''The Man I Want to Be'' is the second 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 Chris Young. It was released on September 1, 2009 via

RCA Nashville RCA Nashville is an American country music record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is distributed by Sony Music Nashville which is part of Sony Music. Current artists *Kane Brown *Andrew Jannakos *Miranda Lambert * Niko Moon (RCA/River Ho ...

. The album includes the singles "Voices", "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)", and "The Man I Want to Be", all of which reached Number One single on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart.

Content

"Voices" was released in May 2008 as the album's first single. It peaked at number 37 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs chart, becoming Young's first Top 40 country hit. The album, originally to have been released in August 2008, was then delayed until September 2009. The second and third singles, " Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)" and the title track, which were released in January 2009 and November 2009 respectively, both reached Number One on the country charts. In July 2010, Young re-released " Voices", his third consecutive Number One hit on the Hot Country Songs chart. The album also includes cover versions of

Waylon Jennings Waylon Jennings (June 15, 1937 – February 13, 2002) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. He pioneered the Outlaw Movement in country music. Jennings started playing guitar at the age of eight and performed at age f ...

' 1987 hit " Rose in Paradise" (recorded here as a duet with

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

) and

Tony Joe White Tony Joe White (July 23, 1943 – October 24, 2018), nicknamed the Swamp Fox, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, best known for his 1969 hit " Polk Salad Annie" and for " Rainy Night in Georgia", which he wrote but which was first ...

's "

Rainy Night in Georgia "Rainy Night in Georgia" is a song written by Tony Joe White in 1967 and popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970. It was originally released by White on his 1969 album, '' Continued'', on Monument Records, shortly before Benton's hit si ...

." In addition, "It Takes a Man" was previously a single in 2005 for

Aaron Lines Anthony Aaron Lines (born November 17, 1977) is a Canadian country musician. He has recorded for RCA Nashville, BNA and On Ramp Records, and has charted three singles on the Hot Country Songs charts in the United States. Musical history ''Lo ...

from his album ''

Waitin' on the Wonderful ''Waitin' on the Wonderful'' is the second studio album by Canadian country music singer Aaron Lines Anthony Aaron Lines (born November 17, 1977) is a Canadian country musician. He has recorded for RCA Nashville, BNA and On Ramp Records, a ...

''.

Track listing

Personnel

Eddie Bayers Eddie Bayers (born January 28, 1949) is an American session drummer who has played on 300 gold and platinum albums. He received the Academy of Country Music 'Drummer of the Year Award' for fourteen years, has three times won the Nashville Music ...

- drums *

Shannon Forrest Shannon Forrest (born August 22, 1973 in Easley, South Carolina) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. As a session drummer, he has contributed to the work of many well-known artists, and he is also a pr ...

- drums * Paul Franklin- dobro, steel 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 An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

*Tania Hancheroff- background vocals * Aubrey Haynie- fiddle, mandolin *Wes Hightower- background vocals *John Hobbs- keyboards,

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

Brent Mason Brent Mason (born July 13, 1959) is an American, Nashville, Tennessee-based recording studio guitarist and songwriter, performing primarily country music. Guitar World Magazine listed him as one of the "Top Ten Session Guitarists of All Time". ...

- electric guitar *

Steve Nathan Steven Jay Nathan is an American keyboardist. He is known for his session work in Muscle Shoals and Nashville studios. Biography Nathan was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. In 1977, Nathan moved to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. After touring w ...

- keyboards, piano *

- duet vocals on "Rose in Paradise" *

Biff Watson Fletcher Bangs "Biff" Watson is an American guitarist, songwriter, and producer. His musicianship has been a part of recording sessions for many artists. Biography Early years Raised in Chatham, Virginia, Watson learned how to play guitar at a ...

- acoustic guitar *

Glenn Worf Glenn Worf is an American bassist known mainly for his work as a session musician. He has recorded with many major country music acts and also tours with Mark Knopfler. Early life and education Worf was born in Dayton, Ohio, and grew up in Mad ...

bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

* Chris Young- lead vocals

Chart performance

''The Man I Want to Be'' debuted at number 6 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Top Country Albums chart and number 19 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' 200. As of the chart dated February 26, 2011, the album has sold 418,528 copies in the US.

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Singles

Certifications

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Man I Want to Be 2009 albums Chris Young (singer) albums RCA Records albums Albums produced by James Stroud