What About Me? (Kenny Rogers album) explained

What About Me?
Type:	studio
Artist:	Kenny Rogers
Cover:	What About Me - Kenny Rogers.jpg
Released:	September 1984
Recorded:	1984
Studio:	Lion Share Recording (Los Angeles, CA); Ocean Way Recording (Los Angeles, CA); Sunset Sound (Hollywood, CA); The Lighthouse (Hermosa Beach, CA).
Genre:	Country
Length:	40:03
Label:	RCA Victor
Producer:	Kenny Rogers, David Foster
Prev Title:	Eyes That See in the Dark
Prev Year:	1983
Next Title:	Once Upon a Christmas
Next Year:	1984

What About Me? is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers, released by RCA Records in 1984. The album's title track, "What About Me?", is sung in trio with R&B singer James Ingram and Kim Carnes, which reached number one on the AC charts and was also a pop and country hit,^[1] giving co-writer Richard Marx his first number one hit as a writer. Marx's second number one hit as a writer was the song "Crazy", which was included on the album.

Elsewhere on the album is "Two Hearts, One Love" by Byron Hill,^[2] and "Pickin' Up Strangers," released on Johnny Lee's Lookin' for Love album, and "The Stranger" (a story song in the vein of Rogers' previous hits such as "The Gambler" and "Lucille"), "The Night Goes On" (a R&B influenced ballad).

This album continued Rogers' long Platinum streak, quickly selling over a million copies.^[1]

Personnel

• Kenny Rogers – lead vocals, backing vocals
• Erich Bulling – keyboards, synthesizer programming
• Jimmy Cox – keyboards
• David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
• John Hobbs – keyboards
• Tom Keane – keyboards
• Randy Kerber – keyboards
• Marcus Ryle – keyboards, synthesizer programming
• Dann Huff – guitars
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
• Michael Landau – guitars
• Fred Tackett – guitars
• Kin Vassy – guitars, backing vocals
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – guitars
• Dennis Belfield – bass
• Joe Chemay – bass
• Nathan East – bass
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• Ed Greene – drums
• John Robinson – drums
• Sheila E. – percussion
• Steve Forman – percussion
• Michael Temple – percussion
• Gary Herbig – saxophone
• Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (3, 5, 8)
• Kim Carnes – lead and backing vocals (1)
• James Ingram – lead and backing vocals (1)
• Kenny Cetera – backing vocals
• Cindy Fee – backing vocals, lead vocals (5)
• Portia Griffin – backing vocals
• Richard Marx – backing vocals
• Herb Pedersen – backing vocals
• Kenny Rogers II – backing vocals
• Terry Williams – backing vocals

Production

• Producers – Kenny Rogers (Tracks 1, 3-6, 9 & 10); David Foster (Tracks 1, 2, 7 & 8).
• Production Assistant – Debbie Caponetta
  • Engineered and Mixed by Humberto Gatica Additional Engineers – Mark Attel, Steve Crimmel, Reggie Dozier, Larry Ferguson, Tom Fouce, John Guess, Paul Lani, David Leonard, Laura Livingston, Steve Schmitt and Steve Shelton.
• Mastered by Wally Traugott at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood, California).
• A&R – Marge Meoli
• Art Direction – John Coulter
• Photography – Mario Casilli and Reid Miles
• Management – Ken Kragen

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1984–1985)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)^[3]	30
Canada Albums (RPM)	26

Year-end charts

Further utilization

The song "The Night Goes On" was used as a love theme for the Eden Capwell and Cruz Castillo characters on the Santa Barbara TV series.^[5]

References

1. Web site: Kenny Rogers Charts and Awards. AllMusic.
2. Book: Rand Ruggeberg Songwriter's Market - Byron Hill. Ruggeberg . Rand. 1986. 161.
3. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book. St. Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. Illustrated. 256. 0-646-11917-6.
4. Top Country Albums – Year-End 1985. Billboard. June 9, 2021.
5. Web site: Santa Barbara.