Thank You for Being a Friend: The Best of Andrew Gold (CD - 1997)

Personnel: Andrew Gold (vocals, guitar, piano, electric piano, harmonium, keyboards, synthesizer, drums, cowbells, tambourine, timpani, hand claps, percussion, background vocals); Graham Gouldman (guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals); Mark Goldenberg, Waddy Wachtel (guitar); Dennis Karmazyn (cello); Don Menza (shakuhachi); Lee Thornberg, Stephen "Doc" Kupka, Brandon Fields (horns); Paul Reiser (piano); Michael Botts (drums, sleigh bell); David Kemper, Jeff Porcaro, Jim Keltner (drums); Peter Asher (hand claps); Willie Green, Jr. , Don Was, Don Francisco, Gene Garfin, Kenny Edwards, Arnold McCuller, Sir Harry Bowens, Sweet Pea Atkinson, Linda Ronstadt (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: Andrew Gold.

Audio Remasterers: Geoff Sykes; Bill Inglot.

Recording information: Quarkbrain Studios, Los Angeles, CA (1975-1996); Sound Factory, Los Angeles, CA (1975-1996).

Photographer: Ethan Russell.

Thank You for Being a Friend: The Andrew Gold Collection is a comprehensive 20-track overview of Gold's career, featuring not only hits like "Lonely Boy," "Thank You for Being a Friend," and "The Final Frontier," but also an abundance of fine album tracks and two brand-new songs, "Can Anybody See You" and "The King of Showbiz." It may be a bit too much for the casual fan, but it's hard to imagine a more thorough Andrew Gold retrospective than this. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine minimize