Maps of Music

Family (2007)

Where the lyrics of Family take you, and where it was really made.

Family is the first album in LeAnn Rimes' career where she co-wrote every song.

Key places

Recording at Blackbird Studio, Nashville (2007)

Recording site Nashville — Blackbird Studio in Nashville is listed as a recording location for Family. The point sits at the city-center coordinates, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Sound Kitchen, Franklin (2007)

Recording site Sound Kitchen — Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee is listed as a recording location for Family. The point sits at the city-center coordinates, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at The Sound House, Hollywood (2007)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — The Sound House in Hollywood, California is listed as a recording location for Family. The point sits at the city-center coordinates, not the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Record Plant, Los Angeles (2007)

Recording site Record Plant (Los Angeles) — Record Plant in Los Angeles, California is listed as a recording location for Family. The point uses the building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Family: eleventh studio album by American singer LeAnn Rimes
• Released October 9, 2007 by Curb Records in the United States
• Produced primarily by Dann Huff, with additional production by Tony Brown
• Guest vocalist Reba McEntire
• First album of Rimes' career with every song co-written by her

Background

• Lead single "Nothin' Better to Do" released to radio May 29, 2007
• The single earned Rimes a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 50th Grammy Awards
• Follow-up singles: "Good Friend and a Glass of Wine" and "What I Cannot Change"
• "What I Cannot Change" was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 51st Grammy Awards
• That single went to number one on the Billboard Dance chart

Recording

• Recording sessions are listed at Blackbird Studio and Starstruck Studios in Nashville, Tennessee
• Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee
• The Sound House in Hollywood, California
• Record Plant in Los Angeles, California

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born August 28, 1982 in Jackson, Mississippi; raised in Garland, Texas.
• Began in musical theatre and local talent shows; appeared on Star Search and Johnnie High's Country Music Revue.
• Released independent albums Everybody's Sweetheart (1991) and All That (1994).

Career

• Signed with Curb Records in 1996; the single "Blue" reached the top 10 on Billboard Hot Country Songs.
• Blue (1996) won Grammys for Best New Artist and Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the youngest winner of both.
• "How Do I Live" (1997) became one of the best-selling singles of the 1990s.
• Has placed more than 40 singles on international charts and sold more than 48 million records worldwide.
• Acted in films and television, and coached on The Voice Australia and The Voice UK in 2024.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Positive reviews from most music critics, who complimented Rimes' performance and songwriting
• Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four out of five stars
• Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe dubbed it "the best, most cogent album of her career"
• Kelefa Sanneh of The New York Times complimented her "gentle belting-out"
• Q gave the album two out of five stars and said there was little spark
• Entertainment Weekly's Alanna Nash gave it a B rating
• Adam Sweeting of Uncut criticized its music
• Dave Simpson of The Guardian noted a slightly too-smooth production

Reappraisal

• Metacritic average score of 70, based on 12 reviews, which indicates generally favorable reviews
• Slant Magazine's Jonathan Keefe cited Family as among the strongest mainstream country albums of the past several years
• Ken Tucker of Billboard gave the album a favorable review
• Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield gave three-and-a-half out of five stars and cited highlights

Records

• Debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, with 74,200 first-week sales
• Spent a total of 20 weeks on the Billboard 200
• Sold 401,000 copies in the United States as of July 2011
• Debuted at number 31 on the UK Albums Chart, Rimes' first album to miss the top 20 there

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Billboard's Ken Tucker wrote that personal origins do not stop the album from speaking to the masses
• Q praised Rimes' willingness to take chances while criticizing the lack of spark
• Thomas Kintner of The Hartford Courant called the album a carefully manicured but still lively assortment
• Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield found the song quality uneven but named three tracks as highlights

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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