Performer Notes

Personnel: Lyle Lovett (vocals, acoustic guitar); Arnold McCuller, Sweet Pea Atkinson, Sir Harry Bowens, Willie Greene, Jr., Randy Newman (vocals); Dean Parks (acoustic & electric guitars); Don Potter (acoustic guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); Garey Herbig (alto, tenor & baritone saxophones); Chuck Findley (trumpet, trombone); Greg Adams (trumpet); Matt Rollings (piano); Leland Sklar (bass); Russ Kunkel (drums, shaker); Luis Conte (tambourine, shaker, percussion); Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin, Herb Pedersen, Chris Hillman, Valerie Carter, Kate Markowitz (background vocals).
Recorded at Conway Studios, Los Angeles, California.
"The Girl In The Corner" does not appear on the track listing for THE ROAD TO ENSENADA.
THE ROAD TO ENSENADA won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "Private Conversation" was nominated for a 1997 Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance, and "Long Tall Texan," a duet with Randy Newman, was nominated for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.
Personnel: Lyle Lovett (vocals, acoustic guitar); Randy Newman (vocals); Arnold McCuller (tenor, background vocals); Sir Harry Bowens, Sweet Pea Atkinson (baritone); Willie Green, Jr. (bass voice); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Don Potter (acoustic guitar, Spanish guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); Gary Herbig (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Chuck Findley (trumpet, trombone); Greg Adams (trumpet); Matt Rollings (piano); Russ Kunkel (drums, shaker); Luis Conte (shaker, tambourine, percussion); Kate Markowitz, Valerie Carter (background vocals).
Recording information: Conway Studios, Los Angeles, CA.
Photographer: Michael Wilson .
THE ROAD TO ENSENADA is another wry collection of twangy gems from this gallant genre jumper. The music, as we have come to expect, floats through styles from big-band swing to dirge-like ditty. But Lovett manages to keep things decidedly roots-oriented this time around. He covers a lot of new ground and yet keep things always sounding familiar. Meanwhile, he shuffles sublimely between being droll and self-derisive. At times he is drolly self-derisive.
On the introspective "Who Loves You Better," Lovett plaintively wonders "Why do I do the things that make you cry?" The sparse "Promises" (which first appeared on the movie soundtrack DEAD MAN WALKING) is delicate yet sinister, sung from the apparent perspective of a condemned killer. This album is well balanced, though. Lovett shows his jaunty side in the folksy "Her First Mistake" and in the staccato ramblings of "Long Tall Texan," a frisky duet with Randy Newman.
The capricious music on THE ROAD TO ENSENADA is tethered by Lovett's gift for chronicling the bittersweet story of human emotions. So hop aboard and join him on that road--and be sure to thank him for the ride.

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (7/11-25/96, p.90) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...After his widely publicized split from Julia Roberts, Lyle Lovett could have handily played on public sympathy....Instead, he gives us THE ROAD TO ENSENADA, a laid-back charmer with all the quirky humor and wry wistfulness we've come to expect..."

Entertainment Weekly (6/21/96, p.65) - "Lyle Lovett's razor-sharp music is as good as roots pop gets, and the poker-faced Texan's sixth album, THE ROAD TO ENSENADA, is his best yet. Musically, it's a seamless amalgam of styles..." - Rating: A

Q (7/96, p.118) - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "A non-classifiable but superior singer-songwriter....he delivers material that spans honky-tonk, Texas teardrop, folk and swing, with deceptive ease....Marvellous stuff..."

Album: The Road to Ensenada
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Don't Touch My Hat
2)	Her First Mistake
3)	Fiona
4)	That's Right (You're Not from Texas)
5)	Who Loves You Better
6)	Private Conversation
7)	Promises
8)	It Ought to Be Easier
9)	I Can't Love You Anymore
10)	Long Tall Texan
11)	Christmas Morning
12)	Road to Ensenada, The

Album: The Road to Ensenada
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Don't Touch My Hat
2)	Her First Mistake
3)	Fiona
4)	That's Right (You're Not from Texas)
5)	Who Loves You Better
6)	Private Conversation
7)	Promises
8)	It Ought to Be Easier
9)	I Can't Love You Anymore
10)	Long Tall Texan
11)	Christmas Morning
12)	Road to Ensenada, The