Lucinda Gayl Williams is an American singer-songwriter and a solo guitarist. She recorded her first two albums, Ramblin' on My Mind (1979) and Happy Woman Blues (1980), in a traditional country and blues style that received critical praise but little public or radio attention. In 1988, she released her third album, Lucinda Williams, to widespread critical acclaim. Regarded as "an Americana classic", the album also features "Passionate Kisses", a song later recorded by Mary Chapin Carpenter for her 1992 album Come On Come On, which garnered Williams her first Grammy Award for Best Country Song in 1994. Known for working slowly, Williams released her fourth album, Sweet Old World, four years later in 1992. Sweet Old World was met with further critical acclaim, and was voted the 11th best album of 1992 in The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of prominent music critics. Robert Christgau, the poll's creator, ranked it 6th on his own year-end list, later writing that the album, as well as Lucinda Williams, were "gorgeous, flawless, brilliant".
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, released on June 30, 1998, by Mercury Records. The album was recorded and co-produced by Williams in Nashville, Tennessee and Canoga Park, California, and features guest appearances by Steve Earle and Emmylou Harris.
Mary Chapin Carpenter is an American country and folk music singer-songwriter. Carpenter spent several years singing in Washington, D.C.-area clubs before signing in the late 1980s with Columbia Records. Carpenter's first album, 1987's Hometown Girl, did not produce any charting singles. She broke through with 1989's State of the Heart and 1990's Shooting Straight in the Dark.
"Cat's in the Cradle" is a folk rock song by American singer-songwriter Harry Chapin, from his fourth studio album, Verities & Balderdash (1974). The single topped the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1974. As Chapin's only number-one song, it became the best known of his work and a staple for folk rock music. Chapin's recording of the song was nominated for the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011.
Lucinda Williams is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams, released in 1988, by Rough Trade Records.
"He Thinks He'll Keep Her" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in December 1993 as the sixth single from the album Come On Come On. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It was written by Carpenter and Don Schlitz.
Come On Come On is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on June 30, 1992. It rose to No. 11 on the Billboard's Country Albums chart and No. 31 on the Billboard 200, with seven of its tracks reaching the Hot Country Songs chart: "I Feel Lucky", "Not Too Much to Ask", "Passionate Kisses", "The Hard Way", "The Bug", "He Thinks He'll Keep Her", and "I Take My Chances". "Passionate Kisses" also reached No. 57 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Stones in the Road is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on October 4, 1994. It became Carpenter's first album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, and first album to reach the top 10 on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 10. It also contains her first No. 1 Hot Country Singles hit, "Shut Up and Kiss Me", which also reached No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. Other charting singles were "Tender When I Want to Be", "House of Cards", and "Why Walk When You Can Fly?" at.
"The Bug" is a song written by Mark Knopfler and originally recorded by Dire Straits on the final studio album by the band, On Every Street (1991). It was covered by Mary Chapin Carpenter in 1992, and also recorded on the albums Blues Ballads (1996) by The Alex Bollard Assembly and Keep Your Hands to Yourself (2002) by Mike Berry & The Outlaws.
"The Night's Too Long" is a song written and performed by American singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. It was released in 1989 as the second single from her third album, Lucinda Williams (1988).
"I See It Now" is a song written by Larry Boone, Paul Nelson and Woody Lee, and recorded by American country music artist Tracy Lawrence. It was released in August 1994 as the first single from his album of the same name. It peaked at number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart and reached number 5 on the Canadian RPM Country Tracks chart. It also peaked at number 84 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Not Too Much to Ask" is a song recorded by American country music artists Mary Chapin Carpenter and Joe Diffie. It was released in September 1992 as the second single from Carpenter's album Come On Come On. The song reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in December 1992. It was nominated for a 1993 Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. It was written by Carpenter and Don Schlitz.
"Shut Up and Kiss Me" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in August 1994 as the first single from her album Stones in the Road. The song became her only number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts on November 19, 1994; it also peaked at number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song features Lee Roy Parnell accompanying on slide guitar, Benmont Tench on piano, Don Dixon on bass, Kenny Aronoff on drums, and Trisha Yearwood providing backing vocals. The song also won Carpenter a Grammy Award in 1995 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
The discography of American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter consists of 16 studio albums, four compilation albums, three video albums, 41 singles, 15 music videos, and 88 album appearances. After recording a demo tape, she was signed to Columbia Records in 1987 and released her debut studio album Hometown Girl (1987). In June 1989, Carpenter's second studio album State of the Heart was issued, which transitioned more towards country music. Among its four singles, both "Never Had It So Good" and "Quittin' Time" became top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Singles and Tracks chart.
Party Doll and Other Favorites is the first compilation album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on May 25, 1999. It comprises a mix of her greatest hits, several album cuts, and newly recorded tracks, including "Almost Home", which reached No. 22 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and No. 85 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Nobody Wins" is a song recorded by American country music artist Radney Foster, co-written by himself and Kim Richey. It was released in January 1993 as the second single from his debut album Del Rio, TX 1959. The song is the highest-peaking single of his career, spending 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts and peaking at number 2, behind "The Heart Won't Lie" by Reba McEntire and Vince Gill. It also peaked at number 7 on the Canadian RPM country music charts in May 1993. Mary Chapin Carpenter sings background vocals on the song.
"Tender When I Want to Be" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in December 1994 as the second single from her album Stones in the Road. The song reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in February 1995.
"Down at the Twist and Shout" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It celebrates the Bethesda, Maryland, dance and music venue Twist & Shout. It was released in June 1991 as the third single from the album Shooting Straight in the Dark. The song reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart on September 14, 1991. The Cajun-themed song features backing from members of BeauSoleil, who are also name-dropped in the lyrics. Carpenter performed the song pregame at Super Bowl XXXI.
"I Feel Lucky" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in May 1992 as the first single from the album Come On Come On. The song reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The Chipettes recorded a cover of this song for the 1992 album Chipmunks in Low Places. It was written by Carpenter and Don Schlitz.
"The Hard Way" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Mary Chapin Carpenter. It was released in March 1993 as the fourth single from her album Come On Come On. The song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in July 1993. It was nominated at the 36th Grammy Awards for Best Country Song.
