What About Me? is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Kenny Rogers, released by RCA Records in 1984. The album's title track, "What About Me?", is sung in trio with R&B singer James Ingram and Kim Carnes, which reached number one on the AC charts and was also a pop and country hit, giving co-writer Richard Marx his first number one hit as a writer. Marx's second number one hit as a writer was the song "Crazy", which was included on the album.
Elsewhere on the album is "Two Hearts, One Love" by Byron Hill, and "Pickin' Up Strangers," released on Johnny Lee's Lookin' for Love album, and "The Stranger" (a story song in the vein of Rogers' previous hits such as "The Gambler" and "Lucille"), "The Night Goes On" (a R&B influenced ballad).
This album continued Rogers' long Platinum streak, quickly selling over a million copies.
Contents
Personnel
Kenny Rogers – lead vocals, backing vocals
Erich Bulling – keyboards, synthesizer programming
Jimmy Cox – keyboards
David Foster – keyboards, arrangements
John Hobbs – keyboards
Tom Keane – keyboards
Randy Kerber – keyboards
Marcus Ryle – keyboards, synthesizer programming
Dann Huff – guitars
Paul Jackson Jr. – guitars
Michael Landau – guitars
Fred Tackett – guitars
Kin Vassy – guitars, backing vocals
Billy Joe Walker Jr. – guitars
Dennis Belfield – bass
Joe Chemay – bass
Nathan East – bass
Neil Stubenhaus – bass
Ed Greene – drums
John Robinson – drums
Sheila E. – percussion
Steve Forman – percussion
Michael Temple – percussion
Gary Herbig – saxophone
Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (3, 5, 8)
Kim Carnes – lead and backing vocals (1)
James Ingram – lead and backing vocals (1)
Kenny Cetera – backing vocals
Cindy Fee – backing vocals, lead vocals (5)
Portia Griffin – backing vocals
Richard Marx – backing vocals
Herb Pedersen – backing vocals
Kenny Rogers II – backing vocals
Terry Williams – backing vocals
Production
Kenny Rogers – producer (1, 3–6, 9, 10)
David Foster – producer (1, 2, 7, 8)
Humberto Gatica – engineer, mixing
Steve Crimmel – additional engineer
Reginald Dozier – additional engineer
Mark Ettel – additional engineer
Larry Ferguson – additional engineer
Tom Fouce – additional engineer
John Guess – additional engineer
Paul Lani – additional engineer
David Leonard – additional engineer
Laura Livingston – additional engineer
Stephen Shelton – additional engineer
Wally Traugott – mastering at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood, California)
Marge Meoli – A&R coordinator
Debbie Caponetta – production assistant
John Coulter – art direction
Mario Casilli – photography
Reid Miles – photography
Ken Kragen – management
Further utilization
The song "The Night Goes On" was used as a love theme for the Eden Capwell and Cruz Castillo characters on the Santa Barbara TV series.