El Mirage (album)

El Mirage is the sixth album by American singer-songwriter Jimmy Webb, released in May 1977 by Atlantic Records. This was the second album for which Webb handed production and arrangement duties on to another person, George Martin, producer of the Beatles. The album is notable for containing "The Highwayman", a song that later provided both the name and first hit for the Highwaymen, a country supergroup comprising Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson. Jennings also recorded the track "If You See Me Getting Smaller" for his album Ol Waylon (1977). The cover was photographed at El Mirage Lake, Mojave Desert, California.

Critical response

In his review for AllMusic, William Ruhlmann called the album "his most polished effort yet as a performer". Ruhlmann noted the "lush tracks full of tasty playing and warm string charts", and continued:

The AllMusic website gave the album four and a half out of five stars.

Track listing

Personnel

Music

Jimmy Webb – vocals, keyboards

George Martin – arranger, conductor, keyboards, synthesizer

David Paich – keyboards, synthesizer

Fred Tackett – guitar

Dean Parks – guitar

Lowell George – slide guitar

Herb Pedersen – banjo, 12-string guitar, background vocals

Harry Bluestone – concertmaster

David Hungate – bass

Larry Knechtel – bass

Dee Murray – bass

Harvey Mason – percussion

Nigel Olsson – drums

Jim Gordon – drums

Kenny Loggins – vocals

Billy Davis Jr. - vocals

George Hawkins – vocals

Sherlie Matthews – background vocals

Susan Webb – background vocals

Clydie King – background vocals

Production

George Martin – producer

John H. R. Mills – engineer

John Mills – engineer

George Tutko – engineer

Bob Fisher – mastering

Bob Defrin – art direction

Steve Smith – photography

Henry Diltz – cover photograph

Richie Unterberger – liner notes

References

1977 albums

Albums arranged by George Martin

Albums conducted by George Martin

Albums produced by George Martin

Atlantic Records albums

Jimmy Webb albums