The Best of Crystal Gayle [Rhino] (CD - 2002)

Personnel includes: Crystal Gayle (vocals); Eddie Rabbitt (vocals, acoustic guitar); Larry Muhoberac (arranger, conductor); Jim Colvard (acoustic & electric guitars); Johnny Christopher, Dave Kirby (acoustic guitar); Allen Reynolds, Billy Joe Walker, Jr., Reggie Young (electric guitar); Buddy Spicher (fiddle); The Sheldon Kurland Strings, The Nashville String Machine (strings); Billy Puett (flute, clarinet); John Jarvis (piano, electric piano); Bobby Wood (piano, organ, keyboards); Hargus "Pig" Robbins (keyboards); Shane Keister (Moog synthesizer); Joe Allen, Mike Leech

(bass); Gene Chrishman, Jim Isbell (drums, percussion); Larrie London (drums); Sonny Wright, Peggy Sue Wright (background vocals).

Producers include: Allen Reynolds, David Malloy, Jimmy Bowen, Jim Ed Norman,

Crystal Gayle.

Compilation producer: James Austin.

Engineers include: Garth Fundis, John Donegan, Brent King.

Recorded between 1977 and 1995. Includes liner notes by Holly Gleason.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Eddie Rabbitt (vocals, acoustic guitar); Billy Joe Walker, Jr. (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Chris Leuzinger (guitar, acoustic guitar); Larry Byrom, Reggie Young (guitar, electric guitar); Bruce Dees (guitar, background vocals); Jon Goin (guitar); Dean Parks, Jim Colvard, Steve Gibson (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Mark Casstevens (acoustic guitar, mandolin); Dave Kirby, Johnny Christopher (acoustic guitar); Allen Reynolds (electric guitar, background vocals); Dan Huff, Josh Leo (electric guitar); Lloyd Green, Anthony Crawford, Sonny Garrish, Bruce Bouton (steel guitar); Buddy Spicher (fiddle); Charles Cochran (strings, grand piano, electric piano, keyboards); Billy Puett (flute, clarinet); Jim Horn (piccolo, saxophone); Jay Patten (saxophone); John Jarvis (piano, grand piano); Bobby Wood (piano, electric piano, organ, keyboards, synthesizer, background vocals); Randy Kerber (piano, electric piano); Barry Beckett (piano); Robbie Buchanan (electric piano); Dennis Burnside (Fender Rhodes piano); Randy McCormick (keyboards, string synthesizer); John Hobbs, Hargus "Pig" Robbins (keyboards); Shane Keister (synthesizer, Moog synthesizer); Dave Innis, Mike Lawler, Alan Steinberger (synthesizer); Gene Chrisman, James Stroud, Kenny Malone, Jim Isbell (drums, percussion); John "J.R." Robinson , Larrie Londin, Eddie Bayers, Paul Leim, Milton Sledge (drums); Tom Roady (congas, tambourine); Cindy Richardson, Bill Gatzimos, Pebble Daniel, Dennis Wilson , Peggy Sue Wright, Garth Fundis, Sonny Wright, Mike Eldred, Sandy Mason Theoret, Frank Saulino, James Valentini, Phil Forrest, Janie Fricke, Jim Ferguson , Joy Gardner, Lisa Silver, Marcia Routh (background vocals).

Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Liner Note Author: Holly Gleason.

Director: Crystal Gayle.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Sheldon Kurland; The Sid Sharp Strings; Nashville String Machine.

Rhino's 2002 release The Very Best of Crystal Gayle has many of her biggest hits, but it's not necessarily a representative collection. That's because the 19-track compilation concentrates on recordings that WEA, Rhino's parent company, owns -- so after the first two songs, including her defining moment "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue," it moves into her recordings for Elektra in the early '80s. Some of these were big country hits, some, like her Eddie Rabbitt duet "You and I," were even crossover hits, but they weren't as definitive as those she made for United Artists and Columbia, nor were they as good. They tend to be a little homogenized, even when they're good, which means this collection is a little too even-keeled for those that are expecting more of "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue." Which means that even if this summarizes Gayle's '80s recordings well, it's not really the very best she ever recorded. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize