RIDDLES IN THE SAND

Producers: Michael Utley, Tony Brown, Jimmy Bowen. Personnel: Jimmy Buffett (vocals, guitar); Thomas Flora, Larry Lee, Mac McAnally, Wendy Waldman (vocals); Reggie Young , Billy Joe Walker (guitar); Greg "Fingers" Taylor (harmonica); Max Betton (saxophone, drums); John Jarvis (keyboards, synthesizer); Mike Utley (keyboards); Robert Greenidge (drums); Sam Clayton (percussion). Buffett, who never cared for country music, hires Nashville insider Jimmy Bowen as his producer, goes to Fan Fair, puts on a cowboy hat on his album cover, and scores country hits with cheating songs like "Who's The Blonde Stranger?" Actually, things haven't changed that much, it's just a marketing move. ~ William Ruhlmann

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 9/28/1987