American Stars 'n Bars

American Stars 'n Bars is the eighth studio album by Canadian musician Neil Young, released on Reprise Records in 1977. Compiled from recording sessions scattered over a 29 month period, it includes "Like a Hurricane," one of Young's best-known songs. It peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified a gold record by the RIAA.[1]

Contents
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 * 1 Background
 * 2 Content
 * 3 Reception
 * 4 Track listing
 * 4.1 Side one
 * 4.2 Side two
 * 5 Personnel
 * 6 References
 * 7 External links

Background[edit]
In the summer of 1976, Young rekindled his partnership with Stephen Stills, resulting in a tour that ended abruptly and an album. He then embarked on his second tour of the year with Crazy Horse, but spent the first half of 1977 off the road.[2] His previous album had been issued in November 1975; after recording enough tracks to fill up one side of an album at sessions in April, he assembled additional tracks from earlier recording dates to make up the balance of the new album.

Content[edit]
"Homegrown" and "Star of Bethlehem" had initially been slated for his unreleased LP Homegrown.[3][4] Both of those songs, along with "Like a Hurricane," "Hold Back the Tears" and "Will to Love," had also been slated for yet another unreleased Young album project, Chrome Dreams. Seven of the nine tracks feature his regular backing band Crazy Horse, and another features country music star Emmylou Harris in a vocal duet with Young. Songs from the April 1977 sessions are all in a country-styled vein.

The album cover was designed by actor Dean Stockwell, who had also written the screenplay that inspired After the Gold Rush. It features Connie Moskos, girlfriend of producer David Briggs, drooping with a bottle of Canadian whisky in her hand and an intoxicated Young with his face pressed against the glass floor.[citation needed]

Reception[edit]
Initially receiving favorable reviews, the album was described as a "sampler...of Young's various styles",[8] even a "hodgepodge."[4] Paul Nelson, reviewing the album forRolling Stone commented on the mixed selection of songs and styles, and praising the "gale-force guitar playing" on "Like a Hurricane":

According to William Ruhlmann, in a review for Allmusic,

It was finally released for compact disc using the HDCD-encoding process on August 19, 2003, as part of the Neil Young Digital Masterpiece Series along with On the Beach, Hawks & Doves, and Re-ac-tor.

Personnel[edit]

 * Neil Young — vocals, guitars; harmonica  on "Star of Bethlehem" ; organ, piano, vibes, drums  on "Will to Love"
 * Frank "Poncho" Sampedro — guitars  all tracks except "Star of Bethlehem" and "Will to Love" ; organ  on "Like A Hurricane" ; backing vocals  on "Like A Hurricane" and "Homegrown"
 * Ben Keith — pedal steel guitar  on "The Old Country Waltz," "Saddle Up the Palomino," "Hey Babe," "Hold Back the Tears," and "Bite the Bullet" ; dobro, backing vocal  on "Star of Bethlehem"
 * Carole Mayedo — violin  on "The Old Country Waltz," "Saddle Up the Palomino," "Hey Babe," "Hold Back the Tears," and "Bite the Bullet"
 * Billy Talbot — bass  all tracks except "Star of Bethlehem" and "Will to Love"
 * Tim Drummond — bass  on "Star of Bethlehem"
 * Ralph Molina — drums  all tracks except "Star of Bethlehem" and "Will to Love" ; backing vocal  on "Like A Hurricane" and "Homegrown"
 * Karl T. Himmel — drums  on "Star of Bethlehem"
 * Linda Ronstadt, Nicolette Larson — backing vocals  on "The Old Country Waltz," "Saddle Up the Palomino," "Hey Babe," "Hold Back the Tears," and "Bite the Bullet"
 * Emmylou Harris — harmony vocal  on "Star of Bethlehem"