Famous Friends

by Chris Young

Overview

Chris Young started drifting toward the middle of the road around the mid-2010s. He still racked up hits, regularly reaching the very top of Billboard's Country Airplay charts, yet he didn't do it with a pep in his step, nor did he take any pains to conform to the sounds of the time. Famous Friends, his seventh proper studio album, finds him making a course correction, adding some livelier, stylish elements to his smooth foundation. Young signals the shift with the album's artwork -- he looks like he's hanging out in his backyard, compared to the crooner showcased on Losing Sleep -- and also how he's roped in Kane Brown, one of the leading lights of 2010s' inclusive country, to duet on the title track. Brown's presence helps ease in the sleekly elegant electronic rhythms, a production flourish that graces even the slower songs. Young still sings a lot of ballads here yet they're balanced by brightly mellow party tunes like "Hold My Beer" and "Raised on Country," colorful midtempo anthems like "At the End of a Bar," plus the sprightly title track itself. The alterations are enough to give Famous Friends a discernible pulse, something that was lacking on Losing Sleep, which is more than enough to make Chris Young seem younger than he has in years. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	08/06/2021
Label:	Sme
UPC:	0190759329214
Rank:	66264

Tracks

1. Raised on Country
2. Famous Friends
3. Town Ain't Big Enough
4. Drowning
5. Rescue Me
6. Break Like You Do
7. At the End of a Bar
8. Love Looks Good on You
9. One of Them Nights
10. When You're Drinking
11. Cross Every Line
12. Hold My Beer Watch This
13. Best Seat in the House
14. Tonight We're Dancing

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chris Young   Primary Artist
Danny Rader   Guitar (Acoustic)
Russell Terrell   Vocals (Background)
Mac McAnally   Guitar (Acoustic)
Wes Hightower   Vocals (Background)
Corey Crowder   Bass,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Ashley Gorley   Vocals (Background)
Sarah Buxton   Vocals (Background)
Josh Hoge   Vocals (Background)
Hillary Lindsey   Vocals (Background)
Scotty Sanders   Guitar (Steel)
Cary Barlowe   Bass,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Tony Lucido   Bass
Rob McNelley   Guitar (Electric)
Cassadee Pope   Featured Artist
Derek Wells   Guitar (Electric)
Chris DeStefano   Bass,Banjo,Dobro,Drums,Piano,Violin,Keyboards,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Miles McPherson   Drums,Percussion
Mark Holman   Piano,Guitar (Electric)
Dave Cohen   Piano,Synthesizer
Shay Mooney   Vocals (Background)
Lauren Alaina   Featured Artist
Old Dominion   Featured Artist
Kane Brown   Featured Artist
Mitchell Tenpenny   Featured Artist
Jimmie Allen   Featured Artist
Alex Wright   Organ,Piano,Wurlitzer,Synthesizer,Organ (Hammond)

Technical Credits

Josh Phillips   Composer
Corey Crowder   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Digital Editing
Julian King   Mixing,Engineer,Programming,Digital Editing
Ashley Gorley   Composer
Rhett Akins   Composer
Sarah Buxton   Composer
Anthony Smith   Composer
Buckley Miller   Engineer,Digital Editing
Josh Hoge   Composer
Matt Rogers   Composer
Drew Bollman   Engineer
Hillary Lindsey   Composer
Adam Ayan   Mastering
Cary Barlowe   Composer
Chris Young   Composer,Producer
Warren David   Mixing Assistant
Scott Johnson   Production Assistant
Chris DeStefano   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Digital Editing,Drum Programming
Sean Moffitt   Mixing
Christian "Davis" Stalnecker   Composer
Mark Holman   Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming,Digital Editing
Joshua Gleave   Composer
Shay Mooney   Composer
Jeff Braun   Mixing
David Garcia   Composer
Kam Luchterhand   Assistant Engineer
Taylor Bray   Mixing Assistant
Bryce Roberts   Assistant Engineer
Chase McGill   Composer
Dan Mikesell   Mixing Assistant
Alyson McAnally   Production Coordination
Mitchell Tenpenny   Composer
Matt McGinn   Composer