Hey, Y'all

Elizabeth Cook signed a record deal with Atlantic Records following the independent release of her debut studio album The Blue Album (2000), which consists of demos she recorded between 1997 and 2000.[1] Prior to receiving the offer, Cook had performed over 100 times at The Grand Ole Opry; Robert L. Doerschuk of AllMusic wrote that these experiences had "built strong ties to the audience most likely to respond to her debut album".[2] Cook collaborated with performers she met at the venue, including The Whites and The Carol Lee Singers, for Hey Y'all.[3]

In early 2001, Cook completed Hey Y'all at Javeline Studios, The Hum Depot, and Vital Recording in Nashville, Tennessee, and Sound Kitchen in Franklin, Tennessee.[2][4] Discussing her approach for the record, she said that she balanced her "artistic integrity" with its potential commercial success.[3] Cook wrote most of the record with Hardie McGehee,[3][5] with whom she had worked because they were signed to the same publisher.[6] Cook has three solo writing credits on the album, and she also wrote songs with Tim Carroll.[3][5] Richard Dodd was the album's executive producer, and he produced all of its songs.[5] Cook chose Dodd, who never worked on a country album, to avoid the "obvious go-to guys" and the popular production styles of the time.[3]

Music critics compared Cook's voice to that of Dolly Parton (pictured in 2011);[1][2][7] to whom she had a song on Hey, Y'all dedicated.[2]

Hey Y'all is a country music album that has twelve tracks.[2][8] Billboard's Melinda Newman described the album as traditional country, writing that Cook indicated "the future of country music is a return to its hardcore roots".[8] Stephen L. Betts of Rolling Stone wrote that Cook was "unapologetically country" with the album.[9] Cook's vocals received comparisons with those of Loretta Lynn, Deana Carter, Kelly Willis, and Dolly Parton.[1][2][7][8] Robert L. Doerschuk said Cook's voice has a "nasal intonation and Southern lilt",[2] and Newman wrote that her performance was "often plaintive" throughout the album.[8] According to a writer from Billboard, the album's lyrics revolve around Cook's experiences living "the hard-knock life".[10]

Critics identified several genres throughout the album. One noted influence was honky-tonk.[2][7] According to Style Weekly's Mike Hilleary, Cook had become known for "her loyalty to old-time honky-tonk and weeping country ballads" due to the release of Hey Y'all.[7] The Chicago Tribune's Steven Knopper cited the album as an example of Cook's "folksy sense of humor".[11] Phyllis Stark of Billboard wrote that some of the songs contain gospel and pop influences.[3] Several of the instrumentals include a steel guitar.[2]

When discussing Hey Y'all's first set of songs, Newman wrote that "the twang factor goes to 11".[8] The opening track is "Stupid Things", which Doerschuk said has a "barn-dance hook".[2] A CMT contributor referenced the third track "Mama You Wanted to Be a Singer Too" as a "straight country song". When discussing its message, Cook said that it was about her mother's dream of becoming a country singer; the lyrics describe how her mother had five children with her first husband before he abandoned her.[6] The fourth song "Dolly" is a "good-humored tribute" to Dolly Parton;[2] throughout the lyrics, Cook asks Parton about her experiences in the music industry.[8] The following tack "I'm Not Lisa" is a cover of the 1975 single by Jessi Colter.[2]

According to Stark, the sixth song "Everyday Sunshine" has influences from pop music;[3] Doerschuk wrote that the eighth track "Demon" is a "finger-wag warning set to a honky-tonk saunter".[2] The instrumental of the following song "Blue Shades" is built around "classic old-time harmonies and medium-tempo rockabilly sway". The tenth track "Don't Bother Me" is a "barroom lament" that includes a monologue from Bill Anderson. Doerschuk referred to "God's Got A Plan" as a "gospel hand-clapper".[2] The album closes with the country ballad "Ocala", in which Cook sings about the Florida city of the same name.[6]

While Cook was recording the album, AOL-Time Warner—which owned Atlantic Records—closed its Nashville office and Cook was then transferred to Atlantic's parent company Warner Bros.[4] Warner Bros. released Hey Y'all on August 27, 2002, on audio CD, cassette, and digital download formats;[12] it was Cook's debut on a major record label.[1] Cook referred to the album's promotion as a grassroots campaign and said it would "focus on markets that we feel we can get traditional music played".[3]

"Stupid Things" was released as the album's lead single on July 29, 2002,[3][13], and was promoted with an accompanying music video.[13] The video was played on country video networks in September 2002.[3] Though the track was sent to country radio and received a positive response from music directors,[3] it did not receive any airplay due to complications with the label.[4] Craig Shelburne of CMT said that the single was commercially unsuccessful due to criticisms that it was “too country”.[13] When responding to this feedback, Cook said; "It's not for everybody, because it does have a very country, in-your-face sound".[3]

Hey Y'all was not heavily promoted due to "constant restructuring at the label";[1] it was commercially unsuccessful.[14] Cook left Warner Bros. in 2003 to pursue a career in indie music.[1][4][15] According to a CMT writer, Cook's publishing and recording contracts were "dissolved".[6] When describing her experience with a major label, Cook said:

There’s an infinite amount of resources which (major labels) will spend very foolishly, and that has, in many ways, stalled and become ineffective for growing a lot of artists. It still can work as a good launching pad, and this is just my experience, but they didn’t really encourage certain things that worked for me.[16]

Critics responded positively to Hey Y'all.[17] Phyllis Stark wrote that Cook's "distinctive drawl and hardcore country delivery" pulled the album together.[3] Robert L. Doerschuk praised Cook's vocals for "bear[ing] the ring of authenticity" and her songwriting for "bypass[ing] contemporary distractions in order to connect directly to a more conservative aesthetic".[2] While commending Cook's songwriting, Melinda Newman questioned her attitude, and described her as having "a certain naiveté that may have worked in the '60s or '70s that sometimes wears a little thin here".[8] In a 2011 article, Edd Hurt of the Nashville Scene wrote that Hey Y'all and The Blue Album had "their moments" but Cook really "hit her stride" with the release of the song "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be a Woman" from her fourth studio album Balls (2007).[18]

Writing and production credits for the songs are taken from the booklet of Hey, Y'all. Richard Dodd produced all of the songs on the album, and Elizabeth Cook and Hardie McGehee wrote the songs except where noted.[5]

The following credits were adapted from the booklet of Hey Y'all and AllMusic:[5][19]

• Hey Y'all at Discogs