Back to the Well

Back to the Well is the twenty-fifth studio album released in 2003 by American country music singer Kenny Rogers. The album includes the singles "Harder Cards," "I'm Missing You" and "Handprints on the Wall," all of which charted on the Hot Country Songs chart between 2002 and 2003. "Harder Cards" peaked at number 47, "I'm Missing You" at 49 and "Handprints on the Wall" at 40. The album itself reached number 52 on the Top Country Albums chart.

Critical reception

Peter Cooper of The Tennessean rated the album 3 out of 4 stars, stating that "[t]his album is well-constructed, the songs are well-chosen, and Rogers still sings with the quiver and husk of his 'Gambler' days."

Track listing

Track Listing (European release)

1. "Back to the Well" - 3:06
2. "Listen to the Rain" - 4:35
3. "727 East Magnolia Avenue" - 2:52
4. "Owe Them More Than That" - 3:11
5. "Prairie Wedding" - 4:35
6. "I'm Missing You" - 3:12
7. "Harder Cards" - 4:03
8. "Tears in God's Eyes" - 4:15
9. "Suitcase Full of Blues" (Alex Harvey, Steve Schuffert) - 3:24
10. "You Have No Idea" (Catt Gravitt, Guy Zabka) - 4:05
11. "Handprints on the Wall" - 4:01
12. "Love Like This" - 4:39

Personnel

• Kenny Rogers – vocals
• Bobby Ogdin – acoustic piano (1, 10, 12), keyboards (2, 8), synthesizers (5, 10), strings (12)
• Steve Nathan – acoustic piano (3), synthesizers (3, 5), keyboards (4)
• John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano (6, 9)
• Warren Hartman – synthesizers (6, 9)
• Dwain Rowe – keyboards (7)
• Phil Vassar – acoustic piano (7)
• Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar (1, 3, 5, 12)
• Tom Bukovac – guitars (2, 8)
• Brent Rowan – electric guitar (3, 5, 6, 9, 12), electric guitar overdub (4)
• Jerry McPherson – electric guitar (4), bouzouki (4)
• Biff Watson – acoustic guitar (4, 6, 9, 11), banjitar (4)
• Mike Durham – guitars (7)
• Brent Mason – guitars (7), electric guitar (11), gut-string guitar (11)
• Jeff Smith – guitars (7)
• Ilya Toshinsky – banjo (1), guitars (2, 8)
• Rob Ickes – dobro (1)
• Glen Duncan – mandolin (1), fiddle (1, 7)
• Bruce Bouton – steel guitar (3, 5, 6, 9, 12), acoustic guitar (10)
• Paul Franklin – steel guitar (11)
• Joe Chemay – bass (1, 3–6, 9–12), backing vocals (4, 5, 7, 9), percussion (7)
• Spencer Campbell – bass (2, 8)
• John Howard – bass (7)
• Paul Leim – drums (1, 3–6, 9–12), percussion (5, 9)
• Eddie Bayers – drums (2, 8)
• Chuck Tilley – drums (7)
• Pat Bergeson – harmonica (1, 5)
• Jonathan Yudkin – fiddle solo (1), fiddle (12)
• Larry Franklin – fiddle (3–6, 9, 11), mandolin (6, 9)
• Kathy Chiavola – backing vocals (1, 12)
• Chip Davis – backing vocals (1, 10, 12)
• Liana Manis – harmony vocals (3), backing vocals (5)
• Dolly Parton – vocals (4)
• Tammy Pierce – backing vocals (4, 9)
• Steve Wariner – backing vocals (6)
• Tim McGraw – vocals (11), backing vocals (11)
• Alison Krauss – vocals (12)

Tracks from European release

"Suitcase Full of Blues"

• Kenny Rogers – vocals
• Joe Chemay – Wurlitzer electric piano, organ, rhythm guitar, bass, percussion, backing vocals
• Brent Mason – electric guitar
• Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
• Lee Roy Parnell – slide guitar
• Paul Franklin – steel guitar, lap steel guitar
• Larry Franklin – mandolin, fiddle
• Paul Leim – drums
• Jim Chapman – backing vocals

"You Have No Idea"

• Kenny Rogers – vocals
• Bobby Ogdin – acoustic piano, synthesizers
• Joe Chemay – strings
• Brent Rowan – electric guitar
• Bryan Sutton – acoustic guitar
• Glenn Worf – bass
• Paul Leim – drums
• Kathy Chiavola – backing vocals
• Chip Davis – backing vocals

Production

• Jim Mazza – executive producer
• Kenny Rogers – producer (1, 3–7, 9–12), photography
• Joe Chemay – producer (1, 3–7, 9–12)
• John Guess – producer (1, 3–7, 9–12)
• Brett Maher – producer (2, 8)
• Phil Vassar – producer (7)
• Jan Greenfield – production coordinator (2, 8)
• Misti Filipiak – art direction
• Luellyn Latocki – art direction
• Don Bailey – design
• Kelly Junkermann – photography
• Wanda Rogers – photography

Technical

• Benny Quinn – mastering at Masterfonics (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Jim McKell – recording (1, 10, 12)
• John Guess – mixing (1, 3, 5, 6, 9–12), additional recording (1, 10, 12), recording (3, 5, 6, 9, 11), tracking engineer (4)
• Brett Maher – recording (2, 8), mixing (2, 8)
• Scott Kidd – overdub engineer (4), mix assistant (4, 7), recording (7)
• Matt Andrews – recording (7)
• Erick Jaskoviak – recording (7)
• J.C. Monterrosa – second engineer (1, 10, 12)
• Philip Scoggins – recording assistant (2, 8)
• Jeff Sochor – recording assistant (3, 5)
• Rodney Dawson – recording assistant (11)
• Joe Chemay – additional recording (1, 10, 12), mixing (4, 7), recording (7)
• Patrick Murphy – additional recording (1, 3, 5, 6, 9–12), overdub engineer (4), tracking assistant (4), recording assistant (6, 9)

"Suitcase Full of Blues"

• Kenny Rogers – producer
• John Guess – recording, mixing
• Rodney Dawson – recording assistant
• Patrick Murphy – additional recording

"You Have No Idea"

• Kenny Rogers – producer
• Jim McKell – recording
• John Guess – mixing, additional recording
• J.C. Monterrosa – second engineer
• Joe Chemay – additional recording
• Patrick Murphy – additional recording

Chart performance