The Tractors - Farmers in a Changing World

Four years after their acclaimed debut, the Tractors finally delivered their full-fledged follow-up, Farmers in a Changing World, in late 1998. (A holiday album, Have Yourself a Tractors Christmas, appeared in 1995, but that doesn't count as a sequel to The Tractors). During that time, contemporary country became even more infatuated with the pop-country crossover, as the success of Shania Twain and Faith Hill proved. The title of the album hints at that situation, but the Tractors ignore such trends, choosing to synthesize a plethora of American roots musics into a distinctive sound -- they're farmers in a changing world. Sure, they remain rooted in country, but they try a bunch of other things, including soul, new orleans r&b, and rockabilly with "The Elvis Thing," backed by no less than Scotty Moore, James Burton, and DJ Fontana. What ties it all together is Steve Ripley's fine songwriting and the band's excellent taste in covers; the material is so good that the eclecticism doesn't seem jumbled -- it makes sense. It may have taken a while for the album to have been recorded, but the wait was worth it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Angelene Ripley Organ (Hammond), Foot Stomping Bonnie Raitt Slide Guitar Brad Becker Sax (Alto) Bud Deal Sax (Tenor) Carlos Grier Digital Manipulation Casey Van Beek Sax (Tenor), Bass, Bass (Electric), Vocals, Vocal Harmony Charlene Ripley Piano (Grand), Trumpet, Piano Chuck Dewalt Trumpet Curly Lewis Fiddle D.J. Fontana Drums Dave Nives Reissue Producer Debbie Campbell Vocal Harmony, Cornet Denny Purcell Mastering Don Cobb Consultant Eddie Richmond Introduction Eldon Shamblin Fender Rhodes, Fender Stratocaster, Talking Elizabeth A. Spratt Product Manager Elvis Ripley Guitar, Piano, Design, Piano (Grand) Eric Conn Digital Editing Evan Tonsing Cello, Cello Arrangement Fats Kaplin Fiddle, Guitar (Steel) Glen Mitchell Organ (Hammond) James Burton Guitar Jamie Oldaker Drums, Percussion Jared Tyler Vocals John Crowder Vocal Harmony Jonathan Russell Mastering Assistant Karin Stroo Photography Larry Bell Trumpet Leon Russell Vocals, Piano Mark Carr Assistant Engineer, Studio Assistant Maude Gilman Art Direction Maude Gilman Clapham Design, Art Direction Mike Moore Vocals Mike Panno Sax (Baritone), Sax (Tenor) Nick Hunter A&R Roger Tillison Trumpet Ron Getman Vocal Harmony, Guitar (Steel), Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic), Dobro, Mandolin, Lap Steel Guitar, Trumpet Scotty Moore Guitar Senor McGuire Photography Stacey Grant Trombone Steve Ham Tuba Steve Ripley Mixing, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar, Guitar (Electric), Engineer, Producer, Vocals Tony Phipps Photography Traci Werbel Product Manager Walt Richmond Foot Stomping, Accordion, Photography, Drums (Bass), Engineer, Fender Rhodes, Bass (Vocal), Organ (Hammond), Piano, Piano (Grand), Producer, Vocals Wiley Hunt Vocal Harmony