Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (CD - 2006)

Personnel: Darran Smith (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Bob Minner (acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin); Denny Hemingson (electric guitar, slide guitar, steel guitar, baritone guitar, dobro); Dean Brown (mandolin, fiddle); Billy Mason (drums).

Audio Mixers: Mike Shipley; Tim McGraw; Byron Gallimore.

Illustrator: Greg Call.

Photographers: Kristin Barlowe; Mark Seliger; Glen Rose; Russ Harrington; Steve Klein ; Marina Chavez; Tony Duran; Danny Clinch.

Unknown Contributor Roles: John Prestia; Marla Blessey; Jerome Clinton Thompson; Heath Stimmel; Johnnie Branham; Dane DeVillier; Mike Rector; Robert Allen; Joey Supak; John Ward.

Tim McGraw was already an established country-pop superstar by the time his first greatest hits collection was released. The albums that followed that compilation, SET THIS CIRCUS DOWN, TIM MCGRAW AND THE DANCEHALL DOCTORS, and LIVE LIKE YOU WERE DYING, were hugely successful as well, providing plenty of material for a GREATEST HITS VOLUME II.

McGraw's success comes partly from his ability to balance popular song styles such as country-rock rave-ups, honky tonk-styled jams, and emotional power ballads. There is evidence of each on this best-of, and while McGraw has a tendency to go over the top at times ("Live Like You Were Dying"), he can also lay down beautiful folk-tinged pickers ("My Old Friend") and surprising duets (with Nelly on "Over and Over"). It's no wonder McGraw is at the top of the contemporary country game. minimize