Who I Am is the second studio album by Canadian country rock artist Cory Marks, and was released on August 7, 2020 through Better Noise Music. It includes the singles "Outlaws and Outsiders", "Drive" and "Blame It on the Double".
Background Marks spent five years co-writing and recording the songs for this album with producer Kevin Churko. Marks frequently travelled from his hometown North Bay, Ontario to Churko's studio "The Hideout" in Las Vegas, Nevada to work on the album.
Critical reception Dave Brooks of Billboard referred to the album as the "Long Awaited Next Generation Country Rock Record". Nanci Dagg of Canadian Beats Media said of Marks and the album: "his style is outlaw country/country rock and he pulls it off like no other. He has a boisterous sound and unique style that will always impress those who have come to know him and his music". Rock 'N' Load Magazine said the "album is packed with a gnarly backbone and beautiful melodies intertwined right across the thirteen fine recordings". Andy Morley of Maximum Volume Music stated the album is "for the good ol’ boys, [it's] never meaning no harm, oh and it's going to take over the world. See, a college hockey player, and a pilot he might have been, but these days Cory Marks is about to break out as a big star.
Singles Marks released his first single on Better Noise Music, "Outlaws & Outsiders", featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt, and Mick Mars, in November 2019. It debuted at #1 on iTunes in Canada as well as #1 on the Billboard Rock Digital Songs and Hard Rock Digital Songs charts and #7 on the Country Digital Songs charts and would later peak inside the top 10 on US Mainstream Rock radio, top 5 on German rock radio, and at #12 on Canada Rock radio.
Marks released three promotional singles, "Better Off", "Blame It on the Double", and "Devil's Grin", prior to officially announcing the album.
In June 2020, Marks released "Drive", and announced it as the second single to country radio off the simultaneously announced album.
"Blame It on the Double" became the album’s second single to rock radio in Germany and the United Kingdom in October 2020. A later version of the song featuring Tyler Connolly of Theory of a Deadman was sent to Canadian country radio, while another version featuring Connolly and Jason Hook was sent to Canadian rock radio.
Track listing
Personnel Adapted from the album liner notes.
Scotty Alexander - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, fiddle, banjo Jay Buettner - electric guitar Kane Churko - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keys, production, engineering Kevin Churko - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, bass guitar, keys, drums, production, engineering, mixing, mastering Khloe Churko - studio assistance Jody Domingue - photography Alex Donaldson - electric guitar Joel Ferguson - steel guitar, slide guitar Bob Funk - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo Tristin Hardin - editing Lzzy Hale - featured vocals on "Out in the Rain" Shane Hendrickson - bass guitar Cory Marks - lead vocals, acoustic guitar, drums Mick Mars - electric guitar on "Outlaws & Outsiders" Shawn McGhee - editing Ivan Moody - featured vocals on "Outlaws & Outsiders" Marc Muller - electric guitar, steel guitar, slide guitar Ed Regan - photography Travis Tritt - featured vocals on "Outlaws & Outsiders" Justin Schipper - steel guitar, slide guitar Adam Wakeman - organ John Wellman - artwork
Charts Album Chart (2020) Peakposition Australian Country Albums (ARIA) 16 Canada Top 20 (MC) 12 US Top Album Sales (Billboard) 74 US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) 17
Singles Year Single Peakpositions AUSCountryReferences for Australian Country Hot 50: "Outlaws and Outsiders": CANDigital CANRock USCountryDigital USMainRock USRock 2020 "Outlaws & Outsiders"(featuring Ivan Moody, Travis Tritt and Mick Mars) 41 11 12 7 10 14 "Drive" — — — — — — "Blame It on the Double" — — — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result Ref 2021 Canadian Country Music Awards Alternative Country Album of the Year Who I Am 2022 Country Music Association of OntarioSongwriter(s) of the Year"Blame It on the Double" (with Kevin Churko and Kane Churko)
Release history +Release formats for Who I Am Country Date Format Label Various August 7, 2020 Digital download Compact disc Streaming August 28, 2020 Vinyl
References