History
Despite having not charted a Top 40 country single since 1994, Steve Wariner had been finding success in the late 1990s as a songwriter, including the Number One hits "Longneck Bottle" for Garth Brooks and "Nothin' but the Taillights" for Clint Black, as well as Bryan White's Top 20 country hit "One Small Miracle".[2] The success of the songs that he had written led to Wariner's signing with Capitol Records Nashville in late 1997. He also sang duet vocals on Anita Cochran's late 1997–early 1998 Number One hit "What If I Said". "Longneck Bottle", "Nothin' but the Taillights", "One Small Miracle", and this song were sometimes played on radio in dedicated "Steve Wariner blocks".[2]
"What If I Said" was the second single from Cochran's debut album Back to You, released on Warner Bros. Records shortly before Burnin' the Roadhouse Down was issued. This song was not only Cochran's only Number One country hit, but also her only Top 40 country hit, and Wariner's first Number One since 1989's "I Got Dreams". This duet is also included on this album as a bonus track.
Four of Wariner's own singles were released from this album after "What If I Said" peaked, starting with the ballad "Holes in the Floor of Heaven", which peaked at number 2 on the country charts. Following it was "Road Trippin'" at number 55, the title track (a duet with Garth Brooks) at number 26, and "Every Little Whisper" at number 36. Also included on this album is a song entitled "Love Me Like You Love Me", which Clay Walker previously recorded on his 1995 album Hypnotize the Moon.
Track listing
| Title | Writer(s) |
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| 1. | "Burnin' the Roadhouse Down" (duet with Garth Brooks) | Rick Carnes, Steve Wariner | 2:07 |
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| 2. | "Holes in the Floor of Heaven" | Billy Kirsch, Wariner | 4:47 |
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| 3. | "Every Little Whisper" | Kirsch, Wariner | 3:02 |
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| 4. | "A Six Pack Ago" | Jim Rushing, Wariner | 3:40 |
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| 5. | "Road Trippin'" | Marcus Hummon, Wariner | 3:32 |
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| 6. | "Love Me Like You Love Me" | Bill LaBounty, Wariner | 4:06 |
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| 7. | "Smoke from an Old Flame"" | Jim Weatherly, Wariner | 3:30 |
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| 8. | "I Don't Know How to Fix It" | Bill Anderson, Wariner | 3:49 |
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| 9. | "Big Ol' Empty House" | Mac McAnally, Wariner | 3:26 |
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| 10. | "Closer I Get to You" | Keith Sewell, Wariner | 3:17 |
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| 11. | "Big Tops" | Hummon, Wariner | 3:29 |
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| 12. | "What If I Said" (duet with Anita Cochran) | Anita Cochran | 4:52 |
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Personnel
As listed in liner notes.[3]
Production
- Steve Wariner – producer (1–11)
- Anita Cochran – producer (12)
- Jim Ed Norman – producer (12)
- Randy Gardner – recording, mixing
- Steve Crowder – recording assistant
- H.G. Hollans – recording assistant
- Julian King – additional track recording
- Rich Hanson – additional track recording assistant
- Denny Purcell – mastering at Georgetown Masters (Nashville, Tennessee)
- Don Cobb – mastering assistant
- Jonathan Russell – mastering assistant
- Caryn Wariner – production assistant
- Carlton Davis – art production
- Denise Jarvis – production assistance
- Chris Ferrera – design
- Colourworks – digital imagery
- Matthew Barnes – photography
- Lorrie Turk – make-up
- Renaissance Management – management
[1]