Lee Ann Womack scored her contemporary country music critical breakthrough with I Hope You Dance in 2000. Almost universally acclaimed, it showcased the singer's exceptionally wide range. While her platinum-selling self-titled debut made the critics take notice -- as usual in this genre, only underscoring what country music programmers, DJs, and listeners already knew -- and her sophomore issue, Some Things I Know, multiplied her fan base, I Hope You Dance was cited as a "career album," meaning that it wouldn't get much better. The pundits were wrong. Something Worth Leaving Behind cemented Womack's place in the country music pantheon by pushing her own boundaries as an artist further than ever before. Her seemingly effortless cruise through honky tonk, country-pop ballads, and searing midtempo "message" numbers serves her well on this wildly adventurous collection of songs. Stepping into the producer's chair for the first time -- along with longtime producers Mark Wright and Frank Liddell and newcomers Matt Serletic and Mike McCarthy -- Womack fills the album with some off-center, nearly alt-country cuts by Bruce Robison (the gorgeous ballad "Blame It on Me") and a pair by the now reclusive Julie Miller (the poignant "Orphan Train" and rollicking funky gospel tune "I Need You"), who also sings backup on the set. Added to this are tracks by mainstream successes Monty Powell ("When You Gonna Run to Me"), Gretchen Peters (the stellar and anthemic "I Saw Your Light"), and Brett Beavers (two versions of the title track) -- who accounted for the singles here. But it isn't just the mix of tunes. It's the performers themselves. Producer and guitar ace Kenny Greenberg handled the arrangements; former Joe Ely and John Mellencamp guitar slinger David Grissom is here and also contributed a tune; another former Mellencamp ace turned country session musician Kenny Aronoff mans the drum kit; and Greg Leisz, master of lap steel, pedal steel, and Dobro (or anything with strings called a guitar) is here as well -- as are many others. Womack nailed it on Something Worth Leaving Behind. It may not have sold quite as well as her previous offerings, but record biz folks were happy just the same, and it achieved an even higher level of acclaim than any of her preceding records, eking out a place in the CD collections of fans of rock, pop, and even adult alternative music in the process. Finally, more than any of her previous recordings, Something Worth Leaving Behind gave her the confidence and authority necessary to record her masterpiece, 2005's There's More Where That Came From. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
Connie Heard (Strings), Gary VanOsdale (Strings), Michael Rhodes (Bass), Lee Larrison (Strings), Tim Pierce (Guitar), Matthew Rolston (Photography), Anthony LaMarchina (Strings), Frank Liddell (Producer), Matt Rollings (Piano), Kristin Wilkinson (String Arrangements), Courtney Clay (Project Coordinator), Matt Serletic (Electronics), Christian Teal (Strings), Kenny Greenberg (Guitar (Electric)), Brent Rowan (Guitar (Electric)), Carl Gorodetzky (Strings), Bobby Huff (Vocals (Background)), Bruce Robison (Vocals (Background)), Jay Joyce (Guitar (Electric)), Dennis Sands (Engineer), Lisa Silver (Vocals (Background)), Jesse Gorman (Assistant Engineer), Ronnie Thomas (Editing), Jim Horn (Horn), Leland Sklar (Bass), Jim Jordan (Assistant Engineer), Jim Cox (Keyboards), Gene Miller (Vocals (Background)), Cate Myer (Strings), Eric Darken (Percussion), Stewart Whitmore (Digital Editing), Bryan Sutton (Mandolin), Greg Leisz (Guitar (Steel)), Steve Nathan (Synthesizer), Catherine Umstead (Strings), Kenny Greenberg (Arranger), Steve Marcantonio (Engineer), Paul Franklin (Guitar (Steel)), Kevin Szymanski (Assistant Engineer), Brad Dutz (Percussion), Greg Leisz (Dobro), Brent Rowan (Tiple), Greg Leisz (Pedal Steel), Buddy Jackson (Art Direction), Monisa Angell (Strings), Carie Higdon (Project Coordinator), Bryan Sutton (Banjo), Jessie Noble (Project Coordinator), David Angell (Strings), Oren Waters (Vocals (Background)), Alison Krauss (Fiddle), Bergen White (Vocals (Background)), Jeff Coffin (Horn), Janet Askey (Strings), Todd Johnson (Assistant Engineer), Mike McCarthy (Producer), Matt Serletic (Producer), Kenny Aronoff (Drums), Brooke Dulien (Stylist), Shari Sutcliffe (Orchestra Contractor), Matt Rollings (Wurlitzer), Shannon Forrest (Drums), Denis Solee (Horn), Lisa Cochran (Vocals (Background)), Pamela Sixfin (Strings), Chris Rodriguez (Vocals (Background)), Gabe Witcher (Fiddle), Maxine Willard Waters (Vocals (Background)), John Wesley Ryles (Vocals (Background)), Julie Miller (Vocals (Background)), Jeffrey Roach (Piano), B. James Lowry (Guitar (Acoustic)), Spencer Campbell (Bass), Hank Williams (Mastering), Elisabeth K. Small (Strings), Mickey Raphael (Harmonica), Nashville String Machine (Strings), Heitor Teixeira Pereira (Guitar), Dan Colehour (Vocals (Background)), Matt Rollings (Fender Rhodes), Matt Serletic (Arranger), Bergen White (String Arrangements), Vicki Hampton (Vocals (Background)), Jimmy Hoyson (Assistant Engineer), Mike McCarthy (Mixing), Lynn Peithman (Strings), Noel Golden (String Engineer), Aubrey Haynie (Fiddle), Fleming McWilliams (Vocals (Background)), Kim Fleming (Vocals (Background)), Jay Joyce (Arranger), Chuck Leavell (Piano), Mike McCarthy (Engineer), Mark Wright (Producer), Karinne Caulkins (Art Direction), Mally Roncal (Make-Up), David Grissom (Guitar (Electric)), Leslie Richter (Assistant Engineer), Steve Nathan (Organ (Hammond)), David Campbell (String Arrangements), Matt Rollings (Organ (Hammond)), Jay Joyce (Guitar (Acoustic)), John Painter (Arranger), Robert Mason (Strings), Keith Sewell (Vocals (Background)), Alan Umstead (Strings), Carole Neuen-Rabinowitz (?), Jay Goin (Mixing Assistant), Lee Ann Womack (Author), Mary Kathryn Vanosdale (Strings), David Bryant (Assistant Engineer), Jim Grosjean (Strings), Chad Brown (Assistant Engineer), Pete Anthony (Conductor), Steve Nathan (Piano), Craig Poole (Guitar Technician), Harry Stinson (Vocals (Background)), Lee Ann Womack (Producer), Matt Serletic (Orchestra Contractor), Marabeth Jordan (Vocals (Background)), Kristin Wilkinson (Strings), Jeffrey Roach (Keyboards), Bryan McConkey (Assistant Engineer), Chris McHugh (Drums), David Thoener (Mixing), Maxi Anderson (Vocals (Background)), Jerry McPherson (Guitar (Electric)), Jay Joyce (Programming), Karen Winkelmann (?), Todd Gunnerson (Engineer), Matt Serletic (Orchestral Arrangements), Karinne Caulkins (Design), Marcus Hummon (Vocals (Background)), Colin Linden (Guitar (Acoustic)), John Gilutin (Keyboards), Kenny Greenberg (Guitar (Acoustic)), Toney High (Assistant Engineer), Brent Mason (Guitar (Electric)), Randy Scruggs (Guitar (Acoustic)), David Grissom (Guitar (Acoustic)), Brent Mason (Guitar), Noel Golden (Engineer), Stephen Marcussen (Mastering), Greg Droman (Mixing), Felix Wang (?), Greg Droman (Engineer)
Something Worth Leaving Behind is a 2002 album from Lee Ann Womack. It peaked on the Billboard 200 at #16 and the Top Country Albums at #2. Two singles were released from the album; the title-track (a Top 20 hit) and "Forever Everyday". This was also the first album of Womack's career not to produce a Top Ten country hit.
Track listing
"Something Worth Leaving Behind" (Brett Beavers, Tom Douglas) – 3:50
