20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith CD

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith album for sale Normally, greatest hits packages include a few new tracks as bait for longtime fans who already own every CD by the artist. Tim McGraw's GREATEST HITS collection isn't one of those, but it is the perfect place to start for the casual fan who's heard and enjoyed McGraw's songs on the radio. GREATEST HITS does an admirable job of collecting McGraw's biggest successes since his 1994 breakthrough with the very politically incorrect single "Indian Outlaw." The artist's hits usually fall into two categories--rockin' country rave-ups, and tender ballads. The best are collected here: the reach-for-the-Kleenex weeper "Don't Take the Girl," the goofy Mexicana of "Refried Dreams," the rowdy live favorites "Down on the Farm" and "I Like It, I Love It," and the sensuous, slow-burning "It's Your Love," one of two duets with McGraw's wife, Faith Hill. McGraw's later singles show a marked artistic growth, as evidenced by the sweeping, majestic "Please Remember Me," and the introspective "My Next Thirty Years." Two of McGraw's finest singles--"Everywhere" and "One of These Days"--are inexplicably missing, but GREATEST HITS is still a fine purchase for the fan who wants to beef up his or her country music collection. Personnel: Tim McGraw (vocals, guitar). Photographer: Russ Harrington. Personnel includes: Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Patty Loveless, Chris Rodriguez (vocals). Producers: James Stroud, Tim McGraw, Byron Gallimore, Faith Hill.

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith buy CD music All tracks have been digitally mastered using HDCD technology. Although Toby Keith was a regular resident of the Billboard country charts for nearly 10 years before the release of 2002's UNLEASHED, it was that album and its attendant pro-Iraq War anthem, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," that catapulted him to genuine superstar status. The Oklahoma-born singer is often criticized for his politically conservative beliefs, but one listen to GREATEST HITS 2 will make it hard for any listener to resist Keith's warm, commanding baritone, dance-floor-ready neo-traditionalist rhythms, and sharp songwriting. Though it doesn't present anything from Keith's massively popular 2003 record SHOCK'N Y'ALL, the disc does collect many of the best moments from UNLEASHED, PULL MY CHAIN, and HOW DO YOU LIKE ME NOW. The compilation also adds several newly recorded songs and features high-spirited live versions of early hits "Should've Been a Cowboy," and "You Ain't Much Fun." Other highlights include "Beer for My Horses," a staunchly right-wing Willie Nelson duet, and "Stays in Mexico," a freewheeling examination of marital infidelities. A representative overview of an important period in Keith's career, GREATEST HITS 2 is a perfect introduction to a talented and deceptively complex artist. Recording information: Cartee Day Studios, Nashville, TN; Harrah's, Lake Tahoe, NV; Loud Recording, Nashville, TN; Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, NV; Ocean Way Nashville, Nashville, TN; Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA; Shoreline Ampitheatre, Mountain View, CA; Shrimp Boat Sound, Key West, FL; The Holler, Nashville, TN; Upstairs Productions, Oklahoma City, OK. Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals); Brent Mason (electric guitar); Roman Dudok, Gaika James, Willie Roy Jr., Roman Dudock (horns); Clayton Ivey, Steve Nathan (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards); Glenn Worf, Michael Rhodes (bass instrument); Shannon Forest, Shannon Forrest (drums); Scotty Emerick, Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, Kenny Greenberg (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Mark Douthit (saxophone); Julian King (horns, background vocals); John Wesley Ryles, Lisa Cochran, Wes Hightower (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Julian King.

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith songs A lot happened to Toby Keith between the release of this album and the previous year's UNLEASHED. The latter's "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" was a jingoistic, post-9/11 smash that caused much furor. A well-publicized feud with the Bush-bashing Dixie Chicks further raised his profile. With SHOCK'N Y'ALL's album cover and title referencing the war in Iraq, it's obvious Keith had few regrets. Regardless, things start off amiably enough with "I Love This Bar," a souse's reverie worthy of Jerry Jeff Walker or Bobby Bare. Before too long, though, Keith delves into some unabashed liberal-baiting with "American Soldier" and critic-baiting with the self-explanatory "The Critic." The ante is upped considerably on an in-concert recording of "The Taliban Song," about the aftermath of the Afghanistan bombing, but the album closes out on an irreverent note of a different kind with a humorous tune about the after-effects of smoking "Weed with Willie." Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals, acoustic guitar); Biff Watson, Scotty Emerick, Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason, Jerry McPherson, Kenny Greenberg (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Phil Madeira (dobro); Julian King (trumpet, background vocals); Clayton Ivey, Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); Glenn Worf, Mike Brignardello (bass); Shannon Forrest (drums); Wes Hightower, John Wesley Ryles, James Stroud (background vocals). Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals); Mark Casstevens, Scotty Emerick, Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, Kenny Greenberg, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Phil Madeira (dobro); Julian King (trumpet, percussion, background vocals); Clayton Ivey, Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); Shannon Forrest (drums); James Stroud (percussion, background vocals); John Wesley Ryles, Wes Hightower (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Julian King. Liner Note Authors: Wayne R. Halper; Deena Shapiro. Recording information: Cartee Day; LOUD Recording; Ocean Way Studios; Shrimp Boat Studios. Photographers: Richard McLaren; Richard McLaurin. This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith CD music All the songs on Christmas to Christmas are new compositions, several by Keith himself. They range from playful ("Blame It on the Mistletoe") and thoughtful ("Jesus Gets Jealous of Santa Claus") to devastatingly sad ("Santa I'm Right Here"). The playing is casual, back-porch rootsy. It is first and foremost a collection of good songs, well performed, that just happen to be about Christmas. ~ Roch Parisien Includes liner notes by Toby Keith. Recorded at Scruggs Sound Studio, Inc. and Sound Stage, Nashville, Tennessee. Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals); Robert Reynolds, Ron Reynolds (guitar, percussion); Michael Crossno (guitar); B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Duncan Cameron, Reggie Young (electric guitar); Johnny Helms, Sonny Garrish (steel guitar); Felipe Chele Gonzalez (harmonica); Clayton Ivey, Chris Troup (keyboards); Owen Hale, Keith Mellington (drums); Thomas Flora, Dennis Quartet Wilson, Michael Black, Russell Terrell, Dennis Wilson (background vocals). Recording information: Scruggs Sound Studio, Inc., Nashville, TN; Sound Stage, Nashville, TN. Photographer: Glenn Hall. Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals); B. James Lowry (acoustic guitar); Duncan Cameron, Reggie Young (electric guitar); Sonny Garrish (steel guitar); Felipe Gonzalez (harmonica); Clayton Ivey (keyboards); Gary Lunn (bass); Owen Hale (drums); Ron "Snake" Reynolds (percussion, guitar); Michael Black, Thomas Flora, Russell Terrell, Dennis Wilson (background vocals). The Easy Money Band: Michael Crossno (guitar); Johnie Helms (steel guitar); Chris Troup (keyboards); Carl Goff, Jr. (bass); Keith Mellington (drums).

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith buy CD music If you pay attention to the mass media, the ostensible "big news" on UNLEASHED is the opening track, "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)," an anthemic song of vengeful, post-9/11 patriotism whose subtle-as-a-flying mallet lyrics and delivery make Barry ("Eve of Destruction") McGuire sound like James Taylor. Far more palatable are the 11 songs that follow, from the gutsy, churning "Who's Your Daddy?" to the modified Jimmy Buffett-isms of "Good to Go to Mexico," and "It's All Good," a much more satisfying take on the Twin Towers attacks that brings Bruce Springsteen to mind. The more black-humored eye-for-an-eye of the Willie Nelson collaboration "Beer For Horses" also surpasses the aforementioned, writ-large "message song," and it's Stones-like groove is almost enough to make one forgive Keith's insistence upon tacking a live introduction to "Angry American" at the closing to bookend the otherwise-appealing UNLEASHED. Audio Mixer: Julian King. Recording information: Criteria Studios; LOUD Recording; Oceanway Studios; O'Henry Studios; The Hit Factory, New York, NY. Photographer: Russ Harrington. Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals, acoustic guitar); Willie Nelson (vocals); Chris Collins (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Biff Watson, Scott Emerick (acoustic guitar); Brent Mason, Jerry McPherson, Michael Thompson (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Mike Haynes (trumpet); Clayton Ivey, Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); Michael Rhodes (bass); John "JR" Robinson, Shannon Forrest (drums); Curtis Young, Wes Hightower, Scott Emerick, Vickie Hampton, Kim Fleming, Lianna Manis, Lari White, John Wesley Ryles (background vocals). Personnel: Chris Collins (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Scotty Emerick (acoustic guitar, background vocals); Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Michael Hart Thompson , Jerry McPherson, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Mike Haynes (trumpet); Clayton Ivey, Steve Nathan (piano, keyboards); Shannon Forrest (drums); Curtis Young, John Wesley Ryles, Lari White, Vicki Hampton, Wes Hightower, Kim Fleming (background vocals).

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Toby Keith songs After Toby Keith achieved household-name status with two chart-topping albums full of defiant songs and right-wing politics, listeners may have expected more of the same. With 2005's HONKYTONK UNIVERSITY, however, Keith matches his outlaw aspirations to a set of tunes that remind his audience that he is a country singer first and a media icon second. The opening "Honkytonk U" is an autobiographical tune that sounds like an outtake from Waylon Jennings's HONKY TONK HEROES, complete with phase-shifted guitar and a four-in-the-morning vocal delivery. Many of the other tunes here have a 1970s vibe as well, but with a poppier slant; the smooth melody of "Knock Yourself Out" recalls Ronnie Milsap, while the breezy feel of "Big Blue Note" wouldn't sound out of place on a Jimmy Buffett record. "You Caught Me at a Bad Time" is so sensitive, fans might be hard-pressed to believe this is the same guy who sang "The Taliban Song." Of course, none of these stylistic variations would work if Keith wasn't a top-notch writer with a resonant baritone. Lurking behind the super-stud image is a master craftsman capable of delivering rowdy barroom anthems and laid-back love ballads with equal panache. Recording information: Loud Recording, Nashville, TN; Oceanway Nashville, Nashville, TN; Shrimp Boat Sound, Key West, FL; Starstruck, Nashville, TN; Upstairs Productions, Oklahoma City, OK. Photographer: Richard McLaren. Personnel: Toby Keith (vocals); Merle Haggard (vocals); Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Mickey Raphael (harmonica); Steve Nathan (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, keyboards); Clayton Ivey, Tony Harrell, Gordon Mote (piano, keyboards); David Hungate, Glenn Worf (bass instrument); Shannon Forest, Shannon Forrest (drums); John Wesley Tyles, Julian King (background vocals); Mark Casstevens, Scotty Emerick, B. James Lowry, Biff Watson (acoustic guitar); Jerry McPherson, Johnny Hiland, Brent Mason , Brent Rowan (electric guitar); Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Eddie Bayers (drums); Wes Hightower (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Julian King.