Painted Desert Serenade is the debut studio album by American pianist/singer-songwriter
Joshua Kadison, released in 1993 on
SBK (a subsidiary of
Capitol Records). It features two
singles, both of which reached the top 30 on the US
Billboard Hot 100: "
Jessie" peaked at number 26, while "
Beautiful in My Eyes" reached number 19 in 1994. The album was certified Gold in the United States in August 1994, and Platinum the following April.
Reviewing the album for
AllMusic, Bryan Buss called it "chock full of odes to finding romance, longing for romance and losing romance".[1]Music & Media wrote, "Whereas most singer/songwriters operate in the cult hero circle, Kadison has an unmistakable ACE potential. The single Jessie could tear down walls like '
Walking in Memphis' did for
Marc Cohn. Those who even think that that's too left of centre should recognise that his voice comes close to
Billy Joel and most of all to
Elton John. The track 'Beau's All Night Radio Love Line' is the finest about this delicate subject since Ben Vaughn's 'The Apology Line'."[2]
Susie Hansen, Andrew Parker, George Robertson, Robert Smissen and Stephen Tees – viola
Mark Berrow, Ben Cruft, Roger Garland, Wilfred Gibson, Roy Gillard, Tim Good, Rita Manning, Peter Oxer, Bill Penham, Barry Wilde, David Woodcock and Gavyn Wright – violin
Recorded at Red House Studios (Bedfordshire, UK); Westside Studios and
Abbey Road Studios (London, UK); The Mill Studios (Cookham, UK); Music Grinder Studios (Hollywood, California);
Track Record Studios and Pacifique Studios (North Hollywood, California).