Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (CD - 1998)

Personnel: Toby Keith, Sting (vocals); Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Will McFarland, Kenny Greenberg, Brent Rowan (electric guitar); Paul Franklin, Dan Dugmore (steel guitar); Terry McMillan (harmonica, percussion); Clayton Ivey (piano); Steve Nathan (keyboards, organ); David Hood, Mike Brignardello (bass); Roger Hawkins, Owen Hale (drums); Curtis Young, Dennis Wilson, John Wesley Ryles (background vocals).

Producers: James Stroud, Toby Keith, Nelson Larkin, Harold Shedd.

Personnel: Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar); Will McFarland, Kenny Greenberg, Brent Rowan (electric guitar); Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Terry McMillan (harmonica, percussion); Clayton Ivey (piano); Steve Nathan (organ, keyboards); Roger Hawkins, Owen Hale (drums); Curtis Young, Dennis Wilson (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: John Guess.

Photographer: Tom Smugala.

Five years isn't really a long time to generate 12 monster-size hits for a greatest-hits album, but that's exactly what Toby Keith did. From his first album in 1993 to the release of his first greatest-hits package in 1998, Keith has culled some of his best singles from the charts to create a 14-track ode. He includes only two newbies -- the deliciously suggestive "Getcha Some" and the achingly troubled "If a Man Answers." Those are the first two tracks on the album, so you can get them out of the way quickly if you want to and move on to the music that makes Keith so good, starting with his very first single that went straight to number one, "Should've Been a Cowboy." And you'll kick your heels all the way through "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action," "You Ain't Much Fun," "Who's That Man," and "He Ain't Worth Missing." It might be hard to recall at first that Keith had so many hit singles in the Top Ten, but with one listen, it'll be hard to forget. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia

Toby Keith may not be as much of a household name as his former touring partner Shania Twain, but he's quietly racked up a string of fine country hits since his brilliant 1993 debut single "Should've Been A Cowboy." GREATEST HITS highlights Keith's two main gifts: his resonant, distinctive voice and his knack for writing thoughtful, mature songs about relationships. Hits like "Who's That Man," "We Were In Love" and "Wish I Didn't Know Now" tackle big themes like broken families, infidelity and fading love. The tender "Me Too" deals with a man's inability to express his true feelings.

Of course, Keith isn't all doom and gloom: tracks like "You Ain't Much Fun," "Big Ol' Truck" and "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action" show off his rowdy side. One of Keith's more unusual hits--his version of Sting's ersatz country tune "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying"--seems much more heartfelt than the original. In fact, Sting's guest appearance in the song almost spoils the mood. Two new songs-- the jokey country-rap tune "Getcha Some" and the soulful "If A Man Answers"--balance out the 14-track collection, a good overview of an artist whose talent is often overlooked. minimize