Step on Out
Encyclopedia
Step On Out is the 12th album from American country music
quartet The Oak Ridge Boys
. The album, released in 1985, contains the group's number-one singles "Touch a Hand (Make a Friend)" and "Little Things", as well as the number-three single "Come On In (You Did the Best You Could Do)". The title song was co-written by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and former Byrds bass player Chris Hillman
and former Crawdaddy
magazine editor Peter Knobler
. "Staying Afloat" would be covered two years later by Sawyer Brown
on their self-titled
debut album.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
quartet The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys
The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet.The group was founded in the 1940s as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in southern gospel during the 1950s...
. The album, released in 1985, contains the group's number-one singles "Touch a Hand (Make a Friend)" and "Little Things", as well as the number-three single "Come On In (You Did the Best You Could Do)". The title song was co-written by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member and former Byrds bass player Chris Hillman
Chris Hillman
Christopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
and former Crawdaddy
Crawdaddy!
Crawdaddy! was the first U.S. magazine of rock and roll music criticism. Created in 1966 by college student Paul Williams in response to the increasing sophistication and cultural influence of popular music, Crawdaddy! was self-described as "the first magazine to take rock and roll...
magazine editor Peter Knobler
Peter Knobler
Peter Knobler is an American writer living in New York City. He has collaborated on several national best sellers and was the editor-in-chief of Crawdaddy magazine from 1972 to 1979.- Writing :...
. "Staying Afloat" would be covered two years later by Sawyer Brown
Sawyer Brown
Sawyer Brown is an American country music band founded in 1981 in Apopka, Florida, by five members of country pop singer Don King's road band: Bobby Randall and Jim Scholten , both from Midland, Michigan; Joe Smyth , Gregg "Hobie" Hubbard , and Mark Miller...
on their self-titled
Sawyer Brown (album)
Sawyer Brown is the self-titled debut album of American country music band Sawyer Brown. It features the singles "Leona" , "Step That Step , and "Used to Blue ....
debut album.
Track listing
- "Touch a Hand, Make a FriendTouch a Hand, Make a Friend"Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" is a 1974 single written by Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson, and Carl Hampton and recorded by The Staple Singers. "Touch a Hand, Make a Friend" was one of The Staple Singers most successful singles and peaked at number three on the soul chart and number twenty-three on...
" (Homer BanksHomer BanksHomer Banks was an African-American songwriter, singer and record producer, best known for his songs for Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s...
, Raymond Jackson, Carl Hampton) – 3:32 - "Ophelia" (Robbie Robertson) – 3:04
- "Love Is Everywhere" (Dennis LindeDennis LindeDennis Linde was an American singer and songwriter whose work was primarily in country musicHe is best known for writing the 1972 Elvis Presley hit, "Burning Love"...
) – 3:26 - "Only One I Love" (Michael Foster, Jimbeau Hinson) – 2:50
- "Roll Tennessee River" (Russell SmithRussell Smith (singer)Russell Smith is an American country music singer-songwriter. Formerly the lead singer of the Amazing Rhythm Aces, Smith launched a solo country music career in 1984. He was signed by Epic Records in 1988, who released his debut album, This Little Town, the following year...
, Dave LogginsDave LogginsDavid Allen "Dave" Loggins is a singer, songwriter and musician. He is widely remembered for his 1974 composition "Please Come to Boston", which was a top-10 hit in the U.S. for him, and was subsequently covered by numerous other artists. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame...
) – 3:38 - "Little ThingsLittle Things (The Oak Ridge Boys song)"Little Things" is a 1985 single written by Billy Barber and recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys. "Little Things" was The Oak Ridge Boys' twelfth number one country single. The single went to number one for one week and spent a total of thirteen weeks on the country chart .-Chart performance:...
" (Billy Barber) – 3:33 - "Class Reunion" (Craig Morris, Don Henry) – 4:22
- "Staying Afloat" (J. D. Martin, Don KingDon King (musician)Donald Alan "Don" King is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and trumpeter. In the 1970s and 1980s, he recorded a total of four major label albums, and charted more than fifteen hit singles on the Billboard country music charts.-Early career:His first job was at a Quality Inn Hotel club in...
) – 2:48 - "Come On In (You Did the Best You Could Do)Come on In (You Did the Best You Could Do)"Come On In " is a single by American country music group The Oak Ridge Boys. Released in 1986, it was the third single from the album Step On Out. The song reached #3 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart....
" (Rick Giles, George Green) – 3:31 - "Step On Out" (Chris HillmanChris HillmanChristopher Hillman was one of the original members of The Byrds which in 1965 included Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark, David Crosby, and Michael Clarke....
, Peter KnoblerPeter KnoblerPeter Knobler is an American writer living in New York City. He has collaborated on several national best sellers and was the editor-in-chief of Crawdaddy magazine from 1972 to 1979.- Writing :...
) – 3:12
Chart performance
| Chart (1985) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 156 |
Singles
- Little Things / Secret Of Love - 1985 - MCA 52556
- Come On In (You Did The Best You Could Do) / Roll Tennessee River - 1985 - MCA 52646
- Touch A Hand Make A Friend / Only One I Love - 1985 - MCA 57272
The Oak Ridge Boys
- Duane AllenDuane AllenDuane David Allen had formal training in both operatic and quartet singing before becoming a member of The Oak Ridge Boys in 1966. Allen is the lead singer for the quartet and is heard on the majority of their most successful songs.He was inducted in the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame.He is...
- baritoneBaritoneBaritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
vocals - Joe BonsallJoe BonsallJoseph Sloan Bonsall, Jr. known professionally as Joe Bonsall is a member of the Oak Ridge Boys, since 1973 and an author...
- tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
vocals - William Lee GoldenWilliam Lee GoldenWilliam Lee Golden , a native of Brewton, Alabama, is an American country music singer. Between 1965 and 1987, and again from 1995 onward, he has been the baritone singer in the country music group The Oak Ridge Boys.-Personal life:...
- baritone vocals - Richard SterbanRichard SterbanRichard Anthony Sterban is an American bass singer born in Camden, New Jersey, who joined the country and gospel quartet The Oak Ridge Boys in 1972. Prior to joining The Oak Ridge Boys, Sterban toured with J. D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet, who were singing backup for Elvis Presley at that time...
- bass vocals
Additional musicians
- Barry BeckettBarry BeckettBarry Edward Beckett was a keyboardist who worked as a session musician with several notable artists on their studio albums...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Mickey Buckins - percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Harrison Calloway - hornsHorn sectionIn music, a horn section can refer to several groups of musicians. It can refer to the musicians in a symphony orchestra who play the horn . In a British-style brass band it refers to the tenor horn players. In popular music, it can also refer to a small group of wind instrumentalists who augment a...
- Duncan Cameron - lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, 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... - Jimmy Capps - acoustic guitar
- Jerry CarriganJerry CarriganJerry Carrigan is an American drummer and record producer born 13 September 1943 in Florence, Alabama. He first achieved widespread recognition by being part of the first wave of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and later as a session musician in Nashville, Tennessee for over 3 decades...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Ronnie Eades - horns
- Lloyd GreenLloyd GreenLloyd Green is an American steel guitarist. Green is most notable for his session work, having played on records with artists such as Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Lynn Anderson, Don Williams, Paul McCartney, Charley Pride and many others.-Early life:Lloyd Green was born on October 4, 1937 in Leaf,...
- steel guitarSteel guitarSteel guitar is a type of guitar or the method of playing the instrument. Developed in Hawaii in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a steel guitar is usually positioned horizontally; strings are plucked with one hand, while the other hand changes the pitch of one or more strings with the use... - Roger HawkinsRoger HawkinsRoger G Hawkins , is an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama...
- drums - David HoodDavid HoodDavid Hood , is a bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame....
- bass guitar - Jim HornJim HornJim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
- horns - Clayton Ivey - keyboards
- Jimmy JohnsonJimmy Johnson (musician)Jimmy Johnson is an American a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section that was attached to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a period in the 1960s and 1970s, and later was the a founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located at first on 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama and at...
- electric guitar - Kenneth Lovelace - 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...
- 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...
- string sectionString sectionThe string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses... - Steve Nathan - keyboards
- Ron Oates - keyboards
- Wayne PerkinsWayne PerkinsWayne Perkins is a rock and R & B guitarist, singer, songwriter and session musician. He was the oldest of six children, a brother and four sisters. Both of his parents sang and played guitar...
- lead guitar - Charles Rose - horns
- Brent Rowan - lead guitar
- Billy Sanford - lead guitar, acoustic guitar
- Dennis Solee - horns
- Harvey Thompson - horns
- Jack Williams - bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Reggie YoungReggie YoungReggie Young was lead guitarist in the American Sound Studios Band , and is a leading session musician. He played on various recordings with artists such as Elvis Presley, B.J. Thomas, John Prine, Dusty Springfield, J.J...
- lead guitar