The Tractors is the debut studio album by American country music band the Tractors. Released in August 1994 on Arista Records, it set a record for becoming the fastest-selling debut album by a group to achieve Recording Industry Association of America platinum certification in the United States; by the end of the year, it was certified double platinum, and became the highest-selling country album of 1994. The tracks "Baby Likes to Rock It", "Tryin' to Get to New Orleans", and "Badly Bent" were all released as singles. "Baby Likes to Rock It" was the only one to reach the top 40, peaking at number 11 on Hot Country Songs.
Recording the album Steve Ripley, the Tractors' lead vocalist and guitarist, co-produced and recorded the album along with keyboardist/bass vocalist Walt Richmond at The Church Studio in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Track listing
Personnel The Tractors Ron Getman – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, steel guitar, Dobro, mandolin, high harmony vocals Jamie Oldaker – drums, "groove snares", tambourine, percussion Walt Richmond – Steinway piano, Hammond B-3 organ, accordion, Wurlitzer, clavinet, drums, horns, bass vocals Steve Ripley – electric guitar, drums, lead vocals Casey van Beek – bass guitar, low harmony vocals
Additional musicians
"The Tulsa Shuffle" J. J. Cale – guitar Joe Davis – saxophones Jim Keltner – drums Glen Mitchell – Hammond B-3 organ Bonnie Raitt – slide guitar Angelene Ripley – Hammond B-3 organ Elvis Ripley – tremolo guitar Leon Russell – synthesizer
"Fallin' Apart" Ed Richmond – fiddle
"Thirty Days" Debbie Campbell – background vocals John Crowder – background vocals Joe Davis – saxophones Ron Morgan – upright bass on intro Jim Sweney – background vocals
"I've Had Enough" Steve Collier – steel guitar Gene Crownaver – steel guitar Curly Lewis – fiddles Waddy Pass – steel guitar
"The Little Man" Rick Morton – fiddle Jim Pulte – bass vocals Bonnie Raitt – slide guitar Angelene Ripley – Hammond B-3 organ Elvis Ripley – tremolo guitar
"Baby Likes to Rock It" James Burton – "Master of the Telecaster"
"Badly Bent" Steve Bagsby – steel guitar Curly Lewis – fiddle
"The Blue Collar Rock" Ry Cooder – slide guitar Jim Keltner – additional drums
"Doreen" Eldon Shamblin – guitar
"Settin' the Woods on Fire" None
"Tryin' to Get to New Orleans" Joe Davis – horns
"The Tulsa Shuffle (Revisited)" Junior Markham & the Tulsa All-Stars Junior Markham – harmonica Jimmy Karstein – drums Chuck Blackwell – drums Chuck Browning – drums David Teegarden – drums Steve Hickerson – guitar Tommy Tripplehorn – guitar Glen Mitchell, Larry Bell, Carl Bickhardt, Dick Sims, Angelene Ripley, Ed Robinson – Hammond B-3 organs Steve Allen, Rick Beilke, Mike Bruce, Mark Bruner, Jim Byfield, Robert Coggins, Jon Crowder, Gary Cundiff, Jim Edwards, Richard Feldman, Huey Flannery, Ron Flynt, Michael Garrett, Gary Gilmore, Doc James, Roger Linn, Steve Pryor, Jim Pulte, Gordon Shryock, "Skee", Roger Tillison, Don White – guitars Chuck DeWalt, Bill Belknap, Rich Brown, Jim Keltner – additional drums Stacey Grant – trombone Danny Mayo – "life observations and noises" Ron Morgan – bass guitar riffs Bonnie Raitt – slide guitar Charlene Ripley – trumpet Pat "Taco" Ryan – saxophone Leon Russell – MIDI Jim Strader – bass guitar licks Spencer Sutton – piano
Additional production and engineering Don Cobb – digital editing Ron Getman – engineering Maude Gilman – art direction Carlos Grier – digital editing Señor McGuire – photography Denny Purcell – mastering Walt Richmond – production, engineering, photography Angelene Ripley – engineering Elvis Ripley – engineering Steve Ripley – production, engineering, design, original art
Charts
Weekly charts Chart (1994–1995) Peakposition Canadian Albums (RPM) 36 Canadian Country Albums (RPM) 1 US Billboard 200 19 US Top Country Albums (Billboard) 2 US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) 1
Year-end charts Chart (1994) Position US Top Country Albums (Billboard) 57 Chart (1995) Position US Billboard 200 64 US Top Country Albums (Billboard) 7
References