Keys to the Highway explained

Keys to the Highway is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Rodney Crowell, released in 1989 by Columbia Records (see 1989 in country music). It peaked at number 15 on the Top Country Albums chart. The songs, "Many a Long & Lonesome Highway", "If Looks Could Kill", "My Past Is Present", "Now That We're Alone" and "Things I Wish I'd Said" were released as singles. The last single failed to reach the top 40.

Track listing

All songs written by Rodney Crowell except when noted

Personnel

Musicians

The Dixie Pearls

• Eddie Bayers – drums
• Barry Beckett – piano, organ
• Rodney Crowell – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
• Hank DeVito – steel guitar, acoustic guitar
• Paul Franklin – steel guitar
• Jim Hanson – bass guitar, background vocals
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
• Vince Santoro – drums, background vocals
• Steuart Smith – electric guitar, acoustic guitar

Guest musicians

• Rosanne Cash – background vocals
• Ashley Cleveland – background vocals
• Vince Gill – background vocals
• Mark O'Connor – fiddle, mandolin
• Harry Stinson – background vocals

Technical

• Tony Brown – production
• Donivan Coward – overdubbing
• Rodney Crowell – production, arrangement
• The Dixie Pearls – arrangement
• John Guess – mixing
• Glen Hardin – orchestra arrangement, conduction
• Steve Marcantonio – engineering, mixing
• Glenn Meadows – mastering
• Steuart Smith – arrangement

Chart performance

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions
		US Country	CAN Country
1989	"Many a Long and Lonesome Highway"	3	1
1990	"If Looks Could Kill"	6	4
	"My Past Is Present"	22	12
	"'Now That We're Alone"	17	13
1991	"Things I Wish I'd Said"	72	—

Notes and References

1. http://music.aol.com/album/keys-to-the-highway/70354 AOL Music Profile
2. Web site: Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990. Billboard. December 31, 2020.