Bargain Audio CDs & Priceless Collection (series)

Back With A Heart

by Olivia Newton-John

Product Description:

Personnel includes: Olivia Newton-John (vocals); Steve Gibson (acoustic & electric guitars); Gary Burr (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Mark Casstevens, Darrell Scott (acoustic guitar); John Farrar (electric guitar, background vocals); Brent Mason, Larry Byrom, Dan Dugmore, Brent Rowan, Cary Park (electric guitar); Bruce Bouton (pedal steel, lap steel & slide guitars); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Rob Hajacos (fiddle); Dennis Burnside (piano); Steve Nathan (Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards); David Foster (keyboards); Michael Rhodes (bass); Paul Leim (drums, percussion); Eddie Bayers (drums); Terry McMilan (percussion); Dennis Wilson, Liana Manis, Wes Hightower, Christina Nichols, Tabatha Fair, Babyface (background vocals).

Producers: Don Cook, Tony Brown, Gary Burr, Chris Farren, John Farrar, David Foster.

Principally recorded at Ocean Way Recording Studios, Masterfonics Tracking Room and Emerald Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, California.

Personnel include: Olivia Newton-John (vocals); Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Bruce Bouton (pedal steel guitar); Babyface , Wes Hightower (background vocals); David Foster .

Recording information: Ocean Way Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee; Emerald Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; Chartmaker Studios, Malibu, California.

With the re-release of the '70s movie musical GREASE, this offering from Olivia Newton-John is timely. But BACK WITH A HEART also happens to be solid, contemporary country-pop, boasting state-of-the-art production and good-to-excellent songwriting in which the singer herself has had a considerable hand. Though there are six separate producers listed here, the result doesn't suffer from excessive meddling or too many masterminds on board. One can thank the top-drawer Nashville musicians, especially the guitarists who collectively provide a kickin' edge and professional finish to the proceedings.

Ms. Newton-John is in excellent voice too, seasoned, relaxed, rockin' yet retaining some of the breathy youthful spirit that so charmed listeners when she debuted more than 20 years ago. In truth she has always been a "country" singer, utterly comfortable in the idiom, though of course she made a highly credible sexy disco vamp in her "Physical" days. Babyface pays his respects as backing vocalist on the closing re-make of "I Honestly Love You," a warm look back to the beginning of a major career in pop song.