Like a Rock
Encyclopedia
Like a Rock is the thirteenth studio album
by American
singer-songwriter
Bob Seger
, released in 1986 (see 1986 in music
). The title track
is best known for being featured on Chevrolet
truck commercials. "Fortunate Son
" is a live track from 1983, which was added as a bonus to the CD release of the album. The vinyl
version ends with "Somewhere Tonight".
The song "Miami" is featured in an episode of the TV series Miami Vice
This is the first studio album credited to "Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band" that doesn't feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section replacing the Silver Bullet Band on any tracks.
This album marked a temporary change in Seger's musical direction with some songs heavily influenced by popular music in the late 1980s.
Drums & Percussion
Keyboards
Horns
Additional vocals
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
, released in 1986 (see 1986 in music
1986 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1986.-January-June:*January 23 – The first induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame takes place...
). The title track
Like a Rock (song)
"Like a Rock" is the title of a song written by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger. It was recorded with The Silver Bullet Band and released in May 1986 as the second single from their album Like a Rock. The single peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks...
is best known for being featured on Chevrolet
Chevrolet
Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
truck commercials. "Fortunate Son
Fortunate Son (song)
"Fortunate Son" is a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival on their album Willy and the Poor Boys in 1968. It was released as a single, together with "Down on the Corner", in September 1968. This song reached #14 on the United States charts. It won the RIAA Gold Disc award in December 1970...
" is a live track from 1983, which was added as a bonus to the CD release of the album. The vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
version ends with "Somewhere Tonight".
The song "Miami" is featured in an episode of the TV series Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
This is the first studio album credited to "Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band" that doesn't feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section replacing the Silver Bullet Band on any tracks.
This album marked a temporary change in Seger's musical direction with some songs heavily influenced by popular music in the late 1980s.
History
The album was originally going to be named "American Storm" after the first track and was going to be released in December 1985, but it was delayed and the name was changed.Track listing
Silver Bullet Band
- Bob SegerBob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
- acoustic guitar, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Craig FrostCraig FrostCraig Frost is the keyboardist for Bob Seger's Silver Bullet Band. However, he is best known as keyboardist for 1970s hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad....
- organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, synthesizer, piano, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Chris Campbell - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Alto ReedAlto ReedAlto Reed , is an American long-time saxophonist with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. His most recognizable performances included the introduction to "Turn the Page", and the saxophone solo in "Old Time Rock and Roll"...
- baritone saxophoneBaritone saxophoneThe baritone saxophone, often called "bari sax" , is one of the largest and lowest pitched members of the saxophone family. It was invented by Adolphe Sax. The baritone is distinguished from smaller sizes of saxophone by the extra loop near its mouthpiece...
, tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
Additional musicians
Guitars- Dawayne BaileyDawayne BaileyDawayne Bailey is an American guitarist who has toured and recorded with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band and Chicago.Bailey was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. While still attending Manhattan High School in Kansas, he founded the band Rathbone, which developed a strong regional fan base...
- acoustic guitar, guitar, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
on "Like a Rock" - Pete Carr - guitar on "American Storm"
- Dann Huff - guitar on "Sometimes"
- Fred TackettFred TackettFred Tackett, an American native of Arkansas, is an accomplished songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Originally a session player on guitar, mandolin, and trumpet, he is best known for his longevity as a member of the band Little Feat....
- acoustic guitar, guitar on "The Ring" "Sometimes" "Somewhere Tonight" - Rick VitoRick VitoRick Vito is a guitarist and singer. He was part of the band Fleetwood Mac between 1987 and 1991.Vito and Billy Burnette took over as guitarists after Lindsey Buckingham left Fleetwood Mac....
- acoustic guitar, guitar, electric guitar, slide guitarSlide guitarSlide guitar or bottleneck guitar is a particular method or technique for playing the guitar. The term slide refers to the motion of the slide against the strings, while bottleneck refers to the original material of choice for such slides: the necks of glass bottles...
on "Like a Rock" "Miami" "The Ring" "Tightrope" "The Aftermath" "Somewhere Tonight"
Drums & Percussion
- John "J.R." Robinson - drums on all tracks except:
- Russ KunkelRuss KunkelRussell Kunkel , also known as Russ Kunkel, is an American drummer and producer who has worked as a session musician with a number of well-known artists.Kunkel was born in Pittsburgh, PA...
- drums on "American Storm" "Like a Rock" - Gary MallaberGary MallaberGary Mallaber is a Los Angeles session drummer, percussionist and singer. He got his start playing drums in a band from Buffalo, New York, known as Raven....
- drums on "The Ring" - Paulinho Da CostaPaulinho Da CostaPaulinho da Costa is a Brazilian percussionist born in Rio de Janeiro, considered one of the most recorded musicians of modern times. Playing over two hundred percussion instruments, he has participated in thousands of recording sessions, Grammy Award-winning albums, hit songs, soundtracks, radio...
- percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
on "Miami" "The Aftermath" "It's You"
Keyboards
- Bill PayneBill PayneBill Payne is a founding member of American rock band Little Feat. He is considered by many other piano rock musicians, including Elton John, to be one of the finest American piano rock and blues music artists...
- synthesizer, piano, keyboard on all tracks except "Tightrope" - David Cole - synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
on "It's You"
Horns
- Gary Grant - trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
on "Miami" - Gary Herbig - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
on "Miami" - Jerry HeyJerry HeyJerry Hey is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, horn arranger, string arranger, orchestrator and session musician who has played on hundreds of commercial recordings, including Thriller and the distinctive flugelhorn solo on Dan Fogelberg's hit Longer....
- trumpet on "Miami" "The Aftermath" "Sometimes" - Kim Hutchcroft - saxophone on "Miami" "Sometimes"
- Bill Reichenbach Jr. - tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
on "Miami" "The Aftermath" "Sometimes" - Marc Russo - saxophone on "Miami" "The Aftermath" "Sometimes"
- Ernie WattsErnie WattsErnest James "Ernie" Watts is an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician. He plays saxophone and flute. He might be best known for his work with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and his Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist...
- saxophone on "Miami" "The Aftermath" "Sometimes"
Additional vocals
- Laura Creamer - background vocals on "Tightrope" "The Aftermath" "It's You" "Somewhere Tonight"
- Mark Creamer - background vocals on "Tightrope" "The Aftermath" "It's You"
- Donny Gerrard - background vocals on "Tightrope" "The Aftermath" "It's You" "Somewhere Tonight"
- Don HenleyDon HenleyDonald Hugh "Don" Henley is an American singer, songwriter and drummer, best known as a founding member of the Eagles before launching a successful solo career. Henley was the drummer and lead vocalist for the Eagles from 1971–1980, when the band broke up...
- background vocals, harmony vocals "Miami" - Shaun Murphy - vocals & background vocals on "Tightrope," background vocals on "The Aftermath" "Somewhere Tonight," harmony vocals on "Sometimes" "It's You"
- Timothy B. SchmitTimothy B. SchmitTimothy Bruce Schmit is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work as bass guitar player and singer for Poco and the Eagles. Schmit has also worked for decades as a session musician and solo artist.-Early career:Raised in Sacramento, Schmit began playing in the folk music group...
- background vocals "Miami" - The Weather Girls (Izora ArmsteadIzora ArmsteadIzora Rhodes Armstead was one half of the 1980s pop group Two Tons O' Fun, who would later be renamed The Weather Girls....
and Martha WashMartha WashMartha Wash is an American R&B, Pop, Soul, House singer/songwriter known for her distinctive and powerful voice.-Early career:...
) - background vocals on Like a rock, Tightrope and The Aftermath.
Production
- Producers: Punch Andrews, David N. ColeDavid N. ColeDavid Cole is a record producer, who has worked with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Melissa Etheridge, Richard Marx, Steve Miller Band, Cake, Emerson Drive, and many others.-Early career:...
, Bob SegerBob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... - Engineers: David N. ColeDavid N. ColeDavid Cole is a record producer, who has worked with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Melissa Etheridge, Richard Marx, Steve Miller Band, Cake, Emerson Drive, and many others.-Early career:...
, Greg Edward, Shelly Yakus - Assistant engineers: David Axelbaum, Bob Castle, Judy Clapp, Peter Doell, Steve Himelfarb
- Mixing: Punch Andrews, David N. ColeDavid N. ColeDavid Cole is a record producer, who has worked with Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band, Melissa Etheridge, Richard Marx, Steve Miller Band, Cake, Emerson Drive, and many others.-Early career:...
, Bob SegerBob SegerRobert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... - Mastering: Wally Traugott
- Horn arrangements: Jerry Hey, Alto Reed
- Art direction: Bill Burks, Roy Kohara
- Design: Mark Shoolery
- Photography: Aaron Rapoport
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Billboard 200 | 3 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | "American Storm" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 2 |
| 1986 | "American Storm" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
| 1986 | "Fortunate Son" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 9 |
| 1986 | "It's You" | Adult Contemporary | 22 |
| 1986 | "It's You" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 8 |
| 1986 | "It's You" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 52 |
| 1986 | "Like a Rock" | Adult Contemporary | 21 |
| 1986 | "Like a Rock" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| 1986 | "Like a Rock" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| 1986 | "Miami" | The Billboard Hot 100 | 70 |
| 1986 | "Tightrope" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 35 |
| 1986 | "The Aftermath" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 9 |