{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = Back from Rio | type = studio | artist = Roger McGuinn | cover = Album Back from Rio cover.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|1991|1|8}} | recorded = Capitol (Hollywood) | venue = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = 41:44 | label = Arista | producer = {{hlist|David Cole|Roger McGuinn}} | prev_title = McGuinn – Hillman | prev_year = 1981 | next_title = Born to Rock and Roll | next_year = 1991 | misc = {{Extra album cover | header = Alternative cover | type = studio | cover = European album Back from Rio cover.jpg | border = | alt = | caption = Cover of European release }} {{Singles | name = Back from Rio | type = studio | single1 = King of the Hill | single1date = 1990 | single2 = Someone to Love | single2date = 1991 }} }} {{Album ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r12717|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]</ref> |rev2 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' |rev2score = B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421173504/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,313001,00.html|title=Music Review : Back From Rio : Roger McGuinn|website=Web.archive.org|access-date=November 22, 2025}}</ref> | rev3 = ''The Great Rock Discography'' | rev3score = 6/10<ref>{{cite book|first=Martin|last=Strong|year=2006|title=The Great Rock Discography|location=Edinburgh, UK|publisher=Canongate|isbn=978-1-84195-827-9|page=165}}</ref> |rev4 = MusicHound |rev4score = 2/5<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Graff|editor-first1=Gary|editor-link1=Gary Graff|editor-last2=Durchholz|editor-first2=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|isbn=1-57859-061-2|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/186 186]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612/page/186}}</ref> |rev5 = ''Orlando Sentinel'' |rev5score = {{Rating|4|4}}<ref>{{cite news|first=Parry|last=Gettelman|title=Roger McGuinn ''Back From Rio''|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/roger-mcguinn|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506053335/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/roger-mcguinn|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 6, 2014|newspaper=Orlando Sentinel|date=February 22, 1991|access-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> |rev6 = ''Rolling Stone'' |rev6score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rogermcguinn/albums/album/191695/review/5940321/back_from_rio|title=Rolling Stone review|website=Rollingstone.com|access-date=November 22, 2025}}</ref> }}
'''''Back from Rio''''' is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter, guitarist and co-founder of the Byrds Roger McGuinn. It was released on January 8, 1991, more than a decade after McGuinn's previous solo album, ''Thunderbyrd''.<ref name="timeless">{{cite book|author=Rogan, Johnny|page=556|year=1998|title=The Byrds: Timeless Flight Revisited|edition=2nd|publisher=Rogan House|isbn=0-9529540-1-X}}</ref> The album was issued following the release of the ''Byrds'' box set and musically it leans on the sound of the Byrds thanks to McGuinn's ringing 12-string electric guitar and vocal contributions from ex-Byrds members David Crosby and Chris Hillman. Also prominent on the album are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with Petty co-authoring and duetting with McGuinn on the album's lead single "King of the Hill". In addition, several members of the Heartbreakers provide musical backing on a number of the album's tracks. Other prominent songwriters on the album—besides McGuinn and his wife Camilla—are Elvis Costello, Jules Shear and Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics.
The album was generally well received by music critics and it peaked at No. 44 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/roger-mcguinn/chart-history/ |title=Roger McGuinn – Discography – Back from Rio |access-date=July 2, 2008 |publisher=Billboard.com |archive-date=November 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121095822/https://www.billboard.com/artist/roger-mcguinn/chart-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Two singles were drawn from the album: "King of the Hill" and "Someone to Love", which peaked at No. 2 and No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. <ref>{{cite web |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=roger mcguinn|chart=all}} |title=Roger McGuinn – Artist Chart History |access-date=July 2, 2008 |publisher=Billboard.com }}</ref>
In Europe, ''Back from Rio'' was released in February 1991<ref name="timeless"/> and featured different cover artwork.
== Track listing == === Side one === # "Someone to Love" (Roger McGuinn, Camilla McGuinn) – 3:32 # "Car Phone" <small>(feat. Stan Ridgway)</small> (Mike Campbell, R. McGuinn) – 4:33 # "You Bowed Down" (Elvis Costello) – 3:52 # "Suddenly Blue" (Scott Cutler, R. McGuinn, Dennis Morgan) – 3:49 # "The Trees Are All Gone" (R. McGuinn, C. McGuinn) – 3:51
=== Side two === # "King of the Hill" {{small|(duet with Tom Petty)}} (R. McGuinn, Tom Petty) – 5:27 # "Without Your Love" (R. McGuinn, C. McGuinn) – 3:59 # "The Time Has Come" (Scott Cutler, R. McGuinn) – 3:45 # "Your Love Is a Gold Mine" (R. McGuinn, Dave Stewart) – 4:06 #* Includes "Back from Rio Interlude" (R. McGuinn, Petty, Jeff Lynne) # "If We Never Meet Again" (Jules Shear) – 4:28
== Personnel ==
*Mike Campbell – electric guitar, slide guitar, baritone guitar *David Cole – percussion, piano, acoustic guitar, MPC-60 *Elvis Costello – backing vocals *David Crosby – vocals, backing vocals *George Hawkins – bass guitar *Dan Higgins – saxophone *Chris Hillman – vocals, background vocals *John Jorgenson – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, saxophone, bass guitar, mandolin *Stan Lynch – drums, percussion *Roger McGuinn – lead vocals, backing vocals, 12-string electric guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar *Michael Penn – backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar *Tom Petty – co-lead vocals ("King of the Hill"), backing vocals *Stan Ridgway – telephone voice *Kimmy Robertson – telephone voice *Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals *J. Steven Soles – backing vocals *Benmont Tench – organ, keyboards, Hammond B-3 * Michael Thompson – electric guitar, acoustic guitar
=== Production ===
* David Cole – producer, engineer, mixing * Peter Doell – engineer * John Hall – demo engineer, mixing at Firetail-on-the-Hill Studios * Jesse Kanner – mixing * Roger McGuinn – producer, mixing * Wally Traugott – mastering
== Charts == === Weekly charts === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" |+Weekly chart performance for ''Back from Rio'' !Chart (1991) !Peak |- {{albumchart|Canada|22|chartid=1479|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |- {{albumchart|Netherlands|49|artist=Roger McGuinn|album=Back From Rio|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |- {{albumchart|Germany|70|artist=Roger McGuinn|album=Back From Rio|id=31934|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |- {{albumchart|Norway|6|artist=Roger McGuinn|album=Back From Rio|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |- {{albumchart|Billboard200|44|artist=Roger McGuinn|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022}} |}
=== Year-end charts === {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+1991 year-end chart performance for ''Back from Rio'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Rank |- {{albumchart|Canada|99|chartid=1702|rowheader=true|access-date=May 24, 2022|refname="CANYE91"}} |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Roger McGuinn}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Back From Rio}} Category:Roger McGuinn albums Category:1990 albums Category:Arista Records albums Category:Albums recorded at Capitol Studios