Dancin' on the Boulevard explained

Dancin' on the Boulevard
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Alabama
Cover:	Alabama - Dancin.jpg
Released:	April 8, 1997
Recorded:	October 1996
Studio:	Soundshop Studio A and Sony ATV Tree (Nashville, Tennessee).
Genre:	Country
Length:	42:05
Label:	RCA Nashville
Producer:	Alabama and Don Cook
Prev Title:	Christmas Vol. II
Prev Year:	1996
Next Title:	Twentieth Century
Next Year:	1999

Dancin' on the Boulevard is the seventeenth studio album by American country music band Alabama, released in 1997 by RCA Records. It includes the singles "Dancin, Shaggin' on the Boulevard", "Sad Lookin' Moon," "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes" and "Of Course I'm Alright". Also included on the album are cover versions of The Temptations' "My Girl" and Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby". The album peaked at No. 5 on Billboard Country Albums Chart and No. 55 on Billboard 200.

Content

Dancin' on the Boulevard was produced by the band, along with Don Cook.^[1] "Sad Lookin' Moon" was the first single-release from the album, peaking at No. 2 on the U.S. country singles charts in 1997. Following it was the title track which, like "Sad Lookin' Moon", was co-written by lead singer Randy Owen along with bass guitarist Teddy Gentry and frequent collaborator Greg Fowler.^[1] This song reached #3 on the same chart late that year. "Of Course I'm Alright" followed late in the year and reached No. 22.^[2] Finishing off the single releases was "She's Got That Look in Her Eyes", an Owen-Gentry collaboration which peaked at #21.^[2]

Two covers are included on the album as well: "Hey! Baby" and "My Girl", originally Number One pop hits for Bruce Channel and The Temptations, respectively.^[1]

Critical reception

Thom Owens of Allmusic gave the album a two-star rating out of five, calling it "a fairly predictable and routine record that only catches fire on its singles".^[3]

Personnel

As listed in liner notes.^[1]

Alabama

• Randy Owen – lead vocals, backing vocals
• Jeff Cook – electric guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals (10)
• Teddy Gentry – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals (5)

Alabama's drummer, Mark Herndon, does not play on the album.

Additional musicians

• John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ, Wurlitzer organ, synth bass
• Steve Nathan – acoustic piano, keyboards, Hammond B3 organ
• Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitars
• Brent Rowan – electric guitars, slide guitar, 12-string guitar, mandolin
• Larry Paxton – bass guitar
• Lonnie Wilson – drums, percussion
• Don Jackson – baritone saxophone
• Denis Solee – tenor saxophone
• Dennis Good – trombone
• Chris McDonald – trombone
• Mike Haynes – trumpet
• George Tidwell – trumpet
• Dennis Burnside – horn arrangements and conductor
• Terry McMillan – harmonica (10)
• Bruce Channel – backing vocals (10)

String section

• Dennis Burnside – string arrangements and conductor
• John Catchings and Bob Mason – cello
• Jim Grosjean, Gary Vanosdale and Kristin Wilkinson – viola
• David Angell, David Davidson, Conni Ellisor, Carl Gorodetzky, Lee Larrison, Pamela Sixfin, Alan Umstead and Catherine Umstead – violin

Production

• Alabama – producers
• Don Cook – producer
• Mike Bradley – recording, mixing
• Mark Capps – additional recording, recording assistant, mix assistant
• Bart Pursley – additional recording, recording assistant
• John Dickson – mix assistant
• Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Susan Eaddy – art direction
• Bill Brunt – design
• Blake Morgan – design
• Peter Nash – photography
• David Haskell – background photography

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1997)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	5
U.S. Billboard 200	55
Canadian RPM Country Albums	2

Notes and References

1. Dancin' on the Boulevard . Alabama . 1997 . CD insert . RCA Records . 67426.
2. Book: Whitburn, Joel. Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. 2008. 20. 978-0-89820-177-2.
3. Web site: [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r259501|pure_url=yes}} ''Dancin' on the Boulevard'' review]. Owens. Thom. Allmusic. 2009-08-17.