart performance
Album
Singles
References
{{Authority control
2011 albums
Billy Ray Cyrus albums
Buena Vista Records albums
Albums produced by Buddy Cannon