West Cross Timbers

West Cross Timbers
head and shoulders photo of Amanda Shires smiling as she looks aside, in front of dark floral pattern
Studio album by
Amanda Shires
ReleasedJanuary 27, 2009 (2009-01-27)
StudioTrue Tone Studio
Genres
Length43:02
ProducersAmanda Shires, David Henry, Rod Picott
Amanda Shires chronology
Being Brave
(2005)		 West Cross Timbers
(2009)		 Carrying Lightning
(2011)

West Cross Timbers is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Amanda Shires. Self-published and released on January 27, 2009, the album was co-produced by Shires, David Henry, and Rod Picott. Cross Timbers is an ecological region which figured in slowing westward expansion by Americans in the 19th century. Profiling her for Lone Star Music Magazine, writer Christopher Oglesby praised Shires' songwriting and noted progression from her previous release, 2005's Being Brave. Shires has explained that West Cross Timbers is actually her singer-songwriter debut album, while the previous album was recorded as a voice and fiddle "calling card" for employers in the music industry.

Track listing

All songs by Amanda Shires except (6, 9, 11):

  1. "Upon Hearing Violins" - 3:05
  2. "Unwanted Things" - 2:48
  3. "I Kept Watch Like Doves" - 2:59
  4. "Put Me To Bed" - 4:50
  5. "Mineral Wells" - 3:52
  6. "Angels and Acrobats" (Rod Picott) - 2:45
  7. "Rings and Chains" - 4:18
  8. "Days in Blankets" - 3:54
  9. "Keep Them Dogs from Barkin'" (Amanda Shires, Lanny Fiel) - 2:22
  10. "Mariann Leola" - 4:36
  11. "Whispering" (John Schonberger, Richard Coburn, and Vincent Rose) - 3:00

Personnel

as listed on the CD digipak:

Musicians

  • Amanda Shires – fiddle, vocals, baritone ukulele
  • David Henry – cello, pianos, organ
  • Rod Picott – guitars
  • Paul Slivka – bass
  • Steve Byam – pedal steel
  • Rich Malloy – drums and chain

Production

  • Amanda Shires - producer
  • David Henry - producer, recording, engineering, mixing
  • Rod Picott - producer
  • Jim Demain - mastering
  • Joshua Black Wilkins - design

References

  1. 1 2 "Release "West Cross Timbers" by Amanda Shires". MusicBrainz. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 West Cross Timbers (CD digipak). Nashville: Amanda Shires. 2009.
  3. ↑ "West Cross Timbers - Amanda Shires". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Cross Timbers and Prairies Ecological Region". Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  5. ↑ Oglesby, Christopher J. (May 1, 2011). "In Profile: Amanda Shires". Lone Star Music Magazine. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  6. ↑ Alford, Aaron (February 19, 2015). "Born Warblin'". Oxford American. Retrieved March 24, 2026.
  7. ↑ Harrison, Alan (May 2014). "Amanda Shires Interview". The Rocking Magpie. Retrieved March 24, 2026.