1983 Kenny Rogers – We’ve Got Tonight

We’ve Got Tonight is the tenth solo studio album by Kenny Rogers, released in 1983. It is also his last with Liberty Records before moving to RCA Nashville.

The title cut, a duet with Sheena Easton, was the debut single and became one of Rogers’ signature hits, soaring to #1 on the country charts and #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart, reaching #6 on the Hot 100 chart. There were two other singles: “All My Life”, which peaked at #13 on the country charts, though it fared at #3 in Canada, and “Scarlet Fever”, which is lesser-known but still reached #5 and #4 in the US. and Canada, respectively.
The title of the album comes from its signature track, written by Bob Seger and originating from his album, Stranger in Town. By comparison with Rogers’ version, Seger’s only reached #13 on the Hot 100, making Rogers’ version better-known, five years after it was written.
One song on the album that never became a single but still became one of Rogers’ signature songs is the powerful “You Are So Beautiful”. This track was placed at the end of the album as a tribute to his legions of female fans, and stands today as one of the songs that Kenny is known for. The song was written by Dennis Wilson, Billy Preston and Bruce Fisher and originally appears on the 1974 Preston album The Kids and Me.
Lionel Richie, who by now had been contributing a large number of songs to Rogers, submitted the track “How Long” to this album. The album hit #3 on the country charts and #18 on the Billboard 200 charts. Despite lower rankings than many of his earlier releases, the album was still certified platinum in both the US and Canada.

Tracks

1  We’ve Got Toninght (Bob Seger) 3:43
Scarlet Fever (Mike Dekle) 3:57
3  Farther I Go (David MacKechnie, Kin Vassy) 3:22
4  No Dreams (Randy Goodrum) 3:24
5  Bad Enough (Dave Robbins, Jeff Silbar, Van Stephenson) 3:12
All My Life (Dave Robbins, Jeff Silbar, Van Stephenson) 3:39
7  How Long (Lionel Richie) 3:52
8  Love, Love, Love (Dick St Nicklaus) 3:10
9  What I Learned From Loving You (James Brown Jr, Russell Smith) 3:44
10  You Are So Beautiful (Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher) 2:53

Musicians

1 We’ve Got Toninght

BassNathan East
DrumsMike Baird
GuitarMarty Walsh
KeyboardsDavid Foster
VocalsSheena Easton


2 Scarlet Fever

BassJoe Chemay
DrumsPaul Leim
GuitarFred Tackett
GuitarKin Vassy
GuitarTim May
KeyboardsJohn Hobbs
PercussionPaul Leim
Background VocalsJoe Chemay
Background VocalsKin Vassy
Background VocalsTerry Williams


3 Farther I Go

BassTrey Thompson
DrumsRess Williams
GuitarBillie Walker
GuitarKin Vassy
GuitarRichie Zito
GuitarTerry Williams


4 No Dreams

BassJack Williams
DrumsKenny Malone
GuitarJohn Goin
KeyboardsRandy Goodrum
KeyboardsShane Keister
Background VocalsRandy Goodrum
Background VocalsTerry Williams


5 Bad Enough

BassJoe Chemay
DrumsPaul Leim
GuitarRichie Zito
KeyboardsJohn Hobbs
Background VocalsJoe Chemay
Background VocalsKin Vassy
Background VocalsTerry Williams


6 All My Life

BassJoe Chemay
DrumsMike Baird
GuitarSteve Lukather
KeyboardsDavid Foster
Background VocalsDavid Foster
Background VocalsJoe Chemay
Background VocalsTerry Williams


7 How Long

BassJoe Chemay
DrumsPaul Leim
GuitarCarlos Rios
GuitarTim May
KeyboardsClarence McDonald
KeyboardsMike Lang
SynthesizerRobbie Buchanan
Background VocalsJuanice Charmaine
Background VocalsKin Vassy
Background VocalsLionel Richie
Background VocalsTerry Williams


8 Love, Love, Love

BassNathan East
DrumsLeon Chancler
GuitarDavid T. Walker
GuitarPaul Jackson
KeyboardsReginald Burke
Background VocalsJuanice Charmaine
Background VocalsKin Vassy
Background VocalsTerry Williams


9 What I Learned From Loving You

BassJoe Chemay
DrumsPaul Leim
GuitarCarlos Rios
GuitarPaul Jackson
GuitarTim May
KeyboardsClarence McDonald
KeyboardsMike Lang
SynthesizerRobbie Buchanan


10 You Are So Beautiful

BassEmory Gordy
DrumsPaul Leim
GuitarFred Tackett
PianoJohn Hobbs
OboeGary Herbig
Background VocalsCindy Fee
Background VocalsKin Vassy
Background VocalsTerry Williams

Liner Notes

Producer – Kenny Rogers (Tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10)
Producer – David Foster (Track 1)
Producer – Randy Goodrum (Track 4)
Producer – Brent Maher (Track 4)
Producer – James Anthony Carmichael (Tracks 7, 9)
Producer – Lionel Richie (Tracks 7, 8)
Arranged By (Strings) – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1, 6)
Arranged By (Strings) – Bergen White (Track 4)
Conductor (Strings) – Jeremy Lubbock (Tracks 1, 6)
Engineer – Al Schmitt (Track 1)
Engineer – Humberto Gatica (Tracks 1, 6, 9)
Engineer – Reginald Dozier (Tracks 2, 3, 5, 8, 10)
Engineer – Stephen Schmitt (Track 3)
Engineer – Brent Maher (Track 4)
Engineer – Al Schmitt (Tracks 6, 8, 9, 10)
Engineer – Calvin Harris (Track 7)
Engineer – Bob Bullock (Track 9)
Engineer – Calvin Harris (Track 9)
Engineer (2nd) – Stephen Schmitt (Tracks 1, 4, 5, 10)
Engineer (2nd) – Larry Ferguson (Tracks 2)
Mastered By – Doug Sax
Mixed By – Humberto Gatica (Track 1)
Mixed By – Bob Bullock (Tracks 2, 10)
Mixed By – Al Schmitt (Track 3)
Mixed By – Reginald Dozier (Track 5)
Mixed By – Calvin Harris (Track 7)

Art Direction – Henry Marquez
Art Direction (Graphic Coordination) – Roy Guzman
Design (Sleeve) – Roy Guzman
Photography By – Matthew Rolston