Stars and Stripes Vol. 1
Encyclopedia
Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 is an album by The Beach Boys
. Released in 1996, it is, despite its 'Volume 1' sub-title, their only venture into the genre of country pop
music.
The album contains new recordings of a number of the group's best-known songs, with stars of the country scene featured as guest artists.
Brian Wilson
, at the time recently remarried and in his best mental state for many years, was persuaded to re-join the group and act as co-producer. In the event, it was to be the group's last recording with either Brian, Carl Wilson
or Al Jardine
, making Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, in all likelihood, the Beach Boys' final studio album.
Most of the guests were mainstream country stars who had each had at least one #1 country hit before participating in this album, the four exceptions being James House
, Junior Brown
, Kathy Troccoli
, and Timothy B. Schmit
. (Troccoli and Schmit are not primarily country artists, being more closely associated with the Christian
and rock
genres respectively.) Tammy Wynette
had recorded a version of "In My Room" with Brian Wilson, but it was kept back for the projected Stars and Stripes Vol. 2, which never appeared. Her performance is included in the television documentary Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds.
When it was released, Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 easily outsold Summer in Paradise, but overall was not a major hit and was poorly received by critics. Consequently, further volumes in the series were scrapped.
The album went out of print for some years, but was reissued on CD in May 2008. Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds features studio footage of its making and interviews with participants. The documentary is the last time the original Beach Boys were featured together to promote an album.
Singles
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
. Released in 1996, it is, despite its 'Volume 1' sub-title, their only venture into the genre of country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
music.
The album contains new recordings of a number of the group's best-known songs, with stars of the country scene featured as guest artists.
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson
Brian Douglas Wilson is an American musician, best known as the leader and chief songwriter of the group The Beach Boys. Within the band, Wilson played bass and keyboards, also providing part-time lead vocals and, more often, backing vocals, harmonizing in falsetto with the group...
, at the time recently remarried and in his best mental state for many years, was persuaded to re-join the group and act as co-producer. In the event, it was to be the group's last recording with either Brian, Carl Wilson
Carl Wilson
Carl Dean Wilson was an American rock and roll singer and guitarist, best known as a founding member, lead guitarist and sometime lead vocalist of The Beach Boys...
or Al Jardine
Al Jardine
Alan Charles "Al" Jardine is a founding member of top-selling American music group The Beach Boys, a guitarist and occasional lead vocalist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.-Early life:...
, making Stars and Stripes Vol. 1, in all likelihood, the Beach Boys' final studio album.
Most of the guests were mainstream country stars who had each had at least one #1 country hit before participating in this album, the four exceptions being James House
James House (singer)
James Andrew House is an American country music artist. Originally a member of a group called the House Band, James began his country music career in 1990 on MCA Records, recording two albums for that label. He later penned singles for Diamond Rio and Dwight Yoakam, before finding another record...
, Junior Brown
Junior Brown
Jamieson "Junior" Brown is an American country guitarist and singer. He has released nine studio albums in his career, and has charted twice on the Billboard country singles charts. Brown's signature instrument is the "guit-steel" double neck guitar, a hybrid of electric guitar and lap steel...
, Kathy Troccoli
Kathy Troccoli
Kathleen Colleen "Kathy" Troccoli is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.-Personal:Born in Brooklyn, New York, on June 24, 1958, Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in Islip Terrace, Long Island, New York, graduating from East Islip High School. At 15, she lost her father...
, and Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy B. Schmit
Timothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
. (Troccoli and Schmit are not primarily country artists, being more closely associated with the Christian
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
genres respectively.) Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
had recorded a version of "In My Room" with Brian Wilson, but it was kept back for the projected Stars and Stripes Vol. 2, which never appeared. Her performance is included in the television documentary Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds.
When it was released, Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 easily outsold Summer in Paradise, but overall was not a major hit and was poorly received by critics. Consequently, further volumes in the series were scrapped.
The album went out of print for some years, but was reissued on CD in May 2008. Beach Boys: Nashville Sounds features studio footage of its making and interviews with participants. The documentary is the last time the original Beach Boys were featured together to promote an album.
Track listing
Sales chart positions
Album| Chart (1996) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Billboard 200 | 101 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 12 |
| Canadian RPM Country Albums | 11 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US AC Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States... |
US Country Hot Country Songs Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States.This 60-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly mostly by airplay and occasionally commercial sales... |
CAN Country | ||
| 1996 | "I Can Hear Music" (with Kathy Troccoli) | 16 | ||
| "Don't Worry Baby" (with Lorrie Morgan) | 73 | |||
| "Little Deuce Coupe" (with James House) | 69 | 41 | ||
| "Long Tall Texan" (with Doug Supernaw) | 69 | 82 |
Musicians
- Junior Brown - Slide "Guit-steel"
- Eddie BayersEddie BayersEddie Bayers is an American session drummer who has played on 150 gold and platinum albums. He received the Academy of Country Music 'Drummer of the Year Award' for eight straight years, and has three times won the Nashville Music Awards 'Drummer of the Year'...
- drums, percussion - Jackie Bertoni - percussion
- Richie CannataRichie CannataRichie Cannata is an American music producer, multi-instrumentalist and studio owner. He is most notable for playing saxophone in the Billy Joel band alongside Doug Stegmeyer and Liberty DeVitto. After leaving the band in 1981, he opened Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York...
- saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846... - Steve Eisen - fluteFluteThe flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
- Larry Franklin - fiddleFiddleThe term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
- Sonny Garrish - pedal steel
- Al Jardine - harmonies
- Drew Jardine - finger snaps
- Matt Jardine - harmonies, handclaps, second verse duet (on track 10)
- Robbie Jardine - finger snaps
- Bruce JohnstonBruce JohnstonBruce Arthur Johnston is a member of The Beach Boys and a songwriter, remembered especially for composing "I Write the Songs". Johnston was not one of the original members of the band...
- harmonies - Greg LeiszGreg LeiszGreg Leisz is an American multi-instrumentalist, playing lap and pedal steel guitars, guitar, mandolin, and bass.- Biography :Leisz was influenced early on by the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, especially pedal steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow...
- pedal steel, electric guitar, acoustic guitar - Mike LoveMike LoveMichael Edward "Mike" Love is an American singer/songwriter and musician with The Beach Boys. He was a founding member of the band along with his cousins Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, and their friend Al Jardine, and continues to perform with the band to the present day...
- harmonies, Executive Producer - Steve Nathan - acoustic piano, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, B-3, keyboards - Mickey RaphaelMickey RaphaelMichael Siegfried "Mickey" Raphael is a professional harmonica player, best known for his work with Willie Nelson. He has recorded with Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Mötley Crüe, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Chesney, U2 and Neil Young.Raphael's style is mostly second...
- harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes... - Michael RhodesMichael RhodesMichael Rhodes is a former rugby league player. Rhodes was selected for the Scotland squad for the 2000 Rugby League World Cup, but he did not play in any of Scotland's three matches.-External links:**...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Brent Rowan - acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, dobroDobroDobro is a registered trademark, now owned by Gibson Guitar Corporation and used for a particular design of resonator guitar.The name has a long and involved history, interwoven with that of the resonator guitar... - Bill Ruppert - electric guitar
- Joe Thomas - acoustic piano, additional keyboards, percussion, handclaps, Producer
- Jimmy WebbJimmy WebbJimmy Webb is an American songwriter, composer, and singer. He wrote numerous platinum selling classics, including "Up, Up and Away", "By the Time I Get to Phoenix", "Wichita Lineman", "Galveston", "The Worst That Could Happen", "All I Know", and "MacArthur Park"...
- string arrangements - Nashville String MachineNashville String MachineNashville String Machine is a musical collective comprising session musicians and has been credited on recordings as far back as 1974. The Nashville String Machine's composition varies from project to project. It has appeared as large as an orchestra, or as small as a duo.-Notable members:Being a...
- orchestraOrchestraAn orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus... - Brian Wilson - harmonies, Producer
- Carl Wilson - harmonies
Sources
- Stars and Stripes Vol. 1 CD booklet notes, Robert K. Oermann
- Allmusic.com