3 of Hearts (album)

Last updated

3 of Hearts
3ofheartsalbum.jpg
Studio album by
3 of Hearts
ReleasedJuly 24, 2001 (2001-07-24)
Recorded2001
Studio Ocean Way, Nashville
Genre
Length41:36
Label RCA Nashville
Producer Byron Gallimore (also exec.)
3 of Hearts chronology
3 of Hearts
(2001)		Breaking All the Rules
(2005)
Singles from 3 of Hearts
  1. "Love Is Enough"
    Released: March 6, 2001
  2. "Arizona Rain"
    Released: July 23, 2001

3 of Hearts is the eponymous debut studio album by American girl group 3 of Hearts. It was released on July 24, 2001, through the record label RCA Nashville. 3 of Hearts is a teen pop and country music album, though according to some music critics, it leans more towards pop music. The album was managed by American producer Byron Gallimore; its marketing focused on the group's crossover appeal to target a teenaged and young-adult audience. 3 of Hearts performed on two national tours sponsored by Seventeen magazine and Walmart respectively, and the singers were featured in several marketing campaigns.

Contents

Reviews of 3 of Hearts were mixed; some critics praised the group's vocals and public image, but others criticized the songs as generic and lacking an authentic country sound. The album peaked at number 45 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. Two singles –"Love Is Enough" and "Arizona Rain" –were released and made appearances on the Country Airplay Billboard chart. The album's low sales and lack of appeal to country radio audiences led to RCA dropping the group.

Background and recording

3 of Hearts members Blaire Stroud, Katie McNeill, and Deserea Wasdin first performed together at a funeral, where they sang the hymn "He Leadeth Me". [1] [2] They had each performed independently at various venues and aspired to pursue music as a career. [1] At the suggestion of their family and friends, they recorded a demo tape and video. [2] [3] The tape was composed of four songs: cover versions of works by Shania Twain and Martina McBride, a gospel song, and "The Star-Spangled Banner". [1] McNeill's mother sent the cassette to record promoter Peter Svendsen. While organizing unsolicited demos and materials, Svendsen's daughter recommended he should listen to the tape. Stroud, McNeil, and Wasdin received offers from four Nashville-based record labels, including RCA Nashville, with whom they signed their record deal shortly after graduating from high school. [2]

RCA executive vice-president Butch Waugh said the record company was immediately drawn to the group because of their wholesome image and work ethic. [3] Steve Hochman of Los Angeles Times associated 3 of Hearts with a trend towards younger country performers, connecting them with singers Jessica Andrews, LeAnn Rimes, and Lila McCann, and the band Marshall Dyllon. [4] The record label marketed 3 of Hearts and their album to a younger listener; [5] the group's manager Ken Kragen said that he hoped the group could revive interest in country music from a teenaged and young-adult audience, as the genre had fallen out of favor with these demographics. [6] Kragen has said that before he signed the trio, he almost retired from music, after being fired by singer-songwriter Kenny Rogers. [4] In 2001, Rogers sued Kragen for allegedly poaching 3 of Hearts and other musical acts from his company, Rogers' Dreamcatcher Management Co.; [7] [8] [9] Kragen responded by saying Rogers' company had rejected 3 of Hearts. [10] A settlement was reached in 2003, and the terms of the agreement were not disclosed to the public. [9]

American producer Byron Gallimore worked as the executive producer for the group's debut album; [2] in the later half of 2000, [4] the trio recorded the songs in the Tennessee studios Essential Sound and Ocean Way Nashville. [11] The music was mixed at the Emerald Sound Studios in Nashville, and mastered in Hollywood. [12] Prior to the release of the album, 3 of Hearts' song "Just Might Change Your Life" was featured on the soundtrack for the film Where the Heart Is (2000). [1] [6]

Composition and sound

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Sugar and Daisies"
A sample of 3 of Hearts' "Sugar and Daisies"; some critics noted the song for its "peppy" and "bouncy" composition. [13] [14]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

3 of Hearts is a teen pop and country music album that consists of eleven tracks. The instrumentals include fiddles and drums, which Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic has noted are commonly used in country music. [13] Malcolm Mayhew, writing for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram , identified the trio's sound as "country sprinkled with pop". [15] He wrote that the album has a focus on a style of country music similar to that of American band the Dixie Chicks, with "pop touches" and "an occasional nod to Latin". [16] Several music critics said that 3 of Hearts features more pop compositions than country ones; [13] [14] a writer for Billboard wrote: "even with the most loose, liberal translation, no way is this anything close to country music." [14] The same writer noted that the trio's music and style did not fit with the more "edgy" scene of their home state Texas. [14]

Songs include "peppy-squared, nearly interchangeable midtempos" ("Love Is Enough," "It Happened to Me", "The Hard Way", and "Sugar and Daisies") and "note-bending, Boyz II Men-style ballads" ("6, 8, 12", "Wash Away This Kiss", and "Over the Edge"). [14] The album's opening track –the uptempo "Love Is Enough" –features lyrics about the importance of love, and an instrumental provided by a fiddle. [17] The subject of romance is also explored in "Baby, That's The Way" –which interprets true love through the message, "you'll know it's the real thing when you see it" –and "Sugar and Daisies". [18] "6, 8, 12" is a cover of American singer Brian McKnight's 2000 single of the same name. [11] [12] [19]

Release and promotion

3 of Hearts was initially scheduled for release on June 5, 2001, [3] [6] but was pushed back to July 24 of that year. [20] [21] It was released as an audio CD, cassette, and digital download. [22] [23] Jon Elliot, a senior director of marketing and artist development for RCA, said the promotional strategies for the album and the group focused primarily on "get[ting] their names out there and their faces visible". [6] 3 of Hearts performed as part of a 2001 tour sponsored by Seventeen magazine, in which they sang in American shopping malls in 50 cities as part of a showcase of prom fashions. [2] [16] They also participated in the Walmart Across America Tour. [1] To prepare for the tours, the trio were given dance lessons by American singer and choreographer Toni Basil. [16] Lorie Hollabaugh of Billboard praised the group's live performances as defined by "tightly woven harmonies". [3]

Along with the performances, the group members were featured in magazine advertisements from April to July 2001; the features included a contest in which a reader could win a performance from the group at their school. [3] [6] 3 of Hearts was the first country act to partner with Seventeen. [3] The group also participated in a marketing campaign with Gillette, [2] and discussions started with Warner TV on a potential television series based on their lives. [3] [6] [24] To further promote their music, 3 of Hearts visited radio stations. They also had a two-hour interview with Scholastic magazine and appeared on the cover. [3] They were also prominently featured on boxes of Kellogg's cereal; Chet Flippo of CMT described the promotion of 3 of Hearts as "a media blitz". [25]

3 of Hearts peaked at number 45 on the Top Country Albums Billboard chart on August 11, 2001, remaining on the chart for six weeks. [26] Following the album's release, 3 of Hearts was let go from RCA due to low sales and a lack of connection with the core audience of country radio –the middle-aged woman. In a 2002 interview, RCA chairman Joe Galante said he learned to "aim for your natural marketplace" from his experiences with 3 of Hearts and he felt marketing a country act for teenagers was not a wise business move. [5]

Singles

"Love Is Enough" was released as the lead single from 3 of Hearts; it was sent to radio stations in the United States on March 6, 2001. [6] It was further promoted through an "enhanced commercial CD single", which included the accompanying music video for the song. The group performed "Love Is Enough" on The Jenny Jones Show as part of "nine young acts to watch in 2001". [3] Deborah Evans Price of Billboard praised the single as conveying a "vibrant feel that evokes a sunny day with the windows down and the radio up", but found the lyrics and overall message to be cliché. [17] "Arizona Rain" was released as the album's second single on July 23, 2001. [1] [27] The track was featured on the 2001 album Country Heat 2002, which was made available through BMG Music Canada. [28]

"Love Is Enough" and "Arizona Rain" both made appearances on Billboard. "Love Is Enough" peaked at number 43 on the Country Airplay chart on May 19, 2001; the single remained on the chart for ten weeks. [29] "Arizona Rain" reached number 59 on the Country Airplay chart on August 18, 2001, and remained on the chart for a week. [30]

Critical reception

3 of Hearts' vocals and image received praise from music critics following the album's release. [13] [14] [31] Billboard described the trio as "possess[ing] angelic voices" and praised 3 of Hearts as "ear candy". [14] D Magazine said the album's pop composition could allow the group to have a crossover appeal, and compared them to the Dixie Chicks. [31] Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the album as well-constructed and appealing, but criticized several songs –specifically "Over the Edge" –as sounding dated. He positively compared the trio's vocals to those of American band Rascal Flatts, and preferred their wholesome image over the more sexualized one attached to American singer Willa Ford. [13] In a mixed review, Mario Tarradell of the Knight Ridder Tribune described the music as "breezy" and "refreshing", but noted that it was not innovative. [32]

Commentators criticized 3 of Hearts and the trio's vocals as generic and lacking an authentic country sound. [5] [18] Country Standard Time 's Dan MacIntosh called the album manufactured, describing its content as "impersonal, yet functional, songs". He responded negatively to the lack of attitude in the group's voices, which he dismissed as "girlishly giddy vocals and pop-ish country backing". [18] Editor Tom Roland, writing for the American Bar Association, panned the album's content for its "bright, but shallow declarations of puppy love". Even though he praised the trio as talented, he said their vocals had "none of the life experience that has been a traditional hallmark of country recordings". [5] [lower-alpha 1]

Track listing

Writing and production credits for the songs are taken from the booklet of 3 of Hearts. Byron Gallimore produced all of the songs for the album. [12]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Love Is Enough" Neil Thrasher, Jim Varsos 3:32
2."It Happened to Me"Ken Harrell, Greg Johnson, Shaye Smith3:35
3."6, 8, 12" Brian McKnight, Brandon Barnes4:13
4."Over the Edge"Jason Blume, Jim Petra Cooper3:21
5."Sugar and Daisies" Brett James, Holly Lamar 3:47
6."Arizona Rain" Victoria Banks 3:51
7."The Hard Way"John Michaels, Mark Hammond, Brian Nash3:43
8."Wash Away This Kiss"Rob Heath, Don Goodman, Rick Perry3:53
9."You Break Me"James, Troy Verges 3:47
10."Is It Love" Max Martin, Jörgen Elofsson 3:43
11."Baby, That's the Way"Gayla Borders, Jeff Borders4:03
Total length:41:36

Credits and personnel

The following credits were adapted from the booklet of 3 of Hearts and AllMusic: [11] [12]

Management
Recording locations
Credits

Charts

Chart (2001)Peak
position
US Top Country Albums ( Billboard ) [26] 45

Release history

CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
United StatesJuly 24, 2001
  • cassette
  • CD
  • digital download
RCA Nashville [20] [22]

Notes

  1. ↑ Tom Roland included his review of 3 of Hearts within a larger article on record labels' attempts to market country music towards a younger and more diverse audience. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alabama (band)</span> American country music band

Alabama is an American country music band formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969. The band was founded by Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry. They were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook. First operating under the name Wildcountry, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977 and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Records for a recording deal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenny Rogers</span> American country singer and songwriter (1938–2020)

Kenneth Ray Rogers was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted more than 120 hit singles across various genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the United States alone. He sold more than 100 million records worldwide during his lifetime, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. His fame and career spanned multiple genres: jazz, folk, pop, rock, and country. He remade his career and was one of the most successful cross-over artists of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Johnson (singer)</span> American musician and singer (1944–2017)

Michael Jay Johnson was an American pop, country, and folk singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best remembered for his 1978 hit song "Bluer Than Blue". He charted four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and nine more on Hot Country Songs, including two number one country hits in 1986's "Give Me Wings" and "The Moon Is Still Over Her Shoulder". He also co-wrote "Cain's Blood", the debut single of 1990s country group 4 Runner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooks & Dunn</span> American country music duo

Brooks & Dunn are an American country music duo consisting of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, both of whom are vocalists and songwriters. The duo was founded in 1990 through the suggestion of songwriter and record producer Tim DuBois. Before their formation, both members were solo recording artists, having charted two solo singles apiece in the 1980s. Brooks also released an album for Capitol Records in 1989 and wrote hit singles for other artists.

<i>The Gambler</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Kenny Rogers

The Gambler is the sixth studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers, released by United Artists in November 1978. One of his most popular, it has established Rogers' status as one of the most successful artists of the 1970s and 1980s. The album reached many markets around the world, such as the Far East and Jamaica, with Rogers later commenting "When I go to Korea or Hong Kong people say 'Ah, the gambler!'". The album has sold over 5 million copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jo Dee Messina</span> American singer-songwriter

Jo Dee Marie Messina is an American country music artist. She has charted six number-one singles on the Billboard country music charts. She has been honored by the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She was the first female country artist to score three multiple-week number-one songs from the same album. To date, she has two platinum and three gold-certified albums by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Sandman</span> 1954 song

"Mr. Sandman" is a popular song written by Pat Ballard and published in 1954. It was first recorded in May of that year by Vaughn Monroe & His Orchestra and later that year by The Chordettes and the Four Aces. The song's lyrics convey a request to "Mr. Sandman" to "bring me a dream" – the traditional association of the folkloric figure. The pronoun used to refer to the desired dream is often changed depending on the sex of the singer or group performing the song, as the original sheet music publication, which includes male and female versions of the lyrics, intended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolyn Dawn Johnson</span> Canadian country music singer-songwriter

Carolyn Dawn Johnson is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter. Johnson co-wrote Chely Wright's 1999 single, "Single White Female," which reached number one on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in September 1999. Johnson was signed, in 2000, to record label Arista Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SHeDAISY</span> American country music group

SHeDAISY was an American country music vocal group from Magna, Utah. The group consisted of sisters Kristyn Robyn Osborn, Kelsi Marie Osborn, and Kassidy Lorraine Osborn. The group's name is derived from the word shideezhí, a Navajo term meaning "my little sister".

Jeffery Wayne Bates is an American country music artist. Signed to RCA Nashville in late 2002, Bates released his debut album Rainbow Man in May 2003. In 2005 he released his second album, Leave the Light On, on RCA. He left RCA in 2006. This album was followed by Jeff Bates in 2008 on the independent Black River Entertainment. Bates' two RCA albums accounted for seven chart singles on the Billboard country charts, of which three reached top 40: "The Love Song", "I Wanna Make You Cry" at No. 23, and "Long, Slow Kisses" at No. 17.

<i>Once Upon a Christmas</i> (Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton album) 1984 studio album by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton

Once Upon a Christmas is a collaborative studio album by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released on October 29, 1984, by RCA Nashville. The album was produced by Rogers with David Foster. It was Rogers' second Christmas album, following 1981's Christmas, and Parton's first. The album's release was accompanied by a CBS television special, Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember. The album was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in 1989.

<i>Gideon</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Kenny Rogers

Gideon is the platinum-selling ninth studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers. Issued by United Artists Records in 1980, it hit #1 on the Country albums chart and #12 on the main Billboard album chart. It includes the worldwide hit "Don't Fall in Love with a Dreamer".

<i>Daytime Friends</i> 1977 studio album by Kenny Rogers

Daytime Friends is the third studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers for United Artists Records, released worldwide in 1977. It was his second major success following the break-up of The First Edition in 1976.

<i>What About Me?</i> (Kenny Rogers album) 1984 studio album by Kenny Rogers

What About Me? is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers, released by RCA Nashville in 1984. The album's title track, "What About Me?", is sung in trio with R&B singer James Ingram and Kim Carnes, which reached number one on the AC charts and was also a pop and country hit, giving co-writer Richard Marx his first number one hit as a writer. Marx's second number one hit as a writer was the song "Crazy", which was included on the album.

<i>Set This Circus Down</i> 2001 studio album by Tim McGraw

Set This Circus Down is the sixth studio album by American country music singer Tim McGraw. It was released in April 2001 via Curb Records. The album produced four singles, all of which reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

3 of Hearts was an American country music trio composed of Blaire Stroud, Katie McNeill, and Deserea Wasdin, all natives of Fort Worth, Texas. Signed to RCA Nashville in 2001, the trio released its debut album in July of that year. Two of its singles entered the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did their rendition of "The Christmas Shoes."

<i>Love on the Inside</i> 2008 studio album by Sugarland

Love on the Inside is the third studio album by American country music duo Sugarland, first released on July 22, 2008, as a Deluxe Fan Edition, including five bonus tracks, with the standard edition one week later, on July 29, on Mercury Nashville Records. The album has produced three chart singles in "All I Want to Do", "Already Gone" and "It Happens", all number one hits on the Billboard country singles charts. The fourth single, "Joey", reached Top 20. The release of the fifth single "Keep You" was cancelled. It is also the first album of the duo's career to reach Number One on Top Country Albums and The Billboard Top 200. The album has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA with sales of over 2 million copies in the United States.

Byron Gallimore is an American record producer known for more than two decades of work in the field of country music. He has worked with artists Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sugarland, Lee Ann Womack, and Jo Dee Messina. Faith Hill's 1999 album Breathe won him the Grammy Award for Best Country Album. Gallimore also produced the single "Breathe" from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Dominion (band)</span> American country music band

Old Dominion is an American country music band formed in Nashville. The band consists of Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, Whit Sellers (drums), Geoff Sprung, and Brad Tursi. Their music is contemporary country with rock instrumentation, and has pop overtones.

"Missin' Mississippi" is a song written by Byron Gallimore, Blake Mevis and Bill Shore, and recorded by American country music artist Charley Pride. It was released in September 1984 as the third single from the album Power of Love. The song became a top 40 hit on the Billboard country chart.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Nasta, Sheetal; Sanders, Peter (October 2001). "Heart Beat". Texas Monthly . Archived from the original on October 4, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cohoon, Rick. "Artist Biography by Rick Cohoon". AllMusic . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Hollabaugh, Lorie (May 12, 2001). "RCA Act 3 of Hearts Holds Winning Cards". Billboard . Archived from the original on April 29, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Hochman, Steve (March 4, 2001). "A Country Veteran and Teen Hopefuls Unite". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Roland, Tom (Fall 2002). "Inside the Music Business: Mature Themes" (PDF). American Bar Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 10, 2017.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Taylor, Chuck; Star, Phyllis (March 3, 2001). "Country Teens Go Multimedia". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Kenny Rogers Sues Longtime Manager". Billboard . March 15, 2001. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016.
  8. ↑ Stark, Phyllis (March 24, 2001). "Kenny Rogers Files Suit Against Former Manager". Billboard . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  9. 1 2 G, Katherine (March 9, 2017). "Country Music's 10 Nastiest Lawsuits". Fame10. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017.
  10. ↑ Wood, E. Thomas (March 13, 2001). "Kenny Fires, Sues Manager Ken Kragen". NashvillePost.com . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 "Credits". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 11, 2017.
  12. 1 2 3 4 3 of Hearts (Inlay cover). 3 of Hearts. RCA Nashville. March 6, 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (March 6, 2001). "AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine". AllMusic. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "3 of Hearts". Billboard . August 4, 2001. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014.
  15. ↑ Mayhew, Malcolm (February 3, 2001). "Artists to watch in coming year". Deseret News . Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 Mayhew, Malcolm (September 16, 2000). "Teen Music Group 3 Of Hearts Plays Cards Right By Turning Up Country". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  17. 1 2 Price, Deborah Evans (April 21, 2001). "Reviews & Previews". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 MacIntosh, Dan (2001). "3 of Hearts". Country Standard Time . Archived from the original on August 9, 2016.
  19. ↑ Back at One (Inlay cover). Brian McKnight. Motown. September 21, 1999.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. 1 2 "This Week". The New Music. Montreal Gazette . July 19, 2001. p. C 13. Retrieved February 12, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "New Releases!". Advertisements. Courier Journal . July 22, 2001. p. 8. Retrieved February 12, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  22. 1 2 "Releases". AllMusic . Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  23. ↑ "3 of Hearts by 3 of Hearts". Apple Music. 23 July 2001. Retrieved January 1, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Young Country Artists Bloosm and Bloom". Billboard . March 3, 2001. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  25. ↑ Flippo, Chet (July 24, 2001). "Tracy Byrd's Ten Rounds, Bluegrass Soundtrack Lead New CDs". CMT . Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  26. 1 2 "Top Country Albums". Billboard . Archived from the original on February 14, 2018. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Arizona Rain". Amazon. July 23, 2001. Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.
  28. ↑ Country heat 2002. WorldCat. OCLC   858218812.
  29. ↑ "Country Airplay (Love is Enough)". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 11, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  30. ↑ "3 of Hearts". Billboard . Archived from the original on March 22, 2018.
  31. 1 2 "Pulse of the City". D Magazine . June 2001. Archived from the original on December 10, 2017.
  32. ↑ Tarradell, Mario (July 24, 2001). "Teens' breezy country tunes are refreshing". The Dallas Morning News . Archived from the original on December 14, 2017.(subscription required)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.