"Sweet Music Man"
Single by Kenny Rogers
from the album Daytime Friends
B-side"Lying Again"[1]
ReleasedOctober 10, 1977
GenreCountry
Length4:21
LabelUnited Artists
Songwriter(s)Kenny Rogers
Producer(s)Larry Butler
Kenny Rogers singles chronology
"Daytime Friends"
(1977) 		"Sweet Music Man"
(1977) 		"Every Time Two Fools Collide"
(1978)
"Sweet Music Man"
Single by Reba McEntire
from the album Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor
ReleasedJanuary 2002
GenreCountry
Length3:27
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)Kenny Rogers
Producer(s)Alison Krauss
Reba McEntire singles chronology
"I'm a Survivor"
(2001) 		"Sweet Music Man"
(2002) 		"I'm Gonna Take That Mountain"
(2003)

"Sweet Music Man" is a song written and recorded by American musician Kenny Rogers. It appears on his 1977 album Daytime Friends, from which it was released as the final single.[2]

History

In 1977, the song reached number 9 on the country music charts published by Billboard, and number 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was a number one hit on the Canadian country and adult contemporary charts published by RPM, reaching its peak on both charts for the week of December 31, 1977.[3][4] Rogers used the song as a b-side to two of his later singles: "Lady" in 1980 and "You Were a Good Friend" in 1983.[1]

Later in 1977, Dolly Parton included the song on her Here You Come Again album (Parton and Alison Krauss performed the song together at the 2010 concert at Foxwoods Casino honoring Rogers' fifty years in entertainment); Reba McEntire covered the song in 2001 on her album Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor. Her version was also released as a single, reaching number 36 on the country music charts. At the time, it was her lowest-peaking single since "(I Still Long to Hold You) Now and Then" in 1980.[5]

Through the years the song has been covered by numerous other artists, including Tammy Wynette, Dottie West, Billie Jo Spears, Waylon Jennings, Anne Murray, Johnny Hallyday and Millie Jackson.

Critical reception

Kenny Rogers version

Kip Kirby, of Billboard magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "first rate singing job from Rogers and pop-oriented production should ensure the chances of this song to register in both country and pop formats." She goes on to say that the song contains "excellent guitar work, cascading strings and Rogers' vocal ability to help the song build to a pleasing climax."[6]

Chart performance

Kenny Rogers

Chart (1977-1978) Peak
position
Australian (Kent Music Report)[7] 89
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[8] 9
US Billboard Hot 100[9] 44
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[10] 29
Canadian RPM Country Tracks 1
Canadian RPM Top Singles 45
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary 1

Millie Jackson

Chart (1978) Peak
position
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles 33

Reba McEntire

Chart (2002) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[11] 36

References

  1. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 360. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. ^ "Daytime Friends". Allmusic. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  3. ^ "Adult Contemporary chart for December 31, 1977". RPM. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  4. ^ "Country chart for December 31, 1977". RPM. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  5. ^ Whitburn, p. 271
  6. ^ Billboard, October 15, 1977
  7. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 256. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  8. ^ "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  9. ^ "Kenny Rogers Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 203.
  11. ^ "Reba McEntire Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
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