Building Bridges (song)

"Building Bridges" is a song written and originally recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Larry Willoughby, co-written with Hank DeVito. Willoughby's version peaked at #55 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1984.^[1]

"Building Bridges"
Single by Larry Willoughby
from the album Building Bridges
Released	1984
Genre	Country
Length	3:32
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Hank DeVito, Larry Willoughby
Producer(s)	Rodney Crowell
Larry Willoughby singles chronology
"Heart on the Line (Operator, Operator)" (1983) "Building Bridges" (1984) "Angel Eyes" (1984)

Chart performance

Chart (1984)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[2]	55

Nicolette Larson version

"Building Bridges"
Single by Nicolette Larson
from the album ...Say When
Released	1985
Genre	Country
Length	3:48
Label	MCA
Songwriter(s)	Hank DeVito, Larry Willoughby
Producer(s)	Tony Brown, Emory Gordy, Jr.
Nicolette Larson singles chronology
"When You Get a Little Lonely" (1985) "Building Bridges" (1985) "Let Me Be the First" (1986)

A year later, Nicolette Larson - the ex-wife of Hank DeVito - recorded the song on her album ...Say When. Her version went to #72 on the same chart.^[3]

Chart performance

Chart (1985)	Peak position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4]	72

Brooks & Dunn/Sheryl Crow/Vince Gill version

"Building Bridges"
Single by Brooks & Dunn featuring Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill
from the album Hillbilly Deluxe
Released	June 5, 2006
Studio	Ocean Way Nashville (Nashville, TN)[5] Emerald Entertainment's tracking room (Nashville, TN)[6] The Sound Kitchen (Nashville, TN)[7] Starstruck Studios (Nashville, TN)[8] Talent Shop Studios[9]
Genre	Country
Length	4:23 (album version)
Label	Arista Nashville
Songwriter(s)	Hank DeVito Larry Willoughby
Producer(s)	Kix Brooks Tony Brown Ronnie Dunn
Brooks & Dunn singles chronology
"Believe" (2005) "Building Bridges" (2006) "Hillbilly Deluxe" (2006)
Sheryl Crow singles chronology
"Always on Your Side" (2006) "Building Bridges" (2006) "Real Gone" (2006)
Vince Gill singles chronology
"The Reason Why" (2006) "Building Bridges" (2006) "What You Give Away" (2007)
Music video
"Building Bridges ((Guest Vocals by Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill) Single Edit)" on YouTube

"Building Bridges" was covered by country music duo Brooks & Dunn and released as the third single released from their 2005 album Hillbilly Deluxe.^[10] It features Sheryl Crow and Vince Gill on background vocals. The song peaked at number four on the country music charts and was nominated for the Country Music Association Award for Musical Event of the Year.

Critical reception

Deborah Evans Price of Billboard described the single favorably, saying that Dunn's "lead vocal is as compelling as always." She also thought that Gill's and Crow's voices made the song "distinctive".^[11]

Music video

The music video takes place in the desert with the band and the duo singing in front of big screens at dusk. The music video was directed by Shaun Silva.

Chart performance

Chart (2006)	Peak position
Canada Country (Billboard)[12]	2
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[13]	4
US Billboard Hot 100[14]	66

Year-end charts

Chart (2006)	Position
US Country Songs (Billboard)[15]	29

Other versions

The song was sung by Steve Sanders as a member of The Mighty Oaks Band (the stage band for The Oak Ridge Boys) as a band feature from 1982-1986. The Mighty Oaks Band also recorded the song, but the recording was never commercially released. Their rendition can be heard on various live concert radio broadcasts from that time period.