The Valley Road
Encyclopedia
"The Valley Road" is the title of a song recorded by Bruce Hornsby
and the Range. Hornsby co-wrote the song with his brother John Hornsby
and co-produced it with Neil Dorfsman. The song is included on Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1988 album, Scenes from the Southside
.
Released as the lead single
from the album, "The Valley Road" reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100
chart in June 1988, peaking at #5 the week of July 2. It also spent a week atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart
in mid-June. This was the group's third song to reach #1 on the adult contemporary chart, following "The Way It Is" from 1986 and "Mandolin Rain
" from 1987. It also spent three weeks at the summit on the Billboard mainstream rock chart. The song reached #44 on the UK Singles Chart
at roughly the same time.
saying that the song was inspired by observations he had made growing up in the Commonwealth of Virginia
. "Every year, some rich girl would get involved with some country guy, and they would act irresponsibly and have to deal with the ramifications." When asked why many of his band's songs dealt with socio-political issues, Hornsby replied that "there are some issues that we feel are important, so we write about them...we also like to tell a story, like in "The Valley Road", or paint a picture."
, and this version of the song was included on the Dirt Band album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
. Hornsby and the Dirt Band won a Grammy Award
for this recording in 1990
in the category Best Bluegrass Recording
. This version of the song was more in the country
-bluegrass
style of recording, inspired by Leon Russell
and his collaborations with the New Grass Revival
. Regarding what some in the bluegrass community felt about the award, Hornsby stated: "I won the bluegrass Grammy. It pissed off all the purists. And I understand their feeling about this. Here's this pop guy, and he's making this quasi-bluegrass. I totally understood the purists' protest."
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter. Known for the spontaneity and creativity of his live performances, Hornsby draws frequently from classical, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Motown, rock, blues, and jam band musical traditions with his songwriting and...
and the Range. Hornsby co-wrote the song with his brother John Hornsby
John Hornsby
John Hornsby is an American composer, musician and actor. He is a brother of musician and composer Bruce Hornsby, and the two have collaborated often....
and co-produced it with Neil Dorfsman. The song is included on Bruce Hornsby and the Range's 1988 album, Scenes from the Southside
Scenes from the Southside
Scenes from the Southside is the second album by Bruce Hornsby and the Range. The single "The Valley Road" was Hornsby's third Top 10 U.S. hit, peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, and also his first number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart...
.
Released as the lead single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album, "The Valley Road" reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart in June 1988, peaking at #5 the week of July 2. It also spent a week atop the Billboard adult contemporary chart
Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks
The Adult Contemporary chart is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary and "lite-pop" radio stations in the United States...
in mid-June. This was the group's third song to reach #1 on the adult contemporary chart, following "The Way It Is" from 1986 and "Mandolin Rain
Mandolin Rain
"Mandolin Rain" is the third track of The Way It Is, the debut album and commercial zenith for Bruce Hornsby and the Range. The song, released in late 1986, was a #4 hit single for the band in March 1987, following on the success of their previous single, the #1 hit and title track of their debut...
" from 1987. It also spent three weeks at the summit on the Billboard mainstream rock chart. The song reached #44 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at roughly the same time.
Content
Hornsby was quoted in an interview with the Chicago TribuneChicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
saying that the song was inspired by observations he had made growing up in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. "Every year, some rich girl would get involved with some country guy, and they would act irresponsibly and have to deal with the ramifications." When asked why many of his band's songs dealt with socio-political issues, Hornsby replied that "there are some issues that we feel are important, so we write about them...we also like to tell a story, like in "The Valley Road", or paint a picture."
Re-recorded version
In 1989, Hornsby re-recorded "The Valley Road" with the Nitty Gritty Dirt BandNitty Gritty Dirt Band
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band is an American country-folk-rock band that has existed in various forms since its founding in Long Beach, California in 1966. The group's membership has had at least a dozen changes over the years, including a period from 1976 to 1981 when the band performed and recorded...
, and this version of the song was included on the Dirt Band album Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two is a 1989 album by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The album follows the same concept as the band's 1972 album, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, which featured guest performances from many notable country music stars.-Composition:Circle II features largely acoustic,...
. Hornsby and the Dirt Band won a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for this recording in 1990
Grammy Awards of 1990
The 32nd Grammy Awards were held in 1990. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.-General:*Record of the Year**Arif Mardin & Bette Midler for "Wind Beneath My Wings"*Album of the Year...
in the category Best Bluegrass Recording
Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album
The Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works in the bluegrass music genre...
. This version of the song was more in the country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
-bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
style of recording, inspired by Leon Russell
Leon Russell
Claude Russell Bridges , known professionally as Leon Russell, is an American musician and songwriter, who has recorded as a session musician, sideman, and maintained a solo career in music....
and his collaborations with the New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival
New Grass Revival was an American progressive bluegrass band founded in 1971, and composed of Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, Ebo Walker, Curtis Burch, Butch Robins, John Cowan, Béla Fleck and Pat Flynn. They were active between 1971 and 1989, releasing more than twenty albums as well as six singles....
. Regarding what some in the bluegrass community felt about the award, Hornsby stated: "I won the bluegrass Grammy. It pissed off all the purists. And I understand their feeling about this. Here's this pop guy, and he's making this quasi-bluegrass. I totally understood the purists' protest."
Charts
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Top Singles | 2 |
| Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary Singles | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 5 |
| U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart | 1 |
| UK Singles Chart | 44 |
External links
- U.S. 7" release info Discogs