Sweet Music Man

{{Short description|1977 single by Kenny Rogers}} {{Infobox song | name = Sweet Music Man | cover = Kenny rogers-sweet music man single.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Kenny Rogers | album = Daytime Friends | B-side = "Lying Again"<ref name="whitburn">{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|date=2008|page=360|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}</ref> | released = October 10, 1977 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Country | length = {{Duration|m=4|s=21}} | label = United Artists | writer = Kenny Rogers | producer = Larry Butler | prev_title = Daytime Friends | prev_year = 1977 | next_title = Every Time Two Fools Collide | next_year = 1978 }} {{Infobox song | name = Sweet Music Man | cover = | alt = | type = single | artist = Reba McEntire | album = Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor | released = January 2002 | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre = Country | length = 3:27 | label = MCA Nashville | writer = Kenny Rogers | producer = Alison Krauss | prev_title = I'm a Survivor | prev_year = 2001 | next_title = I'm Gonna Take That Mountain | next_year = 2003 }} '''"Sweet Music Man"''' is a song written and recorded by American musician Kenny Rogers. It appears on his 1977 album ''Daytime Friends'', from which it was released as the final single.<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r93933|pure_url=yes}}|title=''Daytime Friends''|work=Allmusic|access-date=10 September 2010}}</ref>

==History== In 1977, the song reached number 9 on the country music charts published by ''Billboard'', and number 44 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was a number one hit on the Canadian country and adult contemporary charts published by ''RPM'', reaching its peak on both charts for the week of December 31, 1977.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.5506&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=lkj7mcttjnjs8ogdonua5t76q4|title=Adult Contemporary chart for December 31, 1977|work=RPM|access-date=10 September 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.5511&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=lkj7mcttjnjs8ogdonua5t76q4|title=Country chart for December 31, 1977|work=RPM|access-date=10 September 2010}}</ref> Rogers used the song as a b-side to two of his later singles: "Lady" in 1980 and "You Were a Good Friend" in 1983.<ref name="whitburn"/>

Later in 1977, Dolly Parton included the song on her ''Here You Come Again'' album (Parton and Alison Krauss performed the song together at the 2010 concert at Foxwoods Casino honoring Rogers' fifty years in entertainment); Reba McEntire covered the song in 2001 on her album ''Greatest Hits Volume III: I'm a Survivor''. Her version was also released as a single, reaching number 36 on the country music charts. At the time, it was her lowest-peaking single since "(I Still Long to Hold You) Now and Then" in 1980.<ref>Whitburn, p. 271</ref>

Through the years the song has been covered by numerous other artists, including Tammy Wynette, Dottie West, Billie Jo Spears, Waylon Jennings, Anne Murray, Johnny Hallyday, and Millie Jackson.

==Critical reception==

===Kenny Rogers version=== Kip Kirby, of ''Billboard'' magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "first rate singing job from Rogers and pop-oriented production should ensure the chances of this song to register in both country and pop formats." She goes on to say that the song contains "excellent guitar work, cascading strings and Rogers' vocal ability to help the song build to a pleasing climax."<ref>''Billboard'', October 15, 1977</ref>

==Chart performance==

===Kenny Rogers=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1977–1978) !Peak<br />position |- |Australian (Kent Music Report)<ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=256}}</ref> |align="center"|89 |- {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|9|artist=Kenny Rogers}} |- {{single chart|Billboardhot100|44|artist=Kenny Rogers}} |- |US ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary<ref>{{cite book|first= Joel |last= Whitburn |author-link= Joel Whitburn |year= 1993 |title= Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993 |publisher= Record Research |page=203}}</ref> |align="center"|29 |- | Canadian ''RPM'' Country Tracks | align="center"|1 |- | Canadian ''RPM'' Top Singles | align="center"|45 |- | Canadian ''RPM'' Adult Contemporary | align="center"|1 |}

===Millie Jackson=== {| class="wikitable" !Chart (1978) !Peak<br />position |- | U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot R&B Singles |align=center|33 |}

===Reba McEntire=== {| class="wikitable" !Chart (2002) !Peak<br />position |- {{single chart|Billboardcountrysongs|36|artist=Reba McEntire|}} |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:1977 singles Category:1978 singles Category:2002 singles Category:Kenny Rogers songs Category:Millie Jackson songs Category:Reba McEntire songs Category:Songs written by Kenny Rogers Category:Song recordings produced by Larry Butler (producer) Category:United Artists Records singles Category:MCA Nashville Records singles Category:1977 songs Category:Songs about country music