The New Nashville Cats is a country album by Mark O'Connor, in conjunction with a variety of other musical artists. O'Connor selected a group of over fifty Nashville musicians, many of whom had worked with him as session musicians. The album was intended to "showcase the instrumental side of the Nashville recording scene" (O'Connor's liner notes). It was awarded two Grammys: Best Country Instrumental Performance for O'Connor, and Best Country Collaboration with Vocals for Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner's performance in "Restless". This song also charted at #25 on Hot Country Songs in 1991.
Track listing All songs were composed by Mark O'Connor, except where noted. "Bowtie" – 2:40 "Restless" (Carl Perkins) – 5:25 "Nashville Shuffle Boogie" – 6:10 "Pick It Apart" – 4:59 "Traveler's Ridge" – 3:35 "Granny White Special" – 3:53 "Cat in the Bag" – 2:43 "The Ballad of Sally Anne" (Traditional; lyrics by Alice Randall, arranged by O'Connor and Harry Stinson) – 2:36 "Swang" – 4:52 "Dance of the Ol' Swamp Rat" – 3:03 "A Bowl of Bula" – 4:05 "Limerock" (Traditional; arranged by O'Connor and Edgar Meyer) – 2:23 "Sweet Suzanne" – 5:12 "Orange Blossom Special" (Ervin T. Rouse) – 5:39 "Now It Belongs to You" (Steve Wariner) – 6:33
Personnel Sam Bacco - marimba, percussion Russ Barenberg - acoustic guitar Eddie Bayers - drums Mike Brignardello - bass guitar Dennis Burnside - piano Sam Bush - mandolin Larry Byrom - acoustic guitar, electric guitar Mark Casstevens - acoustic guitar John Cowan - lead vocals on "The Ballad of Sally Anne" Jerry Douglas - Dobro Bessyl Duhon - accordion Béla Fleck - banjo Paul Franklin - pedal steel guitar Sonny Garrish - pedal steel guitar Steve Gibson - electric guitar Vince Gill - electric guitar and lead vocals on "Restless" Mike Haynes - trumpet Jim Horn - alto saxophone, baritone saxophone David Hungate - bass guitar Roy Huskey Jr. - upright bass Carl Jackson - acoustic guitar John Barlow Jarvis - piano, synthesizer Jerry Kroon - drums Mike Lawler - keyboards, synthesizer Paul Leim - drums Kenny Malone - percussion Brent Mason - electric guitar Bob Mater - drums Terry McMillan - harmonica, percussion Edgar Meyer - upright bass Mark O'Connor - fiddle, mandolin Larry Paxton - bass guitar Don Potter - acoustic guitar Michael Rhodes - bass guitar Tom Roady - percussion Matt Rollings - piano, synthesizer Charles Rose - trombone Brent Rowan - electric guitar Mark Schatz - banjo, upright bass David Schnaufer - Appalachian dulcimer Gove Scrivenor - autoharp Randy Scruggs - acoustic guitar Lisa Silver - background vocals on "Now It Belongs to You" Ricky Skaggs - electric guitar and lead vocals on "Restless" Denis Solee - tenor saxophone Harry Stinson - drums, percussion, background vocals on "The Balled of Sally Ann” and “Now It Belongs to You" Marty Stuart - mandolin and background vocals on "The Ballad of Sally Anne" Steve Turner - drums Billy Joe Walker Jr. - acoustic guitar Alisa Jones Wall - hammer dulcimer Steve Wariner - acoustic guitar on “Now It Belongs to You”, electric guitar on "Restless", lead vocals on "Restless" and "Now It Belongs to You" Roy Wooten - drums Victor Wooten - bass guitar Glenn Worf - bass guitar
Chart performance Chart (1991) Peakposition U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 44 U.S. Billboard Top Heatseekers 14
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