Trying to Be Me
Trying to Be Me is the only album by American country music singer Laura Bryna. It was released on January 22, 2008 via Equity Music Group. "Make a Wish", "Life Is Good" and "Hometown Heroes" were all released as singles.
Critical reception
Country Weekly gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of five, praising Bryna's voice but criticizing the album for containing "some of the most over-the-top tear-jerkers in recent memory." Jacquilynne Schlesier of Country Standard Time similarly said that Bryna had "lots of character in the phrasing", but said "most of the lyrics sound like songs you've heard before." PopMatters also criticized the album for "play a variety of obvious cards in her pursuit of country or pop audiences."Personnel
- Laura Bryna – lead vocals
- Tony Harrell – keyboards
- John Hobbs – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
- John Barlow Jarvis – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Bob Patin – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Mike Rojas – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Catherine Styron-Marx – acoustic piano, Hammond B3 organ
- Bryan Austin – electric guitars
- Jeff King – electric guitars
- Brent Mason – electric guitars
- Dan Dugmore – electric guitars, acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, pedal steel guitar
- Steve Gibson – acoustic guitar
- Kerry Marx – acoustic guitar
- Michael Noble – acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar
- Billy Panda – acoustic guitar, mandolin
- Mike Severs – acoustic guitar
- Ilya Toshinsky – acoustic guitar, electric guitars, banjo, mandolin
- Sonny Garrish – dobro, steel guitar
- Mike Douchette – steel guitar
- Mike Johnson – steel guitar
- Zach Runquist – mandolin, cello, violin
- David Hungate – bass guitar
- Alison Prestwood – bass guitar
- Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
- Eddie Bayers – drums
- Paul Leim – drums, percussion
- Greg Morrow – drums
- Casey Wood – chimes, cymbals, shaker, tambourine, timpani, gongs
- Kirk "JellyRoll" Johnson – harmonica
- Larry Franklin – fiddle
- Andrea Zonn – fiddle
- Larry Hall – strings
- Bekka Bramlett – backing vocals
- Lisa Cochran – backing vocals
- Perry Coleman – backing vocals
- Thom Flora – backing vocals
- Tania Hancheroff – backing vocals
- Wes Hightower – backing vocals
- Gale Mayes West – backing vocals
- Kim Parent – backing vocals
- Angela Primm – backing vocals
- Chris Rodriguez – backing vocals
- Russell Terrell – backing vocals
Production
- Roger Sarchet – producer, management
- Kyle Lehning – producer, mixing
- Pat McMackin – recording, additional mixing
- Casey Wood – recording, overdub recording, additional engineer
- Jason Lehning – engineer
- Adam Engelhardt – recording assistant, mix assistant
- Paul Hart – recording assistant, mix assistant
- Matt Coles – recording assistant
- Lowell Reynolds – assistant engineer
- Eric Tonkin – additional vocal engineer and editing
- Doug Sax – mastering
- Sangwook Nam – mastering
- The Mastering Lab – mastering location
- Lorna Leighton – art direction, design
- flytedesign.com – art direction, design
- Dana Tynan – photography
- Felix Fischer – hair stylist
- John Stapleton – make-up
- WRPG Management, Inc. – management