Blue Moon (CD - 1996)

Toby Keith & The Easy Money Band: Toby Keith (vocals); Michael Crossno (guitar); Johnie Helms (steel guitar); Chris Troup (keyboards); Carl Goff, Jr. (bass); Keith Mellington (drums).

Additional personnel: Don Potter (acoustic guitar); Sonny Garrish (steel guitar); Ron "Snake" Reynolds (electric guitar, percussion); Brent Mason, Reggie Young, Chris Leuzinger (electric guitar); Tim Gonzalez (harmonica); Clayton Ivey (keyboards); Gary Lunn (bass); Owen Hale (drums); Michael Black, Tom Flora, Russell Terrell, Dennis Wilson, Chuck Cannon, Lari White (background vocals).

Recorded at Scruggs Sound Studio, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee.

Personnel: Michael Crossno (guitar); Don Potter (acoustic guitar); Ron Reynolds (electric guitar, percussion); Chris Leuzinger, Reggie Young , Brent Mason (electric guitar); Johnny Helms, Sonny Garrish (steel guitar); Tim Gonzalez (harmonica); Clayton Ivey, Chris Troup (keyboards); Gary Lunn, Carl Goff, Jr. (bass guitar); Owen Hale, Keith Mellington (drums); Chuck Cannon, Dennis Wilson , Tom Flora, Lari White, Russell Terrell, Michael Black (background vocals).

Recording information: Scruggs Sound Studio, Inc., Nashville, TN.

Long before Toby Keith rose to fame as the boot-brandishing "Angry American" of post-9/11country music, the Oklahoma native was a well-regarded performer who regularly appeared on the charts, but hadn't yet gained mainstream superstar status. On this 1996 outing, Keith, backed by his Easy Money Band, offers up a largely romantic set. "Me Too" finds him calling in sick to work just so he can stay home with his lady, while "A Woman's Touch" features the singer pondering matters of the heart over gently twinkling keyboards, and "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You" stands out as a particularly tender, if not schmaltzy, ballad. In fact, aside from the upbeat tunes "She's Gonna Get It" and "Hello," the record is a notably down-tempo affair that calls attention to Keith's resonant vocals. A far cry from his rowdy, hard-drinking later albums, UNLEASHED and SHOCK'N Y'ALL, BLUE MOON showcases the sensitive side of Keith to charming effect. minimize