Southern Rain cover art

  Studio Album · No. 6

Southern Rain Songwriting Credits by Billy Ray Cyrus

2000 Monument Records 11 tracks 45 min

Produced by Billy Ray Cyrus, Blake Chancey, Dann Huff, Terry Shelton  ·  Engineered by Jeff Balding, Mike Janas

Monument Records Country
18%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 2 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 2 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Billy Ray Cyrus carries a lyricist or composer credit.

18%
2 trackswritten by Billy Ray Cyrus 9 tracksoutside writers
Billy Ray Cyrus's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist18%
Composer18%
Producer18%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
22
Lyricists
4
Producers
2000
Released
Data Insight

Southern Rain flips the self-written premise. Where Cyrus had leaned on his own songs earlier in his career, this Monument debut is largely outside-written and outside-produced. Blake Chancey and Dann Huff produce nine of the eleven tracks between them, and Cyrus takes a production credit on only the title track and the bonus 'Hey Elvis.' His pen appears on just two songs, the title track (with Michael Joe Sagraves and Don Von Tress) and 'Without You' (with Jude Cole). The rest belongs to Nashville professional writers such as Jeffrey Steele, Brett James, John Bettis, and Neil Thrasher, making this one of the least self-authored records in his catalog.

Southern Rain is the sixth studio album by Billy Ray Cyrus, released October 17, 2000 on Monument Records. It was his first album for the label after leaving Mercury Nashville, and it leaned on outside Nashville songwriters and producers rather than his own pen. Blake Chancey and Dann Huff handled most of the production, with Cyrus co-producing only the title track and the bonus cut 'Hey Elvis.' The record's centerpiece is 'We the People,' an event track that brought in John Anderson, Waylon Jennings, Danni Leigh, Montgomery Gentry, and Yankee Grey, with Jennings and Anderson reciting the Preamble to the United States Constitution. Cyrus co-wrote two songs, the title track and 'Without You,' while the rest came from writers such as Jeffrey Steele, Brett James, and Neil Thrasher. The lead single 'You Won't Be Lonely Now' reached the country top twenty, and the album peaked at No. 13 on Top Country Albums.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
You Won't Be Lonely Now #17
Brett JamesJohn Bettis Brett JamesJohn Bettis Dann Huff Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
2
Southern Rain #45
Billy Ray CyrusMichael Joe SagravesDon Von Tress Billy Ray CyrusMichael Joe SagravesDon Von Tress Billy Ray CyrusBlake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
3
All I'm Thinking About Is You
Jeffrey Steele Jeffrey Steele Dann HuffBlake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
4
We the People #60
Monty PowellJimmie Lee SloasAnna Wilson Monty PowellJimmie Lee SloasAnna Wilson Dann HuffBlake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)John Anderson (Guest Vocals)Waylon Jennings (Guest Vocals)Danni Leigh (Guest Vocals)Montgomery Gentry (Guest Vocals)Yankee Grey (Guest Vocals)
5
I Will
Bonnie BakerCarol Ann Brown Bonnie BakerCarol Ann Brown Blake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
6
Love You Back
Neil ThrasherWendell Mobley Neil ThrasherWendell Mobley Blake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
7
Burn Down the Trailer Park #43
Paul ThornBilly MaddoxPat McDonald Paul ThornBilly MaddoxPat McDonald Dann Huff Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
8
Everywhere I Wanna Be
Marty DodsonDanny Wells Marty DodsonDanny Wells Blake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
9
Crazy 'Bout You Baby #58
Jeffrey SteeleEd Berghoff Jeffrey SteeleEd Berghoff Dann HuffBlake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
10
Without You
Billy Ray CyrusJude Cole Billy Ray CyrusJude Cole Blake Chancey Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)
11
Hey Elvis
Bryan AdamsGretchen Peters Bryan AdamsGretchen Peters Billy Ray CyrusTerry Shelton Billy Ray Cyrus (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 30 contributors

More from Billy Ray Cyrus

Frequently Asked Questions Southern Rain

Did Billy Ray Cyrus write the songs on Southern Rain?
Mostly no. Cyrus co-wrote only two tracks, the title song 'Southern Rain' and 'Without You.' The rest came from outside Nashville songwriters such as Jeffrey Steele, Brett James, John Bettis, and Neil Thrasher.
Who produced Southern Rain?
Blake Chancey and Dann Huff produced most of the album. Cyrus co-produced the title track with Chancey and co-produced the bonus track 'Hey Elvis' with Terry Shelton.
Who are the guests on 'We the People'?
'We the People' features John Anderson, Waylon Jennings, Danni Leigh, Montgomery Gentry, and Yankee Grey. Jennings and Anderson recite the Preamble to the United States Constitution during the song.
What label released Southern Rain?
Monument Records released it on October 17, 2000. It was Cyrus's first album after leaving Mercury Nashville.
What were the singles from Southern Rain?
The singles were 'You Won't Be Lonely Now,' 'We the People,' 'Burn Down the Trailer Park,' 'Crazy 'Bout You Baby,' and the title track 'Southern Rain.' 'You Won't Be Lonely Now' was the biggest, reaching No. 17 on the country chart.
Is 'Hey Elvis' a cover?
Yes. 'Hey Elvis' was written by Bryan Adams and Gretchen Peters and appears on Southern Rain as a bonus track produced by Cyrus and Terry Shelton.
How did Southern Rain chart?
It reached No. 13 on Billboard's Top Country Albums and No. 102 on the Billboard 200.

Sources