Studio Album · No. 1

My Kind of Country Songwriting Credits by Reba McEntire

1984 MCA Records 10 tracks 28 min

Produced by Harold Shedd

MCA Records CountryNeotraditional Country
0%
Authorship
Singer / Performer

Holds writing credit on 0 of 10 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 0 / 10 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 10 tracks with documented writers, by whether Reba McEntire carries a lyricist or composer credit.

0%
0 trackswritten by Reba McEntire 10 tracksoutside writers
Reba McEntire's roles on this album

Share of the 10 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist0%
Composer0%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

10
Tracks
18
Lyricists
1
Producers
2
No.1 Singles
1984
Released
Data Insight

My Kind of Country is a pure interpreter's record. Reba McEntire wrote none of the ten songs; every track came from Nashville songwriters, and her contribution is the voice and the phrasing, not the pen. The two number-one singles show the pattern: 'How Blue' was written by John Moffat, and 'Somebody Should Leave' by Harlan Howard and Chick Rains. Other cuts drew on veteran writers like Faron Young, Connie Smith, George Richey, Troy Seals, and Fred Carter Jr. Harold Shedd produced the whole album, so the composer credits belong entirely to the songwriters McEntire chose to record.

My Kind of Country is the eighth studio album by Reba McEntire, released on October 15, 1984 as her second record for MCA. Produced by Harold Shedd and cut in a week at The Mill in Nashville, it pulled her away from the pop-leaning country of her earlier work toward a leaner, fiddle-and-steel neotraditional sound. McEntire sings ten songs drawn entirely from Nashville songwriters, from John Moffat's 'How Blue' to the Harlan Howard and Chick Rains ballad 'Somebody Should Leave.' Both of those tracks reached number one on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart, and the album peaked at number 13 on the country albums chart. It was later certified Gold by the RIAA and is widely treated as the breakthrough that set up her run of headline success.

Track Listing & Credits 10 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
How Blue #1
John Moffat John Moffat Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
2
That's What He Said
Rick CarnesJanis Carnes Rick CarnesJanis Carnes Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
3
I Want to Hear It from You
Fred Carter Jr. Fred Carter Jr. Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
4
It's Not Over (If I'm Not Over You)
Larry KingstonMark Wright Larry KingstonMark Wright Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
5
Somebody Should Leave #1
Harlan HowardChick Rains Harlan HowardChick Rains Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
6
Everything but My Heart
Graham LyleTroy Seals Graham LyleTroy Seals Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
7
Don't You Believe Him
Nat Stuckey Nat Stuckey Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
8
Before I Met You
J. William DennyJoe LewisChuck Seitz J. William DennyJoe LewisChuck Seitz Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
9
He's Only Everything
Billy DeatonFaron Young Billy DeatonFaron Young Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)
10
You've Got Me (Right Where You Want Me)
George RicheyConnie Smith George RicheyConnie Smith Harold Shedd Reba McEntire (Lead Vocals)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 20 contributors

More from Reba McEntire

Frequently Asked Questions My Kind of Country

Did Reba McEntire write any songs on My Kind of Country?
No. All ten tracks were written by Nashville songwriters. Reba McEntire is the interpreter here, not a credited writer on any song.
Who wrote 'How Blue'?
'How Blue' was written by John Moffat. Reba McEntire's recording took it to number one on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart.
Who wrote 'Somebody Should Leave'?
'Somebody Should Leave' was written by Harlan Howard and Chick Rains. It became the album's second number-one country single.
Who produced My Kind of Country?
Harold Shedd produced the album. It was recorded in July 1984 at The Mill in Nashville.
Why is this album considered a turning point for Reba McEntire?
It marked her shift to a stripped-back neotraditional country sound built on fiddle and steel guitar, moving away from the more pop-leaning production of her earlier records.
How did My Kind of Country perform on the charts?
The album peaked at number 13 on Billboard's Country Albums chart and was later certified Gold by the RIAA. Both singles, 'How Blue' and 'Somebody Should Leave,' hit number one on the country singles chart.

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