Telling Stories
Telling Stories is the fifth album by American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, released in 2000. It was her first album in over four years, and her first since Crossroads to be produced or co-produced by David Kershenbaum. A special 2 CD tour edition of this album was also released in May 2000, supporting the tour going on at the time. The album is composed of contemporary rock songs in the first half, and folk songs in the second half. The song "Unsung Psalm" was originally written for her previous album, New Beginning, but it didn't make it onto the album.
The record marked a return to shorter songs for Tracy; on New Beginning they had been somewhat longer.
Track listing
All songs written by Tracy Chapman.Personnel
- Tracy Chapman – acoustic guitar, bouzouki, harp, vocals, background vocals, baritone guitar, record producer, mixing, art design
Additional musicians
- Alex Acuña – percussion
- Rock Deadrick – vocals, background vocals
- Tommy Eyre – organ, keyboard
- Mike Finnigan – organ
- Denny Fongheiser – percussion, snare drums
- Emmylou Harris – vocals
- Howard Hersh – bass guitar
- Steve Hunter – dulcimer, lap steel guitar, baritone guitar
- Larry Klein – bass guitar
- JayDee Mannes – pedal steel guitar
- John Pierce – bass guitar
- Tim Pierce – acoustic guitar, dobro, mandolin, sitar, baritone guitar
- Eric Rigler – Uillean pipes, low whistle
- Scarlet Rivera – violin
- Glenys Rogers – percussion, vocals, background vocals
- Andy Stoller – bass guitar
- Patrick Warren – keyboard, Chamberlin
Technical personnel
- Duane Baron – engineering, mixing
- Tim Hailand – artwork
- Jeri Heiden – design
- John Heiden – design
- Renata Kanclerz – production coordination
- David Kershenbaum – mixing, production
- Martie Kolbl – production coordination
- Curt Kroeger – assistant engineering
- Iki Levy – drum programming
- Bob Ludwig – mastering
- Herb Ritts – portraits
- Roger Sommers – assistant engineering
Charts
Certifications
;Singles| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
| 2000 | "Telling Stories" | Billboard Adult Top 40 | 8 |
| 2000 | "Telling Stories" | Billboard Bubbling Under The Hot 100 | 8 |