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Stones in the Road is the fifth album by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and her first and only #1 Country Album on the Billboard charts. The album also contains her first and only #1 Hot Country Singles hit, "Shut Up and Kiss Me." Other charting singles were "Tender When I Want to Be" at #6, "House of Cards" at #21, and "Why Walk When You Can Fly?" at #45. The nostalgically themed title track was first recorded by folk singer Joan Baez for her 1992 studio album Play Me Backwards, to whom Carpenter first pitched the song during a joint concert appearance before she recorded it herself. It was also featured in the 1995 film Bye Bye Love.

Stones in the Road
Studio album by Mary Chapin Carpenter
Released	October 4, 1994
Genre	Country
Length	55:35
Label	Columbia Nashville
Producer	Mary Chapin Carpenter John Jennings
Mary Chapin Carpenter chronology
Come On Come On (1992) Stones in the Road (1994) A Place in the World (1996)
Singles from Stones in the Road
"Shut Up and Kiss Me" Released: August 29, 1994 "Tender When I Want to Be" Released: December 5, 1994 "House of Cards" Released: March 25, 1995 "Why Walk When You Can Fly?" Released: June 1995

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Chicago Tribune	link
Entertainment Weekly	B link
Los Angeles Times	link
Q	link

Carpenter earned two Grammy Awards in 1995 for her work on the album: Best Country Album and Best Female Country Vocal Performance (for "Shut Up and Kiss Me"), the fourth straight year she won the latter category.

Country Universe called it the best Contemporary Country Album.[1]

Track listing

Personnel

Adapted from Stones in the Road liner notes.[2]

Musicians

• Kenny Aronoff - drums (2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13), percussion (11, 13)
• Paul Brady - tin whistle (10), background vocals (10)
• J. T. Brown - fretless bass (1, 8), bass guitar (4, 7)
• Mary Chapin Carpenter - vocals; acoustic guitar (all tracks except 12), background vocals (1, 2, 4, 10)
• Jon Carroll - piano (1, 7, 8), accordion (1)
• Shawn Colvin - background vocals (10)
• Don Dixon - bass guitar (2, 3, 5, 6, 10, 11, 13), arco bass (5)
• Stuart Duncan - fiddle (1), mandolin (1)
• John Jennings - electric guitar (2, 4, 5, 7, 13), acoustic guitar (1, 3, 4), baritone guitar (5, 6, 11), background vocals (2, 4, 6), Hammond C-3 organ (4), percussion (4), cowbell (6), plucked piano (8), bass guitar (8), "beach guitar" (10, 13)
• Robbie Magruder - drums (1, 4, 7, 8)
• Branford Marsalis - soprano saxophone (9)
• Alan O'Bryant - background vocals (1)
• Lee Roy Parnell - electric slide guitar (6, 13)
• Matt Rollings - piano (1, 4, 12, 13)
• Steuart Smith - electric guitar (2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13)
• Benmont Tench - Hammond C-3 organ (2, 3, 11), piano (3, 6, 10, 11, 13)
• Robin and Linda Williams - background vocals (1)
• Trisha Yearwood - background vocals (5, 6)

Production

• Mary Chapin Carpenter - producer
• Dave Chavez - recording assistant
• Bob Dawson - recording, mixing
• Caroline Greyshock - photography
• John Jennings - producer
• Bill Johnson - art direction
• Denny Purcell - mastering
• James Saez - additional recording

Charts

References

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