Put Yourself In My Shoes (BMG) (CD - 1990)

Personnel: Clint Black (vocals, guitar, harmonica); Martin Young (acoustic guitar); Hayden Nicholas, Brent Rowan (guitar); Jeff Peterson (pedal steel guitar, dobro); Jeff Huskins (fiddle, keyboards); Randy McCormick (keyboards); Jake Willemain (bass); Dick Gay (drums, percussion); Jana King, Michael Black, Curtis Young (background vocals).

Recorded at Digital Services, Houston, Texas, Masterfonics, Nashville, Tennessee & Westlake Audio, Los Angeles, California.

Put Yourself in My Shoes never approaches the perfection of Clint Black's debut, but it still produced a number of singles, including "Put Yourself in My Shoes," "Loving Blind," "Where Are You Now," and "This Nightlife." ~ Brian Mansfield

Following up a debut as brilliant as KILLIN' TIME would be daunting for any artist, so it's a relief that Clint Black's sophomore album, PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES, works as well as it does. The album finds Black growing both as a vocalist and as a songwriter, and developing his own sonic signature--harmonica, fiddle, acoustic picking, and a distinctive, low, twangy electric guitar.

Brilliant songs of heartbreak and yearning such as "Where Are You Now" and "A Heart Like Mine" cut closer to the bone emotionally than Black's earlier work, and both feature complicated, gorgeous melodies. "The Old Man," a meditation on aging, is astonishing in its lyrical and emotional depth; Black's vocal performance here is outstanding. The CD's best track, "Loving Blind," is a gem: a perfect combination of vocals, lyrics, arrangement, and a melody that manages to be both familiar and wholly original. Overall, PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES is the sound of a country artist on the brink of becoming a true country star. minimize