I Feel Alright is the sixth studio album by Steve Earle, released in 1996.
The title track was featured in the closing scenes of the season 2 finale of The Wire and in the 2006 film Talladega Nights. "Hard-Core Troubadour" was also featured in Talladega Nights.
Critical reception
Writing for Entertainment Weekly, Alanna Nash gave I Feel Alright an "A" grade. She wrote, "If I Feel Alright doesn’t deliver the grit that has been Earle’s gift to rock and country, his roots-rock joie de vivre sends no apologies, only a healthy message for the ’90s: Don’t feel bad about feeling good."
Accolades Organization/Publication Year Accolade Position Reference Eye Weekly (Canada) 1996 "Albums of the year" 8 Guitar Player (USA) 1997 "Best Country Guitar album" 3 "27th Annual Guitar Player Readers Poll", Guitar Player, 31:2, February 1997, p. 40-41 (tie for 3rd place w/ Dwight Yoakam's Gone, behind Junior Brown's Semi Crazy, and Steve Wariner's No More Mr. Nice Guy) Nashville Music Awards (USA) 1997 best rock album * Deborah Evans Price, "Nashville Awards Celebrate More Than Just Country", Billboard, 109:8, February 22, 1997, p. 26,28 Spin (USA) 1999 "Top 90 Albums of the 90s" 75
Track listing
Personnel Musicians Steve Earle – guitars, harmonica, vocals Richard Bennett, Ray Kennedy – guitar Kelly Looney, Garry Tallent, Roy Huskey, Jr., Ric Kipp – bass Kurt Custer, Greg Morrow – drums Ken Moore – organ Richard Bennett – harmonium Lucinda Williams – vocals on "You're Still Standin' There" Kurt Custer, Richard Bennett, Greg Morrow, Dub Cornett – percussion Custer & Logan, The Fairfield Four (musical director: Mark Prentice), Lucinda Williams, Ms. Williams' stunt double Siobhan Maher – vocals Kris Wilkerson – string arrangement and conductor Carl Gordetzky, Pamela Sixfin, Richard Grosjean – violin Lee Larrison – viola Robert Mason – cello
Cover art Tony Fitzpatrick – album artwork
Production Ray Kennedy and Richard Bennett (tracks: 1, 5, 8–12), Richard Dodd (tracks: 2–4, 6 and 7)
Releases year format label catalog # 1996 CD Warner Bros. Records 46201 1996 cassette Warner Bros. Records 46201 1996 CD Transatlantic 227
Charts year chart peak 1996 The Billboard 200 106
Notes and sources