2002 studio album by Lee Ann Womack
Something Worth Leaving Behind is the fourth studio album from American country music singer Lee Ann Womack, released in 2002. It peaked on the Billboard 200 at #16 and the Top Country Albums at #2. Two singles were released from the album; the title-track (a Top 20 hit) and "Forever Everyday". This was also the first album of Womack's career not to produce a Top Ten country hit, as well as the first to not feature any tracks written or co-written by her.
Background
Womack told The Early Show "It's very much in line with my last three. This is my fourth project. You know, I have the real traditional country songs on there, and then I have some things that are a little more contemporary and up-tempo. And—and, but I—you know, I try to find songs from the best songwriters that I can."[1] Womack told Billboard, "Every album seems critical when you are making it. I have a lot of confidence in my team. You can't predict commercially what an album is going to do. I just have to make the best music I can and move on. I've never, ever felt like in my career that everything hinges on the next single. I don't worry about it."[2]
In 2005, Womack told The Dallas Morning News, "I didn't have that much fun making Something Worth Leaving Behind. Now that I look back on it, because of the success that I had prior, I was so worried that I was gonna not measure up to that, that I over-thought everything on that record. I tried...to please everybody with that record...myself, radio, the listeners, everybody who loved 'Never Again, Again' and everybody who loved 'I Hope You Dance.' And it just didn't work. It backfired."[3]
Critical reception
Tim Perry of The Independent wrote, "Following such an album is a hard task, but someone of her newfound stature can avail herself of the best songwriters. This is solid, radio-friendly stuff.[7] Brian Mansfield of USA Today listed it as the tenth worst album of 2002 and wrote, "Womack's ill-advised crossover ploy and a makeover that made her look like Britney Spears' mother made one of Nashville's most respected singers the butt of jokes."[8] Michael Paoletta of Billboard wrote, "Womack is brilliant vocalist who is at a career crossroads; here's hoping she leans toward substance over style."[9] Ralph Novak of People Magazine gave the album a mixed review and wrote, " Womack's voice, which can trickle off and become a wan instrument, gains noticeably in vigor when she approaches more energetic material."[10]
Personnel
Adapted from Something Worth Leaving Behind liner notes.[11]
Tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12
- Musicians
- Background vocalists
- Bob Bailey
- Lisa Cochran
- Kim Fleming
- Vicki Hampton
- Marabeth Jordan
- Kim Keyes
- Gene Miller
- Chris Rodriguez
- Keith Sewell
- Bergen White
- Technical
Tracks 4, 7, 10, 11
- Musicians
- Spencer Campbell – bass guitar
- Paul Franklin – steel guitar
- Kenny Greenberg – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- David Grissom – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
- Jay Joyce – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, programming
- Colin Linden – acoustic guitar
- Chris McHugh – drums
- Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
- Jeffrey Roach – piano, keyboards
- Background vocalists
- Technical
- Chad Brown – engineering
- David Bryant – engineering
- Brian Graben – engineering
- Kenny Greenberg – additional arrangements
- Tony High – engineering
- Jim Jordan – engineering
- Jay Joyce – additional arrangements
- Frank Liddell – producer
- James Lightman – digital editing
- Mike McCarthy – producer, recording, mixing
- Bryan McConkey – engineering
- Darren Redfield – engineering
- Leslie Richter – engineering
- Lee Ann Womack – producer
Track 13
- Musicians
- Kenny Aronoff – drums
- Jim Cox – keyboards
- Brad Dutz – percussion
- Jon Gilutin – keyboards
- Greg Leisz – steel guitar
- Hector Periera – guitars
- Tim Pierce – guitars
- Leland Sklar – bass guitar
- Gabe Witcher – fiddle
- Background vocals
- Maxi Anderson
- Tommy Funderburk
- Maxine Waters
- Oren Waters
- Technical
- Pete Anthony – conductor
- Jay Goin – mixing assistant
- Noel Golden – recording
- Jessie Gorman – recording assistant
- Jimmy Hoyson – string recording assistant
- Toshiaki Kasai – recording assistant
- Stephen Marcussen – mastering
- Leslie Richter – recording assistant
- Matt Serletic – producer, arranger
- Shari Sutcliffe – orchestra contractor
- Kevin Szymanski – recording assistant
- David Thoener – mixing
- Stewart Whitmore – digital editing
Additional credits
Horn section on track 8: Jim Horn, Jeff Coffin, Dennis Solee
Strings on tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 8–13 performed by the Nashville String Machine, arranged by David Campbell (1, 3, 8), John Painter (4, 10, 11), Bergen White (9, 12), Kris Wilkinson (6), Matt Serletic (13)
- Technical credits on all tracks
- Matthew Rolston – photography
- Ronnie Thomas – editing
- Hank Williams – mastering
