Wide Open Spaces – 1998
Wide Open Spaces is the fourth studio album and the major label debut of American country music band, the Dixie Chicks. It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, and became their breakthrough commercial success. It received diamond status by the RIAA on February 20, 2003 in the United States, having shipped 14 million units worldwide, while spending more than six years in the Australian ARIA music charts Country Top 20. The album has sold 8,841,000 copies in the United States as of October 2013.
At the 41st Grammy Awards, the album was awarded 2 Grammy Awards out of 3 nominations. It was awarded Best Country Album (the first of what would be 4 trophies in this category: they would later win for Fly in 2000, Home in 2003, and Taking the Long Way in 2007.) and for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for the song “There’s Your Trouble”. (an award the Chicks would win 5 times: in 2000 for “Ready to Run”, in 2003 for “Long Time Gone”, in 2005 for “Top of the World” and 2007 for “Not Ready to Make Nice”, a feat only matched by The Judds.) In addition, the Chicks were nominated for Best New Artist.
The CD, next to their next albums Fly and Home were released in the HDCD format.
Track listing
“I Can Love You Better” (Pamela Brown Hayes, Kostas) – 3:53
“Wide Open Spaces” (Susan Gibson) – 3:44
“Loving Arms” (Tom Jans) – 3:37
“There’s Your Trouble” (Mark Selby, Tia Sillers) – 3:10
“You Were Mine” (Emily Erwin, Martie Seidel) – 3:37
“Never Say Die” (George Ducas, Radney Foster) – 3:56
“Tonight the Heartache’s on Me” (Mary W. Francis, Johnny MacRae, Bob Morrison) – 3:25
“Let ‘Er Rip” (Billy Crain, Sandy Ramos) – 2:49
“Once You’ve Loved Somebody” (Thom McHugh, Bruce Miller) – 3:28
“I’ll Take Care of You” (J. D. Souther) – 3:40
“Am I the Only One (Who’s Ever Felt This Way)” (Maria McKee) – 3:25
“Give It Up or Let Me Go” (Bonnie Raitt) – 4:55
Personnel
Compiled from liner notes.
Dixie Chicks
Natalie Maines – vocals
Emily Erwin – acoustic guitar, banjo, Dobro, vocals
Martie Seidel – fiddle, mandolin, vocals
Additional personnel
Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
Bobby Charles, Jr. – bass guitar
Joe Chemay – bass guitar
Billy Crain – acoustic guitar
Lloyd Maines – steel guitar
George Marinelli – electric guitar
Greg Morrow – drums
Tommy Nash – electric guitar on “Give It Up or Let Me Go”
Tony Paoletta – steel guitar on “Give It Up or Let Me Go”
Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
Tom Roady – shaker, congas, tambourine
Matt Rollings – piano, Hammond organ
Billy Joe Walker, Jr. – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Paul Worley – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Technical
Chuck Ainlay – mixing on “Give It Up or Let Me Go”
Jim Burnett – Pro Tools editing
Blake Chancey – production
Don Cobb – digital editing
Carlos Grier – digital editing
John Guess – mixing
Eric Legg – recording
Denny Purcell – matering
Billy Sherrill – recording on “Give It Up or Let Me Go”
Paul Worley – production