1992 Lyle Lovett – Joshua Judges Ruth

Arnold McCuller, Dan Higgins, Dean Parks, Larry Williams, Leland Sklar, Lyle Lovett, Matt Rollings, Plas Johnson, Russ Kunkel

Joshua Judges Ruth is the title of Lyle Lovett‘s fourth album, released in 1992.

While the album does not have one theme that binds all the songs, several tracks deal with “high concepts” such as religion (“Church”) and death (“Family Reserve” & “Since The Last Time”). Lovett’s renowned sense of humor and whimsy are temporarily set aside in favor of reflective musings on heartbreak and loss. The album’s title is a pun made up of the names of three books that appear sequentially in the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.

In keeping with Lovett’s other releases, Joshua received critical acclaim but failed to vault the singer into mainstream success. First single “You’ve Been So Good Up To Now” was a minor hit on rock radio, peaking at #36 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Tracks

1 I’ve Been To Memphis (Lyle Lovett) 04:56
2 Church (Lyle Lovett) 06:01
3 She´s Already Made Up Her Mind (Lyle Lovett) 04:51
4 North Dakota (Lyle Lovett; Willis Alan Ramsey) 05:48
5 You´ve Been So Good Up To Now (Lyle Lovett) 04:15
6 All My Love Is Gone (Lyle Lovett) 04:23
7 Since The Last Time (Lyle Lovett) 07:12
8 Baltimore (Lyle Lovett) 04:53
9 Family Reserve (Lyle Lovett) 03:59
10 She´s Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To (Lyle Lovett) 04:07
11 Flyswatter / Ice Water Blues (Monty Trenkmann’s Blues) (Lyle Lovett) 03:44
12 She Makes Me Feel Good (Lyle Lovett) 03:34

Biography

Lyle Lovett

Musicians

1 I’ve Been To Memphis

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Guitar	Billy Williams
Acoustic Guitar	Dean Parks
Acoustic Guitar	Lyle Lovett
Piano	Matt Rollings
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

2 Church

Bass	Leland Sklar
Bass	Kevin Dorsey
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Dean Parks
Piano	Matt Rollings
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Francine Reed
Background Vocals	Harry Bowens
Background Vocals	Kathy Hazzard
Background Vocals	Sweet Pea Atkinson
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

3 She´s Already Made Up Her Mind

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Dean Parks
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Acoustic Guitar	Lyle Lovett
Piano	Matt Rollings
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

4 North Dakota

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Dean Parks
Piano	Matt Rollings
Background Vocals	Rickie Lee Jones
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

5 You´ve Been So Good Up To Now

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Johnny Lee Schell
Acoustic Guitar	Dean Parks
Piano	Matt Rollings
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

6 All My Love Is Gone

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Piano	Matt Rollings
Sax	Plas Johnson
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

7 Since The Last Time

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Dean Parks
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Piano	Matt Rollings
Sax	Dan Higgins
Sax	Gregory Smith
Sax	Larry Williams
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Francine Reed
Background Vocals	Kevin Dorsey
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

8 Baltimore

Acoustic Guitar	Leo Kottke
Piano	Matt Rollings
Cello	John Hagen
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

9 Family Reserve

Double Bass	Edgar Meyer
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Acoustic Guitar	Leo Kottke
Piano	Matt Rollings
Cello	John Hagen
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Francine Reed
Background Vocals	Harry Bowens
Background Vocals	Kathy Hazzard
Background Vocals	Kevin Dorsey
Background Vocals	Sweet Pea Atkinson
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

10 She´s Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Pedal Steel Guitar	Jay Dee Maness
Piano	Matt Rollings
Background Vocals	Emmylou Harris
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

11 Flyswatter / Ice Water Blues (Monty Trenkmann’s Blues)

Double Bass	Edgar Meyer
Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Dean Parks
Organ	Matt Rollings
Piano	Matt Rollings
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

12 She Makes Me Feel Good

Bass	Leland Sklar
Drums	Russ Kunkel
Guitar	Ray Herndon
Acoustic Guitar	Dean Parks
Organ	Matt Rollings
Piano	Matt Rollings
Background Vocals	Arnold McCuller
Background Vocals	Willis Alan Ramsey
Vocals	Lyle Lovett

Liner Notes

Producer – Billy Williams, George Massenburg, Lyle Lovett
Coordinator – Ivy Skoff
Engineer (Second) – Gil Morales, Marnie Riley, Noel Hazen, Steve Holroyd
Mastered By – Alan Yoshida, Doug Sax, Ron Lewter
Mixed By – George Massenburg
Recorded By – George Massenburg, Nathaniel Kunkel
Technician – Bill Collings, Jim Demeter, Jim Kaufman, Fred Walecki

Art Direction – Jonas Livingston, Tim Stedman
Design – Tim Stedman
Photography – Peter Nash, Michael Wilson

Mastered At The Mastering Lab
Recorded At Ocean Way Recording
Recorded At Conway Studios
Phonographic Copyright MCA Records Inc
Copyright Curb Music Company
Copyright MCA Records Inc