They Don't Make Them Like They Used To

They Don't Make Them Like They Used To (also referred to as They Don't Make 'Em...) is the nineteenth studio album by American country music artist Kenny Rogers, released in 1986 through RCA Records. The album hit the top 20 on the country charts (and crossed over into the pop Billboard 200) with the single "Twenty Years Ago" peaked at number two on the Hot Country chart and #15 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

The title track was used as the theme song to the box office hit movie Tough Guys and released as a single at the end of 1986. The song only reached number 53 in the country charts although it did well by hitting the Top 10 and Top 20 on the adult contemporary charts. The song "You're My Love" was written by Prince under the pseudonym "Joey Coco" and features El DeBarge on backing vocals.

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians and vocals

• Kenny Rogers – vocals
• Robbie Buchanan – synthesizers (1, 3, 7, 9, 10), acoustic piano (3, 4, 7, 9)
• Jay Graydon – synthesizers (1, 2, 7, 8, 10), lead guitar (1, 4), electronic drums (1, 2, 8), guitar solo (2, 9), drums (6), guitar lines (9)
• Randy Goodrum – synthesizers (2), electronic drums (2)
• Steve Lukather – synthesizers (2), rhythm guitar (2)
• Michael Omartian – synthesizers (4, 7)
• Marcus Ryle – synthesizers (4, 7)
• Michael Boddicker – synthesizers (5)
• Randy Kerber – keyboards (5, 6)
• Mike Lawler – keyboards (6)
• Michael Hanna – synthesizers (10)
• Paul Urrich – keyboards (10)
• Michael Landau – rhythm guitar (1, 4, 9), guitars (3, 7)
• Dann Huff – guitars (5)
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – guitars (6)
• Kenny Mims – guitars (10)
• Nathan East – bass (2)
• Abraham Laboriel – bass (3, 4, 6, 7, 9)
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass (5)
• Carlos Vega – drums (3, 4, 7)
• John Robinson – drums (5)
• Mike Baird – drums (9)
• Clyde Brooks – drums (10)
• Brandon Fields – alto saxophone (8)
• Bill Champlin – backing vocals (1, 7, 8, 10)
• Richard Page – backing vocals (2)
• El DeBarge – backing vocals (3)
• Tommy Funderburk – backing vocals (4)
• Thom Flora – backing vocals (6)
• Ann Marie Smith – backing vocals (6)
• Kin Vassy – backing vocals (6)
• Jason Scheff – backing vocals (7, 8)
• Tamara Champlin – backing vocals (8)
• Peter Beckett – backing vocals (9)

Music arrangements

• Jay Graydon – arrangements (1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 10)
• Randy Goodrum – arrangements (2)
• Steve Lukather – arrangements (2)
• Robbie Buchanan – arrangements (3)
• Kenny Mims – arrangements (10)

Production

• Jay Graydon – producer (1–4, 7–10), engineer
• David Malloy – producer (1, 6)
• Burt Bacharach – producer (5)
• Carole Bayer Sager – producer (5)
• Kenny Mims – producer (10), engineer
• Ian Eales – engineer
• Tom Singers – engineer
• Brian Malouf – mixing (6)
• Doug Sax – mastering at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
• Valerie Hobel – production assistant
• Gail Pearson – production assistant
• Marge Meoli – A&R coordinator
• John Coulter – design
• Bernie Boudreau – photography, photographic process development
• Michael Manoogian – lettering
• Bill Whitten – stylist
• Ken Kragen – management

Charts

References