It's About Time is the seventeenth studio album by American singer-songwriter John Denver recorded at Criteria Recording Studios in Miami and released in November 1983. The album featured several notable supporting vocalists, including Patti Austin, Rita Marley (and The Wailers), and Emmylou Harris. "Wild Montana Skies" was the single from this album; members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time.
It contains the following dedication from John Denver: "This album is dedicated with great love and respect to the memory of my father, Lt. Col. (Ret.) H.J. "Dutch" Deutschendorf."
Track listing All tracks composed by John Denver; except where indicated
Side One "Hold on Tightly" – 4:00 "Thought of You" – 4:02 "Somethin' About" – 3:44 "On the Wings of a Dream" – 5:01 "Flight (The Higher We Fly)" (Adapted from the Poem by John Gillespie Magee Jr.; Words: John Gillespie Magee Jr., John Denver and Joe Henry; Music: Lee Holdridge) – 3:16
Side Two "Falling Out of Love" – 4:56 "I Remember Romance" – 5:25 "Wild Montana Skies" – 4:02 "The Way I Am"1 "World Game" – 4:58 "It's About Time" (Denver, Glen D. Hardin) – 3:42
1Not featured on cassette version or on original LP.
Personnel The following information is from the CD insert.John Denver. It's About Time. RCA. 1983.
Musicians All personnel in this section are credited along with John Denver as arrangers. Jerry Carrigan – drums and percussion Jerry Scheff – bass Glen Hardin – piano, Rhodes, B-3 James Burton – lead guitars (electric and acoustic) Jim Horn – saxophone, flute, recorder
Additional musicians Larry Fast – synthesizer Fred Wickstrom – marimbas
Muscle Shoals Horns Harvey Thompson – tenor saxophone Charles Rose – trombone Harrison Calloway, Jr. – trumpet with Jim Horn – baritone saxophone
Background vocals Patti Austin Ullanda McCullough Conrad Reeder Emmylou Harris on "Wild Montana Skies"
Musicians from "World Game" The Wailers Aston "Family Man" Barrett – bass Carlton "Carli" Barrett – drums Steve Stewart – piano Earl "Wire" Lindo – organ Alvin Patterson – percussion Lloyd "Gits" Willis – guitar The I Threes Rita Marley Marcia Griffiths
Arrangers Lee Holdridge – strings Patti Austin – background vocals
Engineers Roger Nichols – Recording And Mixing Engineer John Slywka – Assistant Engineer Patrice Carroll-Levinsohn – Assistant Engineer
Chart performance Chart (1983) Peakposition Australia (Kent Music Report) 19 U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums 55 U.S. Billboard 200 61 Canadian RPM Top Albums 92
References