Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (CD - 2001)

CLINT BLACK GREATEST HITS II includes 4 songs of new material.

Personnel includes: Clint Black (vocals, guitar, classical guitar); Lisa Hartman Black, Steve Wariner, Martina McBride (vocals); Dean Parks, George Doering (acoustic guitar); Hayden Nicholas (electric guitar); Thomas Peterson (saxophone); Lee Thornberg (trumpet); Wendell Kelly (trombone); Randy Kerber (piano, celeste, music box); Matt Rollings (piano); Leland Sklar, Chuck Domanico (bass); John Robinson (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion).

Producers: Clint Black, James Stroud, Mark Wright.

Compilation producer: Clint Black.

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Personnel: Clint Black (electric guitar, classical guitar, background vocals); Lisa Hartman-Black (vocals); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar); Hayden Nicholas (electric guitar); Thomas R. Peterson (saxophone); Lee Thornburg (trumpet); Wendell Kelly (trombone); Matt Rollings (piano, Wurlitzer organ); Randy Kerber (piano, music box); John "J.R." Robinson (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion); Steve Real (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Julian King; Darrell Thorp.

Recording information: Black's Lab, Beverly Hills, CA; Capitol Studios, Hollywood, CA; Conway Studios, Hollywood, CA.

This 16-track Clint Black collection of bona fide hits picks up where the first greatest-hits album left off. Songs like "The Shoes You're Wearing," "When My Ship Comes In," and "Something That We Do" are just some of the kickers that grace this well-chosen package of songs. Added to the mix are three duets that remind you of Black's ability to play off other singers, including the emotionally charged "Still Holding On" with labelmate Martina McBride. Also included here are three new recordings, clearly reflective of Black's newfound fatherhood and his awe for his beautiful wife: "Little Pearl and Lily's Lullaby" expresses his joy at the birth of his daughter, "Money or Love" debates the pros and cons of both, and "Easy for Me to Say" is the sweet follow-up to last year's duet with his wife, Lisa Hartman Black, "When I Said I Do." With over an hour of listening time, Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 is worth every second. ~ Maria Konicki Dinoia

Any artist who's able to put out a second volume of hits must be doing something right. In the case of contempo-country megastar Clint Black, that particular something is a knack for striking just the right balance between old-school country music values and modern, pop-oriented songcraft and production. As GREATEST HITS II makes undeniably clear, Black walks that line with commitment and aplomb. On "Nothing's New" Black observes that "there's nothing like a steel guitar crying at night" and his assertion is borne out by the tune's arrangement. Traditionalist signifiers like this brush up shoulder to shoulder against the widescreen, pop-friendly production of "The Shoes You're Wearing" and "Still Holding On" (wherein Black duets with country thrush Martina McBride). It's just this kind of juxataposition and resultant cross-contextualization that enlivens Black's work. And for hardcore fans who've already got all Black's albums, four new tunes are included as a pot-sweetener. minimize