Who I Am (Cory Marks album)

Last updated
Who I Am
Who I Am Cory Marks.jpg
Studio album by
Cory Marks
ReleasedAugust 7, 2020
StudioThe Hideout, Las Vegas, NV
Genre Country rock [1]
Length44:25
Label Better Noise
Producer
Cory Marks chronology
This Man
(2015)		Who I Am
(2020)		Nashville Mornings
(2021)
Singles from Who I Am
  1. "Outlaws & Outsiders"
    Released: March 4, 2020
  2. "Drive"
    Released: July 20, 2020
  3. "Blame It on the Double"
    Released: October 5, 2020
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Maximum VolumeStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Entertainment FocusStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
RamzineStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Who I Am is the second studio album by Canadian country rock artist Cory Marks, and was released on August 7, 2020 through Better Noise Music. [5] [6] [7] It includes the singles "Outlaws and Outsiders", "Drive" and "Blame It on the Double".

Contents

Background

Marks spent five years co-writing and recording the songs for this album with producer Kevin Churko. [7] Marks frequently travelled from his hometown North Bay, Ontario to Churko's studio "The Hideout" in Las Vegas, Nevada to work on the album. [8]

Critical reception

Dave Brooks of Billboard referred to the album as the "Long Awaited Next Generation Country Rock Record". [1] Nanci Dagg of Canadian Beats Media said of Marks and the album: "his style is outlaw country/country rock and he pulls it off like no other. He has a boisterous sound and unique style that will always impress those who have come to know him and his music". [8] Rock 'N' Load Magazine said the "album is packed with a gnarly backbone and beautiful melodies intertwined right across the thirteen fine recordings". [9] Andy Morley of Maximum Volume Music stated the album is "for the good ol’ boys, [it's] never meaning no harm, oh and it's going to take over the world. See, a college hockey player, and a pilot he might have been, but these days Cory Marks is about to break out as a big star. [2]

Singles

Marks released his first single on Better Noise Music, "Outlaws & Outsiders", featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt, and Mick Mars, [10] in November 2019. It debuted at #1 on iTunes in Canada as well as #1 on the Billboard Rock Digital Songs and Hard Rock Digital Songs charts and #7 on the Country Digital Songs charts [11] [12] and would later peak inside the top 10 on US Mainstream Rock radio, top 5 on German rock radio, and at #12 on Canada Rock radio. [13] [14]

Marks released three promotional singles, "Better Off", [15] "Blame It on the Double", [16] and "Devil's Grin", [17] prior to officially announcing the album.

In June 2020, Marks released "Drive", [18] [19] [20] and announced it as the second single to country radio off the simultaneously announced album.

"Blame It on the Double" became the album’s second single to rock radio in Germany and the United Kingdom in October 2020. [21] A later version of the song featuring Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman was sent to Canadian country radio, [22] while another version featuring Connolly and Jason Hook was sent to Canadian rock radio. [23]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Devil's Grin"
2:43
2."Outlaws & Outsiders" (featuring Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody & Mick Mars)
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:17
3."Good to Be Us"
2:57
4."Blame It on the Double"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:27
5."Another Night in Jail"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:36
6."Who I Am"
  • Marks
2:53
7."Drive"
  • Marks
3:34
8."Better Off"
  • Marks
  • Kevin Churko
3:17
9."My Whiskey Your Wine"
  • Marks
3:16
10."Keep Doing What I Do"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
3:33
11."Out in the Rain" (featuring Lzzy Hale)
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
4:14
Bonus tracks (CD/Digital/Streaming only)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."She’s Hollywood"
  • Marks
  • Churko
  • Churko
4:16
13."My Whiskey Your Wine" (acoustic)
  • Marks
3:16

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes. [24]

Charts

Album

Chart (2020)Peak
position
Australian Country Albums (ARIA) [25] 16
Canada Top 20 (MC) [26] 12
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [27] 98
UK Country Albums (OCC) [28] 6
US Top Album Sales ( Billboard ) [29] 74
US Heatseekers Albums ( Billboard ) [30] 17

Singles

YearSinglePeak
positions
AUS
Country
[31] 		CAN
Digital
[32] 		CAN
Rock
[14] 		US
Country
Digital
[33] 		US
Main
Rock
[34] 		US
Rock
[35]
2020"Outlaws & Outsiders" [12]
(featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt and Mick Mars)		41111271014
"Drive" [18] ——————
"Blame It on the Double" [21] ——————
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef
2021 Canadian Country Music Awards Alternative Country Album of the YearWho I AmNominated [36] [37]
2022Country Music Association of OntarioSongwriter(s) of the Year"Blame It on the Double" (with Kevin Churko and Kane Churko)Nominated [38] [39]

Release history

Release formats for Who I Am
CountryDateFormatLabelRef.
VariousAugust 7, 2020 Digital download [5]
Compact disc
Streaming
August 28, 2020 Vinyl

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Travis Tritt</span> American country musician (born 1963)

James Travis Tritt is an American country singer-songwriter. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released three studio albums on Columbia Records and one for the now-defunct Category 5 Records. Seven of his albums are certified platinum or higher by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); the highest-certified is 1991's It's All About to Change, which is certified triple-platinum. Tritt has also charted more than 40 times on the Hot Country Songs charts, including five number ones—"Help Me Hold On", "Anymore", "Can I Trust You with My Heart", "Foolish Pride", and "Best of Intentions"—and 15 additional top ten singles. Tritt's musical style is defined by mainstream country and Southern rock influences.

<i>Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles</i> 1993 compilation album by various artists

Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles is a tribute album to American rock band Eagles. It was released in 1993 on Giant Records to raise funds for the Walden Woods Project. The album features covers of various Eagles songs, as performed by country music acts. It was certified 3× Platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 27, 1994, honoring shipments of three million copies in the United States. Several cuts from the album all charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts after the album's release, the most successful being Travis Tritt's rendition of "Take It Easy" at number 21. Common Thread won all of its performers a Country Music Association Award for Album of the Year at the 1994 ceremony.

<i>Country Club</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Travis Tritt

Country Club is the debut studio album by American country music artist Travis Tritt, released in 1990 by Warner Bros. Records. The tracks "Country Club", "I'm Gonna Be Somebody", "Help Me Hold On", "Drift Off to Dream", and "Put Some Drive in Your Country" were released as singles. Of these, "Help Me Hold On" was a Number One hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts; all the other singles except for "Put Some Drive in Your Country" reached Top Ten.

<i>Down the Road I Go</i> 2000 studio album by Travis Tritt

Down the Road I Go is American country music artist Travis Tritt's seventh studio album. It was released on October 3, 2000, his first album for Columbia Records. The tracks "Best of Intentions", "It's a Great Day to Be Alive", "Love of a Woman", and "Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde" were released as singles. "It's a Great Day to Be Alive" was originally recorded in 1996 by Jon Randall for an album which was never released. "Best of Intentions" was a Number One hit for him, and his first chart-topper since "Foolish Pride" in 1994. The album is certified Platinum for sales of over 1,000,000.

<i>Greatest Hits: From the Beginning</i> (Travis Tritt album) 1995 greatest hits album by Travis Tritt

Greatest Hits: From the Beginning is the first compilation album by American country music singer Travis Tritt. Released in 1995 on Warner Bros. Records, the album features thirteen tracks from Tritt's first four studio albums Country Club (1990), It's All About to Change (1991), T-R-O-U-B-L-E (1992), and Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof (1994). Two songs were newly recorded for this album as well: the Steve Earle-penned "Sometimes She Forgets", and a rendition of the pop standard "Only You ". The former was released as a single in 1995, reaching #7 on the Hot Country Songs charts, while the latter reached #51 on the same chart. Overall, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of one million copies.

Travis Tritt is an American country music artist. His discography comprises 13 studio albums, six compilation albums, and 43 singles. Of his studio albums, the highest-certified is 1991's It's All About to Change, at 3× Platinum certification by the RIAA and platinum certification by the CRIA. His first, third, and fourth albums—Country Club, T-R-O-U-B-L-E and Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof, respectively—are all certified double platinum in the US, while 1996's The Restless Kind, 2000's Down the Road I Go and his 1995 Greatest Hits: From the Beginning album are all certified platinum. It's All About to Change is also his highest-peaking album on Billboard Top Country Albums, at #2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Help Me Hold On</span> 1990 single by Travis Tritt

"Help Me Hold On" is a song by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in February 1990 as the second single from his debut album Country Club. It reached number 1 in both the United States and Canada, thus becoming Travis Tritt's first number-one hit. The song was written by Tritt and Pat Terry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Gonna Be Somebody</span> 1990 single by Travis Tritt

"I'm Gonna Be Somebody" is a song written by Jill Colucci and Stewart Harris, and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It released in May 1990 as the third single from his debut album Country Club. It reached No. 2 in the United States, behind Shenandoah's "Next to You, Next to Me", while it became his second No. 1 hit in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anymore (Travis Tritt song)</span> 1991 single by Travis Tritt

"Anymore" is a song co-written and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in September 1991 as the second single from his album It's All About to Change. It peaked at No. 1 in both the United States and Canada, becoming his second of such in the United States, and his fourth in Canada. The song was written by Tritt and Jill Colucci.

"Put Some Drive in Your Country" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in September 1990 as the fourth single from his debut album Country Club.

"Country Club" is a song written by Catesby Jones and Dennis Lord, and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in August 1989 as the lead single and title track from Tritt's debut album. It peaked at No. 9 in the United States, and #22 in Canada. The song had originally been cut by Alan Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">T-R-O-U-B-L-E (song)</span> 1975 single by Elvis Presley

"T-R-O-U-B-L-E" is a song written by Jerry Chesnut and recorded by Elvis Presley in March 1975. It was released as a single, as the A-side, with the B-side "Mr. Songman", through RCA Victor that was taken from his album Today. It is not to be confused with the Leiber and Stoller song "Trouble", that Presley first recorded in July 1958, and which was subsequently recorded by numerous other artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Whiskey Ain't Workin'</span> 1991 single by Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart

"The Whiskey Ain't Workin'" is a song recorded by American country music artists Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart. It was released in November 1991 as the third single from Tritt's album It's All About to Change. It peaked at number two on the Billboard country music chart in the United States, and at number four on the country singles chart in Canada. The song was written by Stuart and Ronny Scaife.

"Lord Have Mercy on the Working Man" is a song written by Kostas and recorded by American country music singer Travis Tritt. It was released in August 1992 as the first of five singles from his third studio album, T-R-O-U-B-L-E. The song became Tritt's tenth entry on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, where it peaked at number 5.

"Nothing Short of Dying" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Travis Tritt. It was released in February 1992 as the fourth and final single from Tritt's album It's All About to Change. It peaked at number 4 on the Billboard country music chart in the United States, and at number 7 on the country singles chart in Canada.

"Helping Me Get Over You" is a song written and recorded by American country music artists Travis Tritt and Lari White. It was released in July 1997 as the fourth single from Tritt's album The Restless Kind. The song reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. It was nominated for a TNN/MCN Music award that year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cory Marks</span> Canadian country singer

Cory Gerald Joseph Marquardt is a Canadian country rock singer-songwriter better known by his stage name Cory Marks. He is signed to Better Noise Music. He has released two albums, This Man in 2015 under Big Star Recordings, and most recently Who I Am in 2020 under Better Noise. Since the release, the album has accumulated over 260 million global streams with his debut single "Outlaws & Outsiders" being certified Platinum in Canada, Gold in the US and reaching top 10 at US rock radio and #3 in Germany, making Marks the first to ever do so as a Canadian country act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outlaws & Outsiders</span> 2019 song by Cory Marks

"Outlaws & Outsiders" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country rock singer Cory Marks. Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch, Travis Tritt, and Mick Mars of Mötley Crüe are featured on the track. The song was released in November 2019 through Better Noise Music and was sent to both country and rock radio formats as the lead single off Marks’ album Who I Am. A solo version by Marks was included on the soundtrack for the film Sno Babies, while both versions of the track were included on a CD-exclusive EP of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive (Cory Marks song)</span> 2020 song by Cory Marks

"Drive" is a song written and recorded by Canadian country rock artist Cory Marks. It was the second single from Marks' studio album Who I Am. The track was produced by Kevin Churko and Kane Churko.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blame It on the Double</span> 2020 song by Cory Marks

"Blame It on the Double" is a song co-written and recorded by Canadian country rock artist Cory Marks. It was a promotional single from Marks' studio album Who I Am, and later became a single at German and British rock radio. The track was co-written by Kevin Churko and Kane Churko.

References

  1. 1 2 Brooks, Dave (August 11, 2020). "Cory Marks Debuts Long Awaited Next Generation Country Rock Record 'Who I Am'". Billboard .
  2. 1 2 Thorley, Andy (August 12, 2020). "REVIEW: CORY MARKS – WHO I AM (2020)". Maximum Volume Music.
  3. ↑ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip (August 7, 2020). "Cory Marks – Who I Am Album Review". Entertainment Focus.
  4. ↑ Dison, Tom (September 13, 2020). "Cory Marks states clearly Who I Am". Ramzine.
  5. 1 2 "Who I Am – Cory Marks". AllMusic . Retrieved September 4, 2020.
  6. ↑ Iahn, Buddy (August 11, 2020). "CORY MARKS 'WHO I AM' DEBUTS WORLDWIDE". The Music Universe.
  7. 1 2 "Cory Marks, The Critically Acclaimed Next Generation of Country Rock, Releases Debut Album, WHO I AM". The Country Note. August 7, 2020.
  8. 1 2 Dagg, Nanci (August 26, 2020). "Review & Interview with Cory Marks". Canadian Beats Media.
  9. ↑ "CORY MARKS // WHO I AM // ALBUM REVIEW". Rock 'N' Load Magazine. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ↑ Gosselin, Jessica (November 26, 2019). "North Bay's Cory Marks' new song is number one on iTunes Canada". CTV News Northern Ontario.
  11. ↑ "Cory Marks Throws Down in Single "Outlaws & Outsiders" ft. Travis Tritt, Ivan Moody & Mick Mars". Front Porch Music. January 26, 2020.
  12. 1 2 Brooks, Dave (December 20, 2019). "Cory Marks 'Outlaws and Outsiders' Is the 2019 Hit That Couldn't Be Confined". Billboard .
  13. ↑ "Big day for North Bay's Cory Marks". BayToday.ca. August 7, 2020.
  14. 1 2 "Travis Tritt Chart History: Canada Rock Song Sales". Billboard . Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  15. ↑ "Cory Marks releases his new single 'Better Off'". The Rockpit. December 13, 2019.
  16. ↑ "Top Country Pick: Cory Marks 'Blame It On The Double'". Top Country. February 14, 2020.
  17. ↑ Taylor, Blake (April 17, 2020). "Cory Marks Releases New Single, 'Devil's Grin'". iHeart Radio .
  18. 1 2 Brooks, Dave (June 19, 2020). "Cory Marks New Track 'Drive' Is The Feel Good Country Hit of the Summer". Billboard .
  19. ↑ Elwood-Hughes, Pip (June 7, 2020). "Cory Marks debuts new track Drive ahead of August album release". Entertainment Focus.
  20. ↑ Iahn, Buddy (June 5, 2020). "CORY MARKS ANNOUNCES 'WHO I AM'". The Music Universe.
  21. 1 2 "Cory Marks on Twitter: "Very excited to announce that my single #BlameItOnTheDouble is now at UK & [German] rock radio!! 🥃🥃 @BetterNoise 🇬🇧🇨🇦"" . Retrieved October 5, 2020– via Twitter.
  22. ↑ "CORY MARKS' NEW 'NASHVILLE MORNINGS' EP OFFERS REFRESHED APPROACH TO THE COUNTRY-ROCKER'S CATALOGUE". Rock N' Load Magazine. June 17, 2021.
  23. ↑ Brooks, Dave (April 30, 2021). "Cory Marks Drops Single With Jason Hook & Theory of a Deadman's Tyler Connolly". Billboard .
  24. ↑ Who I Am (CD booklet). Cory Marks. Better Noise Music. 2020. BNM-581-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. ↑ "ARIA Report" (PDF). ARIA. August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Top 20 Albums - Charts for August 17, 2020". Music Canada. August 17, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Cory Marks – Who I Am". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Official Country Artists Albums Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Billboard Top Album Sales - Week of August 22, 2020" . Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  30. ↑ "Billboard Heatseekers Albums - Week of August 22, 2020" . Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  31. ↑ References for Australian Country Hot 50:
  32. ↑ "Travis Tritt Chart History: Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales". Billboard .
  33. ↑ "Travis Tritt Chart History: Country Digital Song Sales". Billboard . Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  34. ↑ "Travis Tritt Chart History: Mainstream Rock". Billboard.
  35. ↑ "Travis Tritt Chart History: Hot Rock & Alternative Songs". Billboard.
  36. ↑ Colley, Katie (September 21, 2021). "The Reklaws Lead CCMA Awards Nominations With Six: See The Full List". ET Canada . Archived from the original on September 23, 2021.
  37. ↑ Samhan, Jamie (November 30, 2021). "2021 CCMA Awards winners list: Dallas Smith voted entertainer of the year". Global News .
  38. ↑ "2022 CMAOntario Awards Nominees Announced". CMA Ontario. March 24, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  39. ↑ "10th Annual CMAOntario Awards Winners Announced". CMA Ontario. June 6, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
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.