Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates

Personnel: Kenny Chesney (vocals); Chris Stapleton, William F. Bowman, John Willis (acoustic guitar); Kenny Greenberg, Pat Buchanan, Vince Gill (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Sonny Garrish (dobro); Scott Vestal (banjo); Rob Hajacos (fiddle); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Jeff Coffin (tenor saxophone); Jim Horn (baritone saxophone); Quentin Ware, Jr., Steve Herman (trumpet); Chris Dunn (trombone); Gary Prim, Randy McCormick (Hammond b-3 organ); John Hobbs (keyboards); Larry Paxton (acoustic bass); Paul Lein (drums); Mat Britain (steel drum); Eric Darken, Paul Leim (percussion); Jon Randall, Jonell Mosser, Andrea Zonn, Bekka Bramlett, Melonie Cannon, Tim Hensley, Wyatt Beard, Buddy Cannon (background vocals). Additional personnel: Joe Walsh (electric guitar); George Strait. Kenny Chesney titled his 11th studio album JUST WHO I AM: POETS AND PIRATES out of the belief that modern country musicians contain a bit of both, due to their artistic nature and their peripheral, "on the road again" lifestyles. The album features elements of both, combining some of Chesney's sweetest love songs with a handful of rowdy country rockers for balance. One of the latter, "Wild Ride," is a manic party tune featuring the Eagles' Joe Walsh for just the right shade of dissolute atmosphere. The other duet, the twangy working man's anthem "Shiftwork," features George Strait in his comfortable new role as the elder statesman of Nashville's new traditionalists. Between those two songs, highlights include the philosophical "Don't Blink," the rowdy "Got A Little Crazy," and the lovely "Better As A Memory." Chesney is in fine voice throughout, and the song selection is, as always, a top-notch set of Music Row's finest, making JUST WHO I AM: POETS AND PIRATES yet another solid outing by one of Nashville's most dependable hitmakers.