The Key (Vince Gill album) explained

The Key
Type:	studio
Artist:	Vince Gill
Cover:	TheKey.jpg
Released:	August 11, 1998
Genre:	Country
Length:	45:15
Label:	MCA Nashville
Producer:	Tony Brown
Prev Title:	High Lonesome Sound
Prev Year:	1996
Next Year:	1998

The Key is the eighth studio album from American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in 1998 on MCA Nashville. It features the singles "If You Ever Have Forever in Mind," "Kindly Keep It Country," "Don't Come Cryin' to Me" (an uncredited duet with Dawn Sears) and "My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man." This final track was also included on Patty Loveless's 1999 compilation album, Classics. This was Gill's first No. 1 Country Album.

Track listing

All songs written by Vince Gill except where noted.

Personnel

Compiled from liner notes.^[1]

The band

• Vince Gill – lead vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
• Hargus "Pig" Robbins – keyboards, pianos
• Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
• Randy Scruggs – acoustic guitar
• John Hughey – steel guitar
• Glenn Worf – bass
• Eddie Bayers – drums
• Stuart Duncan – fiddle
• Larry Franklin – fiddle
• Bergen White – string arrangements and conductor
• Patty Loveless – lead vocals on "My Kind of Woman/My Kind of Man"

Background vocalists

• Bergen White – BGV arrangements
• Dawn Sears (Track 1)
• Lisa Cochran, Michael Eldred, Jon Mark Ivey, Marabeth Jordan, Lisa Silver and Dennis Wilson (Track 2)
• Sara Evans (Track 3)
• Lee Ann Womack (Track 4)
• Liana Manis and Curtis Young (Track 5)
• Shelby Lynne (Tracks 6 & 8)
• Sonya Isaacs, Billy Thomas and Jeff White (Track 9)
• Alison Krauss, Billy Thomas and Jeff White (10)
• Sonya Isaacs (Track 11)
• Faith Hill (Track 12)

Production

• Tony Brown – producer
• Chuck Ainlay – recording, mixing
• Steve Marcantonio – recording
• Tim Coyle – second engineer
• Steve Crowder – second engineer
• Chris Davie – second engineer
• Todd Gunnerson – second engineer
• Mark Ralston – second engineer
• Glenn Spinner – second engineer
• Aaron Swihart – second engineer
• Denny Purcell – mastering
• Benny Garcia – guitar technician
• Jessie Noble – project coordinator
• Virginia Team – art direction
• Chuck Ferrara – design
• Jim McGuire – photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1998)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (RPM)	25
Canadian Country Albums (RPM)	2
US Billboard 200^[2]	11
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[3]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1998)	Position
US Billboard 200^[4]	173
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[5]	24

Notes and References

1. The Key . Vince Gill . 1998 . CD booklet . MCA Nashville . MCAD-70017.
2. Vince Gill, TLP. Billboard. May 13, 2021. subscription.
3. Vince Gill, CLP. Billboard. May 13, 2021. subscription.
4. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1998. Billboard. May 13, 2021.
5. Top Country Albums – Year-End 1998. Billboard. May 13, 2021.
6. Top Country Albums – Year-End 1999. Billboard. June 6, 2021.