What Mattered Most
Encyclopedia
What Mattered Most is the debut album of American country music
artist Ty Herndon
, issued in 1995 on Epic Records
. The album's title track, which was Herndon's debut single, reached #1 on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
) charts in mid-1995. Other singles from the album were, in order, "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Heart Half Empty" (a duet with Stephanie Bentley
) and "In Your Face."
Nashville. The album is led off by its title track, which is also the first single from it. Written by Gary Burr
and Vince Melamed
, this song became Herndon's first #1 country hit in May 1995, peaking on both the U.S. Billboard
Country Singles charts and Canadian RPM
Country Singles charts. Following it were "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Heart Half Empty" (another Gary Burr co-write) and "In Your Face." Respectively, these reached #7, #21 and #63 on the U.S. Country charts. "Heart Half Empty," a duet with Stephanie Bentley
, was her first chart single. It was reprised on her 1996 debut album Hopechest
, also on Epic Records.
"You Just Get One" was later released as a single by Jeff Wood
from his 1997 debut album Between the Earth and the Stars. Additionally, "Summer Was a Bummer" was later recorded by Wade Hayes
on his 1998 album When the Wrong One Loves You Right
, and "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" is a cover of the Jim Croce
song from 1972.
What Mattered Most debuted at #15 on Top Country Albums and #1 on Top Heatseekers
, the highest album debut for a country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus
' Some Gave All
in 1992. It peaked at #9 on the former chart. In addition, the album had the highest first-day shipment in the history of Epic Records' Nashville division.
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...
artist Ty Herndon
Ty Herndon
Boyd Tyrone "Ty" Herndon is an American country music and Christian singer. Signed to Epic Records in 1995, Herndon made his debut that year with the Number One single "What Mattered Most", followed by the release of his first album, also entitled What Mattered Most...
, issued in 1995 on Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
. The album's title track, which was Herndon's debut single, reached #1 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs
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...
) charts in mid-1995. Other singles from the album were, in order, "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Heart Half Empty" (a duet with Stephanie Bentley
Stephanie Bentley
Stephanie Kay Bentley is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 as a duet partner on Ty Herndon's single "Heart Half Empty", which peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
) and "In Your Face."
History
What Mattered Most was released on April 18, 1995, via Epic RecordsEpic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
Nashville. The album is led off by its title track, which is also the first single from it. Written by Gary Burr
Gary Burr
Gary Burr, born in Meriden, Connecticut, is an American musician and songwriter and producer, mostly known for his stable of hits recorded by country music performers. Burr began his career as a member of the group Pure Prairie League from 1982 to 1985, taking over after Vince Gill departed the group...
and Vince Melamed
Vince Melamed
Vince Melamed is an American keyboardist and songwriter who currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in New York, and moved to Los Angeles at an early age. Vince has appeared with many bands as keyboardist...
, this song became Herndon's first #1 country hit in May 1995, peaking on both the U.S. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Country Singles charts and Canadian RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
Country Singles charts. Following it were "I Want My Goodbye Back," "Heart Half Empty" (another Gary Burr co-write) and "In Your Face." Respectively, these reached #7, #21 and #63 on the U.S. Country charts. "Heart Half Empty," a duet with Stephanie Bentley
Stephanie Bentley
Stephanie Kay Bentley is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 as a duet partner on Ty Herndon's single "Heart Half Empty", which peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
, was her first chart single. It was reprised on her 1996 debut album Hopechest
Hopechest
Hopechest is the only album released by country music artist Stephanie Bentley. It was released in 1996 on Epic Records Nashville and it accounted for four singles, in addition to reprising a single from Ty Herndon's debut album What Mattered Most on which Bentley provided duet vocals. The album...
, also on Epic Records.
"You Just Get One" was later released as a single by Jeff Wood
Jeff Wood (singer)
-Track listing:#"You Call That a Mountain" - 3:26#"Too Late to Turn It Around" - 3:52#"There's No Place Like You" - 4:11...
from his 1997 debut album Between the Earth and the Stars. Additionally, "Summer Was a Bummer" was later recorded by Wade Hayes
Wade Hayes
Tony Wade Hayes is an American country music artist. Signed to Columbia Records in 1994, he made his debut that year with his gold-certified album Old Enough to Know Better...
on his 1998 album When the Wrong One Loves You Right
When the Wrong One Loves You Right
When the Wrong One Loves You Right is the third studio album released by American country music artist Wade Hayes. Released in January 1998 as his final album for Columbia Records Nashville, it includes the singles "The Day That She Left Tulsa " and "How Do You Sleep at Night", which peaked at #5...
, and "You Don't Mess Around with Jim" is a cover of the Jim Croce
Jim Croce
James Joseph "Jim" Croce January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973 was an American singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, Croce released five studio albums and 11 singles...
song from 1972.
What Mattered Most debuted at #15 on Top Country Albums and #1 on Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
, the highest album debut for a country artist since Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy Ray Cyrus
William "Billy" Ray Cyrus is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist, who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon...
' Some Gave All
Some Gave All
-Album:-End of decade charts:-Sales and Certifications:-Singles:-Other charted songs:- Personnel :*Billy Ray Cyrus - vocals, rhythm guitar*Greg Fletcher - drums*Corky Holbrook - bass, vocals*Michael J...
in 1992. It peaked at #9 on the former chart. In addition, the album had the highest first-day shipment in the history of Epic Records' Nashville division.
Track listing
- "What Mattered Most" (Gary BurrGary BurrGary Burr, born in Meriden, Connecticut, is an American musician and songwriter and producer, mostly known for his stable of hits recorded by country music performers. Burr began his career as a member of the group Pure Prairie League from 1982 to 1985, taking over after Vince Gill departed the group...
, Vince MelamedVince MelamedVince Melamed is an American keyboardist and songwriter who currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in New York, and moved to Los Angeles at an early age. Vince has appeared with many bands as keyboardist...
) - 3:40 - "Pretty Good Thing" (Walt AldridgeWalt AldridgeWalt Aldridge is an American musician, singer, songwriter, engineer and record producer.Aldridge is known primarily as a Nashville songwriter...
, Brad Crisler) - 2:51 - "Summer Was a Bummer" (Hank CochranHank CochranGarland Perry "Hank" Cochran was an American country music singer and songwriter. Starting during the 1960s, Cochran was a prolific songwriter in the genre, including major hits by Patsy Cline, Ray Price, Eddy Arnold and others...
, Dean DillonDean DillonDean Dillon is an American country music artist. Between 1982 and 1993, Dillon recorded six studio albums on various labels, and charted several singles on the Billboard country charts. Although he has not charted since 1993, Dillon has continued to write several hit songs for other artists, most...
) - 3:30 - "You Don't Mess Around with JimYou Don't Mess Around with Jim (song)"You Don't Mess Around with Jim" is a 1972 single by Jim Croce from his album of the same name. The song was also Croce's debut single when it was released in July 1972...
" (Jim CroceJim CroceJames Joseph "Jim" Croce January 10, 1943 – September 20, 1973 was an American singer-songwriter. Between 1966 and 1973, Croce released five studio albums and 11 singles...
) - 3:16 - "Heart Half Empty" (Burr, Desmond ChildDesmond ChildDesmond Child is an American musician, songwriter, and producer. He is a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame.-Career:...
) - 4:55- duet with Stephanie BentleyStephanie BentleyStephanie Kay Bentley is an American country music artist. She made her debut in 1996 as a duet partner on Ty Herndon's single "Heart Half Empty", which peaked at #21 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts...
- duet with Stephanie Bentley
- "I Want My Goodbye BackI Want My Goodbye Back"I Want My Goodbye Back" is the title of a song written by Pat Bunch, Doug Johnson and Dave Berg, and recorded by American country music artist Ty Herndon. It was released in June 1995 as the second single from his debut album, What Mattered Most...
" (Pat Bunch, Doug Johnson, Dave BergDave Berg (songwriter)Dave Berg is an American country music songwriter. His credits include the Number One country hits "Somebody" by Reba McEntire, "If You're Going Through Hell " and "These Are My People" by Rodney Atkins, and "Moments" by Emerson Drive...
) - 3:24 - "You Just Get One" (Vince GillVince GillVincent Grant "Vince" Gill is an American neotraditional country singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman to the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s, and as a solo artist beginning in 1983, where his talents as a...
, Don SchlitzDon SchlitzDonald Alan "Don" Schlitz, Jr. is a country music songwriter. For his songwriting efforts, Schlitz has earned two Grammys, as well as four ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year awards...
) - 3:35 - "In Your Face" (Annette Cotter, Kim Tribble) - 2:16
- "Love at 90 Miles an Hour" (Chris KnightChris Knight (musician)Chris Knight is a singer and songwriter from Kentucky. He only recently came to national attention, but has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis among others...
, Sam Tate, Annie Tate) - 3:30 - "Hat Full of Rain" (Kim Morrison, Ronnie Godfrey) - 4:11
Production
Produced by Doug Johnson; "Heart Half Empty" co-produced by Ed Seay.- Jim Burnett - digital editing, assistant engineer
- Don Cobb - editing
- Paige Conners - production assistant
- Emory Gordy, Jr.Emory Gordy, Jr.Emory Gordy, Jr., born December 25, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, is an American musician and music producer. Since 1989, he has been married to country music artist Patty Loveless. Gordy was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1992...
- strings arranger (track 10) - Bill Johnson - art direction
- Anthony Martin - assistant engineer
- Frank Ockenfels - photography
- Denny Purcell - mastering
- Ed Seay - engineer, mixing
- Rollow Welch - art direction
Chart performance
| Chart (1995) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums | 9 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 | 68 |
| U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Albums | 3 |