My Man (album)

Background, recording and content[edit]

Tammy Wynette was among the most successful country artist of the sixties and seventies decades. She had a series of chart-topping and top ten country singles that earned her the title of "The First Lady of Country Music".^[3] Between 1971 and 1973, she had five number one singles on the country charts including "My Man (Understands)".^[4] The song served as the lead single and name for Wynette's next studio release. The sessions for My Man were recorded between May 1971 and May 1972 at Columbia Studio B, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The sessions were produced by Billy Sherrill.^[5]


The project contained a total of 11 tracks.^[1] Most of the album's material followed themes centered around housewives staying loyal to their husbands, such as the title track, "Hold On (To the Love I Got)" and "Good Lovin' (Makes It Right)". Other selections such as "You Can't Hang On" and "'Til I Get It Right" had lyrics that described heartbreak.^[2][5] Four tracks on the project had writing credits from Carmol Taylor, while two had credits from Norro Wilson. Wynette herself contributed to two of the album's tracks.^[5] A cover version of "The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A." by Donna Fargo also appeared.^[5] Fargo's version was a number one country single in 1972. The track, "Hold On (To the Love I Got)" was released in 1972 as a single by Barbara Mandrell whose version was a top 40 country single.^[6]