Heroes & Friends

Heroes & Friends
Heroes & Friends
Studio album by Randy Travis
Released	August 31, 1990
Genre	Country
Length	37:12
Label	Warner Records
Producer	Kyle Lehning
Randy Travis chronology
Singles from Heroes & Friends
	"A Few Ole Country Boys"; Released: August 27, 1990; "Heroes and Friends"; Released: January 21, 1991; "We're Strangers Again"; Released: August 5, 1991;

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[1]
Chicago Tribune	^[2]
Robert Christgau	^[6]
Entertainment Weekly	D+^[3]
Los Angeles Times	^[4]
Q	^[5]

Heroes & Friends is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Randy Travis. It was released on August 31, 1990 by Warner Records. Except for the title track (which is reprised at the end), every song on this album is a duet with another recording artist. "A Few Ole Country Boys" (a duet with George Jones) and the title track were both released as singles from this album, peaking at numbers 8 and 3, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs) charts in 1990.

"We're Strangers Again" was originally recorded by Merle Haggard and Leona Williams on their 1983 album Heart to Heart. The version here, a duet between Travis and Tammy Wynette, was later included on Wynette's Best Loved Hits album, from which it was released as a single in late 1991.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Duet partner	Length
1.	"Heroes and Friends"	Randy Travis, Don Schlitz	n/a	2:09
2.	"Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	2:46
3.	"The Birth of the Blues"	Lew Brown, Buddy DeSylva, Ray Henderson	Willie Nelson	2:38
4.	"All Night Long"	Johnny Gimble, Bob Wills	Merle Haggard	3:04
5.	"The Human Race"	Tim Mensy, Jimmy Phillips, Gene Dobbins	Vern Gosdin	2:27
6.	"Shopping for Dresses"	Merle Haggard, "Little" Jimmy Dickens	Loretta Lynn	3:00
7.	"Waiting on the Light to Change"	Gary Nicholson, Richard Leigh	B.B. King	2:44
8.	"A Few Ole Country Boys"	Troy Seals, Mentor Williams	George Jones	3:37
9.	"Walk Our Own Road"	Bernie Nelson, Lisa Palas	Kris Kristofferson	2:44
10.	"We're Strangers Again"	Haggard, Leona Williams	Tammy Wynette	2:45
11.	"Smokin' the Hive"	Byron Hill, J. Remington Wilde	Clint Eastwood	2:23
12.	"Come See About Me"	Conway Twitty	Conway Twitty	2:46
13.	"Happy Trails"	Dale Evans	Roy Rogers	2:13
14.	"Heroes and Friends (Reprise)"	Travis, Schlitz	n/a	1:56

Personnel

Chet Atkins – gut string guitar, background vocals
Kathie Baillie – choir
Eddie Bayers – drums
Barry Beckett – piano
Michael Bonagura Jr. – choir
Dennis Burnside – piano, electric piano, Wurlitzer
Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar
Gary Carter – steel guitar
Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
Jerry Douglas – dobro
Clint Eastwood – duet vocals on "Smokin' the Hive"
Steve Gibson – 12-string guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
Bob Glaub – bass guitar
Randy Goodrum – piano
Vern Gosdin – duet vocals on "The Human Race"
Doyle Grisham – steel guitar
Merle Haggard – duet vocals on "All Night Long"
Lib Hatcher – choir
Sherilyn Huffman – choir, background vocals
David Hungate – bass guitar
David Johnson – fiddle
Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson – harmonica
George Jones – duet vocals on "A Few Ole Country Boys"
Nancy Jones – background vocals on "A Few Ole Country Boys"
Shane Keister – organ, piano
B.B. King – duet vocals and electric guitar on "Waiting On The Light to Change"
Kris Kristofferson – duet vocals on "Walk Our Own Road"
Mike Lawler – banjo, synthesizer
Kyle Lehning – Wurlitzer
Chris Leuzinger – acoustic guitar
Paul Leim – drums
Larrie Londin – drums
Loretta Lynn – duet vocals on "Shopping for Dresses"
Terry McMillan – harmonica, percussion
Jay Dee Maness – steel guitar
Brent Mason – electric guitar
Willie Nelson – duet vocals on "The Birth of the Blues"
Mark O'Connor – fiddle
Dean Parks – electric guitar
Dolly Parton – duet vocals on "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"
Mickey Raphael – harmonica
Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
Roy Rogers – duet vocals on "Happy Trails"
Brent Rowan – electric guitar
Tom Rutledge – fiddle, acoustic guitar
Don Schlitz – choir
Troy Seals – choir
Allen Shamblin – choir
Martha Sharp – choir
Lisa Silver – choir, background vocals
Denis Solee – clarinet
Keith Stegall – choir
Fred Tackett – acoustic guitar
Randy Travis – lead vocals
Conway Twitty – duet vocals on "Come See About Me"
Diane Vanette – choir, background vocals
Carlos Vega – drums
Jack Williams – bass guitar
Dennis Wilson – background vocals
Tammy Wynette – duet vocals on "We're Strangers Again"

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (RPM)	61
US Billboard 200^[7]	31
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[8]	1

Year-end charts

Chart (1990)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[9]	69
Chart (1991)	Position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)^[10]	11

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)^[11]	Platinum	100,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[12]	Platinum	1,000,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Heroes & Friends at AllMusic
^ Hurst, Jack (October 4, 1990). "Randy Travis Heroes and Friends (Warner)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ Nash, Alanna (October 12, 1990). "Country". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ Lewis, Randy (September 16, 1990). "** 1/2 RANDY TRAVIS "Heroes and Friends" Warner Bros". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ "Randy Travis - Heroes and Friends CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Randy Travis". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ "Randy Travis Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
^ "Canadian album certifications – Randy Travis – Heroes and Friends". Music Canada. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
^ "American album certifications – Randy Travis – Heroes and Friends". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 30, 2024.

[1] Heroes & Friends at AllMusic

[2] Hurst, Jack (October 4, 1990). "Randy Travis Heroes and Friends (Warner)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[3] Nash, Alanna (October 12, 1990). "Country". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on May 23, 2007. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[4] Lewis, Randy (September 16, 1990). "** 1/2 RANDY TRAVIS "Heroes and Friends" Warner Bros". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[5] "Randy Travis - Heroes and Friends CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[6] Christgau, Robert. "CG: Randy Travis". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved April 24, 2013.

[ac_Billboard200_Randy_Travis-7] "Randy Travis Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[ac_BillboardCountry_Randy_Travis-8] "Randy Travis Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[9] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[10] "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1991". Billboard. Retrieved December 26, 2020.

[CanadaRandy_TravisHeroes_and_FriendsalbumCertRef-11] "Canadian album certifications – Randy Travis – Heroes and Friends". Music Canada. Retrieved July 30, 2024.

[United_StatesRandy_TravisHeroes_and_FriendsalbumCertRef-12] "American album certifications – Randy Travis – Heroes and Friends". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 30, 2024.

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v t e Randy Travis
Albums Singles
Studio albums	Storms of Life Always & Forever Old 8×10 No Holdin' Back Heroes & Friends High Lonesome Wind in the Wire This Is Me Full Circle You and You Alone A Man Ain't Made of Stone Inspirational Journey Rise and Shine Worship & Faith Passing Through Glory Train: Songs of Faith, Worship, and Praise Around the Bend Anniversary Celebration Influence Vol. 1: The Man I Am Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am
Compilation albums	Greatest Hits, Volume One Greatest Hits, Volume Two The Very Best of Randy Travis I Told You So: The Ultimate Hits of Randy Travis Three Wooden Crosses: The Inspirational Hits of Randy Travis
Holiday albums	An Old Time Christmas Songs of the Season
Notable singles	"On the Other Hand" "1982" "Diggin' Up Bones" "No Place Like Home" "Forever and Ever, Amen" "I Won't Need You Anymore (Always and Forever)" "Too Gone Too Long" "I Told You So" "Honky Tonk Moon" "Deeper Than the Holler" "Is It Still Over?" "Promises" "It's Just a Matter of Time" "Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart" "He Walked on Water" "A Few Ole Country Boys" "Heroes and Friends" "Point of Light" "Forever Together" "Better Class of Losers" "I'd Surrender All" "If I Didn't Have You" "Look Heart, No Hands" "An Old Pair of Shoes" "Cowboy Boogie" "Before You Kill Us All" "Whisper My Name" "This Is Me" "The Box" "Are We in Trouble Now" "Would I" "King of the Road" "Out of My Bones" "The Hole" "Spirit of a Boy, Wisdom of a Man" "Stranger in My Mirror" "A Man Ain't Made of Stone" "Baptism" "Three Wooden Crosses" "Where That Came From"
Other songs	"Voices That Care" "Singing the Blues" "Somewhere in My Broken Heart" "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)"
Related articles	Awards and nominations Filmography