Real Fine Place Explained

Real Fine Place
Type:	studio
Artist:	Sara Evans
Cover:	Realfineplace.jpg
Released:	October 4, 2005
Recorded:	2004–2005
Studio:	Starstruck Studios (Nashville, Tennessee); The Sound Kitchen (Franklin, Tennessee).
Genre:	Country
Length:	52:56
Label:	RCA Nashville
Prev Title:	Restless
Prev Year:	2003
Next Title:	The Video Collection
Next Year:	2006

Real Fine Place is the fifth studio album by American country music artist Sara Evans. It was released in October 2005 via RCA Records Nashville. It is the follow-up album to the platinum Restless. It features Evans's fourth number one hit "A Real Fine Place to Start", the Top 10 hit "Cheatin'", the Top 20 hit "You'll Always Be My Baby", and the Top 40 hit "Coalmine". The album debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 124,720 copies in its first week.^[1] The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for U.S. shipments of a million copies.

Content

The track "A Real Fine Place to Start" was co-written by Radney Foster, who previously recorded it for his 2002 album Another Way to Go. Evans's rendition of the song was released as this album's first single and became her fourth number one hit on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in mid-2005. Also released as singles from this album were "Cheatin'", "Coalmine", and "You'll Always Be My Baby", which respectively reached numbers 9, 37, and 13 on the country charts. "Missing Missouri" also reached number 52 based on unsolicited airplay. Several members of Evans's family sing backing vocals: her mother and father, Patricia Boggs, and Jack Evans; her brother, Matt Evans, who also serves as production assistant; and her sisters, Lesley Evans Lyons and Ashley Evans Simpson.

"Supernatural" was originally recorded by Susan Ashton on her 1999 album Closer.

Personnel

According to liner notes.^[2]

• Sara Evans – lead vocals, backing vocals
• Tim Akers – keyboards, acoustic piano, accordion, penny whistle
• Steve Nathan – keyboards, acoustic piano, Hammond organ
• Paul Franklin – keyboards, slide guitar, steel guitar
• Marcus Hummon – acoustic guitar
• Darrell Scott – acoustic guitar
• Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar
• Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
• Tom Bukovac – electric guitars
• J.T. Corenflos – electric guitars
• Gary Morse – steel guitar
• Randy Scruggs – banjo
• Aubrey Haynie – fiddle, mandolin
• David LaBruyere – bass
• Glenn Worf – bass
• Matt Chamberlain – drums
• David Huff – drum programming
• Eric Darken – percussion, Jew's harp
• Jim Horn – baritone saxophone (12), horn arrangements (12)
• Jeff Coffin – tenor saxophone (12)
• Randy Leago – tenor saxophone (12)
• Chris Dunn – trombone (12)
• John Hinchey – trombone (12)
• Steve Herrman – trumpet (12)
• Steve Patrick – trumpet (12)
• Quentin Ware – trumpet (12)
• Chris McDonald – string arrangements and conductor
• Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor
• The Nashville String Machine – strings
• LaTara Conley – backing vocals
• Kim Fleming – backing vocals
• Vicki Hampton – backing vocals
• Wes Hightower – backing vocals
• Troy Johnson – backing vocals
• Janelle Means – backing vocals
• Desmond Pringle – backing vocals
• Kevin Whalum – backing vocals
• Matt Evans – backing vocals (1, 2, 9, 10)
• Lesley Evans Lyons – backing vocals (4, 7, 9, 10, 13)
• Ashley Evans Simpson – backing vocals (4, 7, 9, 10, 13)
• Jack Evans – backing vocals (5)
• Patricia Boggs – backing vocals (13)

Production

• Sara Evans – producer
• Mark Bright – producer
• Derek Bason – recording, mixing
• J.R. Rodriguez – additional recording, recording assistant, mix assistant
• Chris Ashburn – recording assistant, mix assistant
• Scott Kidd – recording assistant, mix assistant
• Hank Williams – mastering at MasterMix (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Mike "Frog" Griffith – production coordinator
• Matt Evans – production assistant
• Astrid Herbold May – art direction, design
• S. Wade Hunt – cover design
• Russ Harrington – photography
• Debbie Dover – hair stylist
• Colleen Runne – make-up
• Claudia Fowler – wardrobe stylist

Chart performance

Year-end charts

Chart (2005)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[3]	46
Chart (2006)	Position
US Billboard 200^[4]	188
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[5]	30
Chart (2007)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[6]	75

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions		Certifications
		US Country	US
2005	"A Real Fine Place to Start"	1	38	RIAA: Gold
	"Cheatin'"	9	69
2006	"Coalmine"	37	—
	"You'll Always Be My Baby"	13	105
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Notes and References

1. Web site: Previous Album Sales Chart . HITS Daily Double . 2012-03-06 . dead . https://archive.today/20121206033750/http://www.hitsdailydouble.com/sales/archcht.cgi?cht965 . 2012-12-06 .
2. Real Fine Place . Sara Evans . 2005 . CD booklet . RCA Records . 82876-69486-2.
3. Top Country Albums – Year-End 2005. Billboard. August 2, 2020.
4. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2006. Billboard. August 2, 2020.
5. Top Country Albums – Year-End 2006. Billboard. August 2, 2020.
6. Top Country Albums – Year-End 2007. Billboard. August 2, 2020.