For the Girls [B&N Exclusive]

by Kristin Chenoweth

Overview

The title For the Girls makes plain Kristin Chenoweth's intentions for her 2019 album for Concord: she's saluting great women singers by covering songs they popularized. Chenoweth cherrypicks selections from different genres and eras, sometimes not strictly following her own guidelines. Eva Cassidy covered "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and Linda Ronstadt cut "Desperado" in 1973, but it's hard to not to think of the tunes as belonging to anyone but their respective authors, Buddy Holly and the Eagles. This is hardly much of a flaw, though, especially since both songs belong within the classic modern pop tradition Chenoweth essays throughout For the Girls. She touches upon R&B, country, the Great American Songbook, and girl groups, inviting Dolly Parton to duet with her on "I Will Always Love You," singing with Ariana Grande on Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me," and drafting Jennifer Hudson and Reba McEntire for a show-stopping "I'm a Woman." It's a diverse roster of singers and songs, but the Steve Tyrell production smooths over any rough edges, and Chenoweth's consummate Broadway professionalism helps the whole record seem unified; it's a modern update on the kind of albums Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick were making at the twilight of the '60s. The blend of nostalgic vibes and contemporary sheen is appealing, particularly because Chenoweth never pushes too hard: she's not reinventing the songs, she's relaxing with them, and it makes for a warm bath of a listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	12/06/2019
Label:	Concord
UPC:	0888072142190
Rank:	8754

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Kristin Chenoweth   Primary Artist
Dolly Parton   Primary Artist
Jennifer Hudson   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Reba McEntire   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
Ariana Grande   Primary Artist,Featured Artist
David Mann   Soloist,Saxophone
Bob Mann   Piano,Guitar
Russ Kunkel   Drums
Leland Sklar   Bass
Matt Fronke   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Nita Whitaker   Vocals (Background)
Aaron Heick   Soloist,Saxophone
Michael Orland   Piano
Mike Finnigan   Organ
Alan Broadbent   Piano
Tierney Sutton   Vocals (Background)
David Finck   Bass
Grant Geissman   Soloist
Andy Ezrin   Piano
Lauryn Tyrell   Vocals (Background)
Rickey Woodard   Soloist
Quinn Johnson   Piano
Paul Wells   Drums
Miklos Malek   Guitar
Alden Banta   Saxophone
Mike Davis   Trombone
Clint de Ganon   Drums
Chuck Hughes   Trombone
John Robinson   Drums
Janine Sharell   Vocals (Background)
Julianna Barlow   Vocals (Background)
Tony Kadleek   Trumpet,Flugelhorn

Technical Credits

Steve Tyrell   Mixing,Arranger,Producer,Liner Notes
Harold Arlen   Composer
Bob Mann   Arranger
Kristin Chenoweth   Liner Notes
Marvin Hamlisch   Composer
Carole King   Composer
Dolly Parton   Composer
Richard Dennison   Engineer
Don Henley   Composer
David White   Composer,Composer
Ira Gershwin   Composer
Marilyn Bergman   Composer
John Burk   Executive Producer
John Kilgore   Engineer
Johnny Mercer   Composer
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Jim Kimball   Engineer
Michael Orland   Associate Vocal Producer
Mike Stoller   Composer
Alan Broadbent   Arranger,Orchestral Agent
Willie Nelson   Composer
Alan Bergman   Composer
Gerry Goffin   Composer
Glenn Frey   Composer
Jon Allen   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Keyboard Programming
Stanley Adams   Composer
Paul Anka   Composer
Paul Blakemore   Mastering
Edward Heyman   Composer
John Madara   Composer
Aretha Franklin   Vocal Samples
Victor Young   Composer
Miklos Malek   Mixing,Programming
Steve Postell   Engineer
Tom Rutledge   Engineer
Maria Grever   Composer
Chris Allen   Engineer
Sadie Vimmerstedt   Composer
Rickey Minor   Engineer
Tommy Steele   Design,Art Direction
Myles Turney   Engineer
Gian Andrea Di Stefano   Photography
Logan Malone   Artistic Director
Seph Stanek   Creative Director
William Hickey   Engineer