4 Runner is the debut studio album by American country music group 4 Runner, released on May 9, 1995 on the Nashville division of Polydor Records. It produced the singles "Cain's Blood", "A Heart with 4 Wheel Drive", "Home Alone", and "Ripples", all of which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks (now Hot Country Songs charts. Of these four singles, "Cain's Blood" was the only one to chart within the Top 40, peaking at #26.[1]

4 Runner
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 9, 1995
GenreCountry
LabelPolydor Nashville
ProducerBuddy Cannon, Larry Shell
4 Runner chronology
4 Runner
(1995)
Getaway Car
(2003)
Singles from 4 Runner
  1. "Cain's Blood"
    Released: February 1995
  2. "A Heart with 4 Wheel Drive"
    Released: June 1995
  3. "Home Alone"
    Released: October 1995
  4. "Ripples"
    Released: March 1996

Critical reception

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Brian Wahlert of Country Standard Time criticized some of the songs on 4 Runner for "cop[ying] the worst pop elements" of The Oak Ridge Boys, but said that the presence of bass singer Jim Chapman gave the material a "fresh sound." His review praised "Cain's Blood" and "A Heart with 4 Wheel Drive" as the strongest tracks.[2] Entertainment Weekly critic Alanna Nash gave the album a B-minus rating. In her review, she said that "they can be as hokey as the Oaks, but unlike the Statlers, they're sentimental without being mawkish."[3]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Heart with 4 Wheel Drive"Billy Maddox, Paul Thorn3:42
2."Good Lookin'"Chris East, Mickey Jupp2:53
3."Cain's Blood"Michael Johnson, Jack Sundrud3:52
4."The House at the End of the Road"Rock Killough, Larry T. Wilson3:36
5."Ripples"Tony Haselden3:25
6."You Make the Moonlight"Chris Waters, Tom Shapiro2:51
7."Oh No"Al Anderson, Mike Lawler3:55
8."Let the Good Times Roll"Tony Martin, Reese Wilson3:31
9."Home Alone"Dennis Wilson, Craig Morris2:30
10."Southern Wind"Walt Aldridge, James Hooker4:26

Personnel

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4 Runner

  • Jim Chapman – bass vocals
  • Billy Crittenden – baritone vocals
  • Lee Hilliard – tenor vocals
  • Craig Morris – lead vocals

Additional musicians

All strings performed by the Nashville String Machine under the conduction of Carl Gorodetzky.

Charts

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Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard 200 144
US Billboard Top Country Albums 27
US Billboard Top Heatseekers 3
Canada RPM Country Albums 7

References

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  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. ^ Wahlert, Brian. "4 Runner review". Country Standard Time. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  3. ^ Nash, Alanna (19 May 1995). "4 Runner review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2010.