State of the Heart (album)

State of the Heart is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter, released by Columbia Records on June 13, 1989.

Featuring a more country sound than her debut Hometown Girl (1987), State of the Heart eventually rose to the No. 28 position on the Billboard's Country Albums chart, with four of its tracks finding places within the Hot Country Singles chart. Chronologically, they were "How Do" at No. 19, "Never Had It So Good" at No. 8, "Quittin' Time" at No. 7, and "Something of a Dreamer" at No. 14.

Track listing
All songs written by Mary Chapin Carpenter unless noted.

Credits

 * Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Jennings – producers
 * Bob Dawson – production assistance, recording, mixing
 * Ted Jensen – mastering

The band

 * Mary Chapin Carpenter – acoustic guitars, lead & backing vocals
 * John Jennings – electric & acoustic guitars, synthesizers, backing vocals, bass ("Too Tired"), piano ("This Shirt")
 * Peter "Tex Luigi" Bonta – accordion, keyboards, acoustic guitar ("How Do")
 * Jon Carroll – organ, piano, keyboards
 * Rico Petrucelli – bass, fretless bass
 * Robbie Magruder – drums, percussion

Additional personnel

 * Mike Auldridge – dobro, pedal steel ("Slow Country Dance")
 * Tommy Hannum – pedal steel ("How Do")
 * Rickie Simpkins – fiddle, mandolin
 * Shawn Colvin – backing vocals
 * Kim Miller, David Premo, Bruce Myers, Steven Day – string quartet ("Goodbye Again")
 * William Zsembery – French horn
 * Strings written, arranged & conducted by Rico Petrucelli