The Heart of the Matter (Kenny Rogers album)

The Heart of the Matter is the RIAA Gold-certified seventeenth studio album by Kenny Rogers, released by RCA Records. It was Rogers' eleventh disc to reach #1 on Billboard's Country albums chart.

The Heart of the Matter
Studio album by Kenny Rogers
Released	1985
Recorded	1985
Genre	Country
Length	37:50
Label	RCA Victor
Producer	George Martin
Kenny Rogers chronology
The Kenny Rogers Story (1985) The Heart of the Matter (1985) Love Is What We Make It (1985)
Singles from The Heart of the Matter
"Morning Desire" Released: October 7, 1985 "Tomb of the Unknown Love" Released: February 7, 1986

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link

Overview

This was Rogers' final album to reach #1 on the country charts until after his death. It peaked at #51 on the main Billboard album chart and was produced by George Martin.

Singles

Two singles came from this album. "Morning Desire" reached the top of the country charts, as well as #8 on the adult contemporary chart and #72 on the pop charts. His next single, "Goodbye Marie", came from the Short Stories album (also released after Rogers signed to RCA) and charted. The final single from this album followed, "Tomb of the Unknown Love", was a #1 hit in the country charts.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"I Don't Wanna Have to Worry"	Steve Crossley, Michael Smotherman	3:40
2.	"The Heart of the Matter"	Smotherman	4:36
3.	"You Made Me Feel Love"	John Goin, Dave Loggins	3:41
4.	"Morning Desire"	Loggins	4:09
5.	"Don't Look in My Eyes"	Brian Potter, Frank Wildhorn	3:34
6.	"The Best of Me"	David Foster, Jeremy Lubbock, Richard Marx	4:01
7.	"Tomb of the Unknown Love"	Smotherman	4:03
8.	"People in Love"	Mike Dekle, Byron Hill	3:03
9.	"I Can't Believe Your Eyes"	Graham Lyle, Troy Seals	3:02
10.	"Our Perfect Song"	David Briggs, Linda Thompson-Jenner	4:01

Personnel

• Kenny Rogers – lead vocals
• Anne Dudley – keyboards (1, 2, 4, 7)
• John Hobbs – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
• Randy Waldman – keyboards (5, 8, 10)
• David Foster – acoustic piano (6), synthesizers (6), Moog bass (6), LinnDrum (6)
• Jimmy Cox – keyboards (9)
• Ian Bairnson – guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
• Michael Landau – guitar (3, 9)
• Steve Lukather – guitar (3)
• Stanley Jordan – guitar solo (4)
• Paul Jackson Jr. – guitar (5, 8, 10)
• Fred Tackett – guitar (5, 8, 10)
• Mo Foster – bass guitar (1, 2, 4, 7)
• Joe Chemay – bass guitar (3), backing vocals (3, 8)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass guitar (5, 8, 10)
• Nathan East – bass guitar (9), backing vocals (9)
• Stuart Elliott – drums (1, 2, 4, 7)
• Leon "Ndugu" Chancler – drums (9), percussion (9)
• Steve Leach – percussion (1)
• Richard Marx – percussion (1), backing vocals (1)
• Kin Vassy – percussion (1), backing vocals (3, 4, 7-10)
• Terry Williams – percussion (1), backing vocals (1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10)
• John Robinson – percussion (2), drums (3, 5, 8, 10)
• Gary Herbig – saxophone (1, 3)
• Larry Williams – saxophone (1)
• Bill Reichenbach Jr. – trombone (1)
• Gary Grant – trumpet (1, 9)
• Jerry Hey – trumpet (1, 9), horn arrangements (9)
• Donnie Sanders – saxello (2)
• James Galway – flute (6)
• James Thatcher – French horn (6)
• Richard Todd – French horn (6)
• Gayle Levant – harp (4)
• George Martin – arrangements (1, 3, 8), string arrangements (2, 4)
• Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (5, 6, 8, 10), additional keyboards (6)
• Jules Chakin – string contractor (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Israel Baker – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Arnold Belnick – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Denyse Buffum – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Stuart Canin – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Isabelle Daskoff – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Assa Drori – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Bruce Dukov – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Ronald Folsom – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Reginald Hill – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Bill Hybel – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• William Hymanson – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Dennis Karmazyn – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Ray Kelley – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Kathleen Lenski – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Gordan Marron – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Buell Neidlinger – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Bill Nuttycombe – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Garry Nuttycombe – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Don Palmer – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Jay Rosen – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Sheldon Sanov – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• David Schwartz – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Fred Seykoura – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Marshall Sosson – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Robert Sushel – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Mari Tsumari-Botnick – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Shari Zippert – strings (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10)
• Kenny Rogers II – backing vocals (3, 9)
• Herb Pedersen – backing vocals (7, 9, 10)
• David Morgan – backing vocals (9)

Production

• Producer – George Martin
• Engineers – Terry Christian and Jon Kelley
• Second engineers – Bino Espinoza, Laura Livingston and Stephen Shelton
• Strings recorded by John Richards
• Second Engineer (strings) – Olivier de Bosson
• Recorded at Sunset Sound (Hollywood), Lion Share Recording (Los Angeles), Soundcastle (Santa Monica), Evergreen Studios (Burbank) and Studio Marcadet (Paris, France)
• Mixed by Jon Kelley at Soundcastle and Hollywood Sound Recorders (Hollywood)
• Mix assistants – Bino Espinoza and Mike Wuellner
• Mastered by Wally Traugott at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood)
• Product manager – Antony Amos
• Art direction – Becky Stewart
• Design – John Coulter Design
• Photography – Matthew Rolston
• Liner notes – Peter Doggett
• Management – Dreamcatcher Artist Management

Charts

Chart (1985)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	1
U.S. Billboard 200	51
Australian (Kent Music Report) Albums	69[1]
Canadian RPM Top Albums	57

References

1. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 256. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

External links

• The Heart of the Matter album page at Allmusic