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No Fences

{{Infobox album

| name = No Fences

| type = studio

| artist = Garth Brooks

| cover = Garth Brooks-No Fences (album cover).jpg

| alt =

| released = August 27, 1990

| recorded = 1989–1990

| studio = Jack's Tracks (Nashville, Tennessee)

| genre =

  • Country
  • soft rock{{Cite podcast|url=https://slate.com/podcasts/hit-parade/2020/11/garth-brooks-rebooted-country-in-the-90s-dominating-the-charts|title=Friends in Low Places Edition|website=Hit Parade {{!}} Music History and Music Trivia|publisher=Slate|last=Molanphy|first=Chris|date=November 5, 2020|access-date= January 22, 2024}}

| length = 38:29

| label = Capitol Nashville

| producer = Allen Reynolds

| prev_title = Garth Brooks

| prev_year = 1989

| next_title = Ropin' the Wind

| next_year = 1991

| misc = {{Singles

| name = No Fences

| type = studio

| single1 = Friends in Low Places

| single1date = August 6, 1990

| single2 = Unanswered Prayers

| single2date = October 12, 1990

| single3 = Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House

| single3date = January 1991

| single4 = The Thunder Rolls

| single4date = April 30, 1991

| single5 = Wild Horses

| single5date = November 20, 2000

}}

}}

{{Album reviews

|rev1 = About.com

|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|last=Coleman |first=Kathy |url=http://countrymusic.about.com/od/cdreviewsal/fr/NoFences.htm |title=Garth Brooks – 'No Fences' |website=About.com |access-date=August 29, 2012}}

|rev2 = AllMusic

|rev2score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|last=Erlewine |first=Stephen Thomas |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r123490 |pure_url=yes}} |title=No Fences – Garth Brooks |website=AllMusic |access-date=August 29, 2012}}

|rev3 = Christgau's Consumer Guide

|rev3score = {{Rating-Christgau|hm2}}{{cite web|last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=garth+brooks |title=CG: Garth Brooks |publisher=RobertChristgau.com |access-date=April 13, 2013}}

|rev4 = Entertainment Weekly

|rev4score = A{{cite magazine|author=Alanna Nash |url=https://ew.com/article/1990/09/21/no-fences/ |title=No Fences Review |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=September 21, 1990 |access-date=August 29, 2012}}

|rev5 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite book| last = Brackett | first = Nathan |author2=Christian Hoard | title = The Rolling Stone Album Guide | publisher = Simon and Schuster | year = 2004 | location = New York City, New York | page = [https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/105 105] | isbn = 0-7432-0169-8 | url = https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac| url-access = registration | quote = rolling stone garth brooks album guide. }}

}}

No Fences is the second studio album by the American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 27, 1990, and reached No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. The album also reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200. On the latter chart, it stayed in the top 40 for 126 weeks.Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums, 3rd edition, Billboard Books, 1995, p. 46. No Fences remains Brooks' best-selling studio album to date with 18 million copies shipped in the US,{{cite web|access-date=16 August 2015|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=fences |title=RIAA – Searchable Database| website=Recording Industry Association of America }} and is the album that made him an international star. It was his first album issued in Europe (the original European release contained the four singles from his US debut as bonus tracks).

Singles

Some of Brooks' most famous songs appear on No Fences, including: "The Thunder Rolls" (CMA's 1991 Video of the Year), "Friends in Low Places" (Academy of Country Music's 1990 Single of the Year), "Unanswered Prayers" and "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House". A cover version of The Fleetwoods' "Mr. Blue" appears on the album. The album itself was named Album of the Year by the ACM in 1990. It reached Number 1 on the British country music charts (earning Brooks his first gold album in that country) and remained charted for over five years.

The track "Victim of the Game" was later covered by Brooks's friend and future wife Trisha Yearwood for her 1991 eponymous debut album.

Brooks later re-recorded the track "Wild Horses", and released the new recording as a single in early 2001, reaching #7 on the country chart.

25th anniversary reissue

In September 2015, it was announced No Fences would be reissued later in the year to commemorate its 25-year release anniversary. The release would include a new version of "Friends in Low Places", featuring George Strait, Jason Aldean, Florida Georgia Line, and Keith Urban singing along with Brooks. The album release has since been delayed due to royalty disputes.{{cite web|last1=Newman|first1=Melinda|title=Garth Brooks' All-Star 'Friends in Low Places' & Album Reissue On Hold Over Royalty Dispute: Exclusive|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/country/6685889/garth-brooks-friends-low-places-reissue-royalty-dispute|website=Billboard.com|access-date=September 6, 2015}}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing =

| title1 = The Thunder Rolls

| length1 = 3:43

| title2 = New Way to Fly

| length2 = 3:55

| title3 = Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House

| length3 = 2:33

| title4 = Victim of the Game

| length4 = 3:09

| title5 = Friends in Low Places

| length5 = 4:18

| title6 = Wild Horses

| length6 = 3:12

| title7 = Unanswered Prayers

| length7 = 3:26

| title8 = Same Old Story

| length8 = 2:53

| title9 = Mr. Blue

| length9 = 3:17

| title10 = Wolves

| length10 = 4:06

| total_length = 34:34

| writer1 = Pat Alger, Garth Brooks

| writer2 = Brooks, Kim Williams

| writer3 = Bobby Boyd, Warren Haynes, Dennis Robbins

| writer4 = Brooks, Mark D. Sanders

| writer5 = Dewayne Blackwell, Earl Bud Lee

| writer6 = Bill Shore, David Wills

| writer7 = Alger, Larry Bastian, Brooks

| writer8 = Tony Arata

| writer9 = Blackwell

| writer10 = Stephanie Davis

}}

Personnel

The following credits are sourced from liner notes included with the album's release.{{cite AV media notes |title=No Fences |others=Garth Brooks |year=1990 |type=CD |publisher=Capitol Records |id=93866}}

Musicians

{{Div col|colwidth=35em}}

  • Pat Alger – acoustic guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Bruce Bouton – pedal steel guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Tim Bowers – bass guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Garth Brooks – lead, harmony and backing vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Mark Casstevens – acoustic guitar
  • Mike Chapman – bass guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Johnny Christopher – acoustic guitar
  • Ty England – acoustic guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Dave Gant – piano, keyboard, organ, fiddle, harmony and backing vocals
  • James Garver – electric guitar, harmony and backing vocals
  • Rob Hajacos – fiddle, harmony and backing vocals
  • Chris Leuzinger – electric guitar
  • Steve McClure – electric and pedal steel guitars
  • Edgar Meyer – double bass
  • Mike Palmer – drums, percussion
  • Brian Petree – harmony and backing vocals
  • Milton Sledge – drums
  • Bobby Wood – piano, keyboards, organ, harmony and backing vocals
  • Nashville String Machine – string orchestra

{{div col end}}

Backing and harmony vocalists

{{col-start|3}}

{{col-3}}

  • Friends in Low Places
  • Pat Alger
  • Al "Shaggy" Barclay
  • Dewayne Blackwell
  • Bruce Bouton
  • Tim Bowers
  • Sandy Brooks
  • Stephanie C. Brown
  • Mike Chapman
  • Bob Doyle
  • The Englands (plus one)
  • Dave Gant
  • Rob Hajacos
  • Joe Harris
  • Dan Heins
  • Rusty "Race Horse" Jones

{{col-3}}

  • Steve King
  • Earl of Bud Lee
  • Pam "The Chick" Lewis
  • Buddy Mondlock
  • Steve Morley
  • Mike "Palmerman"
  • Brian Petree
  • Dale Pierce
  • Jim Rooney
  • Tami Rose
  • Lee Sartin
  • Charlie Stefl
  • Scott Stem
  • Bobby Wood

{{col-3}}

  • Unanswered Prayers
  • Wendy Johnson
  • Jennifer O'Brien
  • Hurshel Wiginton
  • Curtis Young
  • Wolves
  • Indian River
  • David McVay
  • Stephen Tolman
  • Neil Thrasher
  • Curry Worsham

{{col-end}}

Recording

  • Denny Purcell – mastering engineer
  • Mark Miller – recording and mixing engineer
  • Dan Heins – harmony and backing vocals, audio engineer

Charts

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1990–1994)

!Peak
position

{{album chart|Australia|11|artist=Garth Brooks|album=No Fences|access-date=December 27, 2020}}
Canadian Albums (RPM)

| style="text-align:center;"|49

Canadian Country Albums (RPM)

| style="text-align:center;"|2

European Albums Chart{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SAgEAAAAMBAJ|title=Hits of the World – Eurochart|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date=17 May 1994|page=43}}

| style="text-align:center;"|69

Irish Albums (IRMA){{Cite magazine|title=Hits of the World – Ireland|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|date=23 April 1994|page=47}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

{{album chart|Billboard200|3|artist=Garth Brooks|access-date=December 27, 2020}}
{{album chart|BillboardCountry|1|artist=Garth Brooks|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable"
Chart (1990)

!Position

US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1990/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 1990|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|60

Chart (1991)

!Position

US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1991/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1991|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|2

US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1991/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 1991|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|1

Chart (1992)

!Position

US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1992/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|6

US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1992/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 1992|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|3

Chart (1993)

!Position

US Billboard 200{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1993|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|47

US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1993/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 1993|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|9

Chart (1994)

!Position

Australian Albums (ARIA){{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102014251/http://i.imgur.com/3GuDxzg.jpg |title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Albums 1994 |url=http://i.imgur.com/3GuDxzg.jpg|archive-date=November 2, 2015 |access-date=May 19, 2022 |publisher=Australian Record Industry Association Ltd.}}

| style="text-align:center;"|85

US Top Country Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1994/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 1994|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 27, 2020}}

| style="text-align:center;"|21

=Decade-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable"
Chart (1990–1999)

!Position

US Billboard 200{{cite book | author = Geoff Mayfield | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9w0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=RA1-PA4 | title = 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade – The listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s | publisher = Billboard | date = December 25, 1999 | access-date = October 15, 2010}}

| style="text-align:center;"|4

{{col-end}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|artist=Garth Brooks|title=No Fences|award=Platinum|relyear=1990|certyear=1994 |id=42|source=book}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|type=album|artist=Garth Brooks|title=No Fences|award=Platinum|number=7|relyear=1990}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Ireland|type=album|artist=Garth Brooks|title=No Fences|award=Platinum|relyear=1990|number=5|certref={{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HQgEAAAAMBAJ&q=23%2C000&pg=PA100|title=EMI Makes Brooks Ana International Priority|magazine=Billboard|page=100|volume=42|issue=27|date=January 29, 1994|via= Google Books|first=Thom|last=Duffy|access-date=June 9, 2020}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Garth Brooks|title=No Fences|award=Platinum|number=18|relyear=1990|certyear=2020|access-date=February 19, 2020}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true | streaming=true}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Garth Brooks}}

{{CMA Album of the Year}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1990 albums

Category:Garth Brooks albums

Category:Albums produced by Allen Reynolds

Category:Capitol Records albums