The album was likewise a hit outside the United States. In the United Kingdom, it was Brooks' highest-placed album on the charts. It reached the top ten of the UK country album charts before it was issued officially (due to imports from both theUnited States andIreland). Critics felt that this would ruin the album's sales once it was issued. However, when it was eventually issued in Britain in early 1994 it went to #1 on the country charts and reached #2 in the pop charts, and also produced two top-forty hit singles on the British pop charts.
The track "Callin' Baton Rouge" was previously a #37 peaking single in 1987 for theNew Grass Revival, whose members back Brooks on his rendition. It was the first time the group had recorded together since they disbanded in 1989.
In an interview withBBC Radio DJ Richard Wooton, Brooks stated that the track "The Cowboy Song" (which was written in 1987 by Roy Robinson) was found in a trash can by someone on his team who liked the song and played the track to him.
In Pieces was just time to smile. It was time to laugh, it was time to get loud. It's definitely the most live album that we've ever cut. I think the band went to a different level on this. They seemed to play more like a band that had been together for years than studio musicians that come together and play at time to time. So this one is all there for me. I like to listen to it loud, and I just love the stuff like "Baton Rouge" and "Ain't Going Down Til The Sun Comes Up". From "One Night A Day", all the way to the very last song, "The Cowboy Song", which is definitely my favorite offIn Pieces and it will stand up with anything that I have cut over the past five years. Like the other things, I'm very proud of this one and I hope you like it.[6]
Pat Flynn – acoustic guitar on "Callin' Baton Rouge"
Rob Hajacos – fiddle on "Standing Outside The Fire", "The Night I Called The Old Man Out", "American Honky-Tonk Bar Association", "Ain't Going Down (Til The Sun Comes Up)" and "The Cowboy Song"
In Pieces debuted at #1 on the U.S.Billboard 200, becoming his third, and #1 on theTop Country Albums, becoming his fourth #1 Country album. In August 2020,In Pieces was certified Diamond by theRIAA.
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
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