Wikipedia

Sweet Potato Pie (album)

Sweet Potato Pie is an album by the American musician Robert Cray, released in 1997 through Mercury Records.[1][2] Cray produced the album.[3] It was recorded by John Hampton and Skidd Mills (who also did the mixing) at Ardent Studios, in Memphis, Tennessee. "Trick or Treat" is a cover of the Otis Redding song.[4]

Sweet Potato Pie
Studio album by
Robert Cray
Released1997
RecordedArdent, Memphis, Tennessee
GenreBlues, R&B
Length47:13
LabelMercury
ProducerRobert Cray
Robert Cray chronology
Some Rainy Morning
(1995) 		Sweet Potato Pie
(1997) 		Take Your Shoes Off
(1999)

Cray supported the album by touring with B. B. King.[5] Sweet Potato Pie peaked at No. 184 on the Billboard 200.[6] It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Blues Album".[7]

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [8]
Chicago Tribune    [9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music     [10]
Los Angeles Daily News    [11]
MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide     [3]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings    [12]
USA Today    [4]

The Los Angeles Daily News noted that "the material here has a muscular '60s and '70s soul feel... Cray's vocals aren't just paying lip service to Southern r&b heroes O.V. Wright and James Carr."[11] USA Today said that "Cray sings mostly about love and loss, the band's bluesy sound punctuated by the Memphis Horns."[4] The Chicago Tribune concluded that most of the songs "are bland ballad or mid-tempo tunes that do little to distinguish themselves."[9]

Track listing edit

All tracks composed by Robert Cray; except where indicated

  1. "Nothing Against You" - 5:46
  2. "Do That for Me" - 4:26
  3. "Back Home" - 5:59
  4. "The One in the Middle" (Jimmy Pugh) - 5:17
  5. "Little Birds" - 3:50
  6. "Trick or Treat" (Otis Redding) - 3:10
  7. "Simple Things" - 4:46
  8. "Jealous Minds" (Kevin Hayes, Jimmy Pugh) - 4:43
  9. "Not Bad for Love" - 7:12
  10. "I Can't Quit" - 5:04

The European edition includes "Save It" as track No. 4.

Personnel edit

  • Robert Cray – guitar, vocals
  • Jimmy Pugh – keyboards
  • Karl Sevareid – bass
  • Kevin Hayes – drums

References edit

  1. ^ Dicaire, David (2015). More Blues Singers: Biographies of 50 Artists from the Later 20th Century. McFarland, Inc. p. 113.
  2. ^ The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides. 1999. p. 228.
  3. ^ a b MusicHound Blues: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 95.
  4. ^ a b c Jones, Steve (6 May 1997). "R&B". USA Today. p. D4.
  5. ^ Newman, Melinda (Apr 12, 1997). "On the Road". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 15. p. 12.
  6. ^ "Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 23. Jun 7, 1997. p. 99.
  7. ^ "Robert Cray". Grammy Awards. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Sweet Potato Pie Review by Thom Owens". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b Kening, Dan (9 May 1997). "Robert Cray Sweet Potato Pie". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  10. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press.
  11. ^ a b Shuster, Fred (2 May 1997). "Sound Check". Los Angeles Daily News. p. L23.
  12. ^ Russell, Tony; Smith, Chris (2006). The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-140-51384-4.
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