Garth Brooks - The Ultimate Hits

In a way, it's like Garth Brooks never retired. He may have stopped touring and releasing new music, but he kept repackaging and reissuing his older albums, striking up an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart highlighted by a second box set called The Limited Series in 2006. That exclusivity contract expired in the summer of 2007, leaving Brooks a free agent, and he capitalized on his freedom almost immediately, delivering the double-disc singles collection The Ultimate Hits just in time for the holiday season of 2007. Where previous Garth repackagings could seem a little unnecessary -- it's not quite clear just how many of his fans needed that second Limited Series anyway -- The Ultimate Hits actually fills in a needed gap within his catalog, as Brooks hasn't had a hit compilation since his first, the 1994 The Hits. That disc was a "limited edition" at least in theory -- there were so many copies pressed it wasn't exactly rare -- and out of print since the mid-'90s, so it wasn't available in most retail stores, plus it didn't cover all the hits he had between its release and his retirement. The Ultimate Hits does exactly that, containing all 18 tracks from The Hits (albeit not in the same sequencing), adding 12 hits that he had in the last half of the '90s, along with four new songs highlighted by a cover of Huey Lewis & the News' "Workin' for a Livin'." The new songs are a nice touch, but the real purpose of this set is to offer casual fans a way to get all of Brooks' best-known hits in one package, and in that regard The Ultimate Hits not only succeeds, it's long overdue. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al "Shaggy" Barclay Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Alan Umstead Strings Allen Reynolds Producer Anthony LaMarchina Strings Antoine Silverman Strings B-3's Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Beau Serry Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Béla Fleck Banjo Bergen White Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Beverly Drukker Strings Bill Kennedy Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Blair Masters Keyboards Bob Mason Strings Bobby Doyle Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Bobby Wood Keyboards, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Bonnie Keen Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Brian Petree Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Bruce Bouton Guitar (Steel), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Bruce Christensen Strings Bruce Sweetman Strings Bruce Wethey Strings Bryan Kennedy Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Buddy Mondlock Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Cale Lang Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Carl Gorodetzky Strings Carlos Grier Digital Editing Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen Strings Carolyn Corlew Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Carolyn Demarzio Strings Carolyn Wann Strings Caryn Wariner Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Cassandra Tormes Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Cate Myer Strings Catherine Umstead Strings Charles Cochran String Arrangements Charles Green Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Chick Lewis Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Chris Leuzinger Guitar (Electric) Christian Teal Strings Connie Ellisor Strings Craig Nelson Strings Curtis Young Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Dale Pierce Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Dan Heins Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Dave Gant Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus David Angell Strings David Campbell String Arrangements David Corlew Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus David Davidson Strings David Gant Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Debbie Nims Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Denise Baker Strings Dennis Burnside String Arrangements Dennis Molchan Strings Denny Purcell Mastering DeWayne Blackwell Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Don Cobb Mastering Donna McElroy Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Dorothy Robinson Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Duke Duczer Assistant Engineer Earl Bud Lee Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Edgar Meyer Bass (Acoustic) Elisabeth K. Small Strings Elizabeth Stewart Strings Eric Conn Digital Editing, Mastering Farrell Morris Percussion, Drums Gail Farrell Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Garth Brooks Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic) Gary Birdwell Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Gary Chapman Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Gary VanOsdale Strings George Binkley III Strings Gerald Greer Strings Gordon Kennedy Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Howard Smith Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Huey Lewis Harmonica Hurshel Wiginton Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Jack Jezioro Strings Jana King Evans Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Janet Askey Strings Jason Thompson Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Jeff Kaplan Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Jennifer O'Brien Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Jerrod Niemann Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Jerry Douglas Dobro Jerry Joyner Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Jim Ed Norman String Arrangements Jim Grosjean Strings Jim Rooney Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Jimmie Lee Sloas Bass Jimmy Mattingly Fiddle, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Joann Cruthirds Strings Jocelyn Jones Strings Joe Harris Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Joe Mansfield Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Joey Miskulin Accordion John Borg Strings John Catchings Strings John Cowan Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony John Kelton Engineer Johnny Christopher Guitar (Acoustic) Johnny Cobb Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Jon Sherberg Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Jon Small Video Producer Julia Tanner Strings Karen Byrd Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Karen Lindsaey Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Karen Winkelmann Strings Kathryn Plummer Strings Kathy Chiavola Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Keith Stegall Engineer Kenny Malone Drums, Percussion Kim Fleming Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Kirsten Cassel Strings Kristin Wilkinson Strings Lane Rose Thompson Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Laura Molyneaux Strings LeDouxers Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Lee Larrison Strings Lee Sartin Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Lisa Cochran Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Lisa Silver Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Louis Dean Nunley Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Luellyn Latocki Vocal Harmony, Art Direction, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Mandy McCormack Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Marabeth Jordon Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Mark Casstevens Guitar (Acoustic) Mark Ivey Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Mark Miller Mixing, Engineer Mark Sissel Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Mark Tucker Photography Mary Beth Felts Make-Up Mary Kathryn Vanosdale Strings Matt Allen Assistant Engineer Matt Lindsey Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Mike Chapman Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Bass, Vocal Harmony Mike Palmerman Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Milton Sledge Drums, Percussion Monisa Angell Strings Nashville String Machine Strings Pamela Sixfin Strings Pat Alger Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic) Pat Flynn Guitar (Acoustic) Patsi Bale Cox Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Paul Bogart Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Paul Tobias Strings Polly Edwards Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Qiane Hale Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Randall Olson Strings Rebekah Lee Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Rebekah Lee Beard Production Assistant Richard Aspinwall Assistant Engineer Richie Brown Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Rob Hajacos Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Fiddle Robert Bailey Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Ron Roark Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Graphic Design, Choir, Chorus Roy Christensen Strings Russell Terrell Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Rusty Jones Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Sam "The Man" Duczer Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Sam Bacco Percussion, Drums Sam Bush Fiddle, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Mandolin Sandy Brooks Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Sandy Mason Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Scott Stem Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Shane McConnell Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Shawn Camp Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Guitar (Acoustic) Stephanie C. Brown Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Steve Morley Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus Steve Wariner Choir, Chorus, Guitar (Acoustic), Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Steven King Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Tami Rose Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Tami Rose Thompson Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Ted Madsen Strings Terry McMillan Harmonica Tim Bowers Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Tom "Big Tom" Endres Digital Editing Tracy Greenwood Producer, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background), Vocal Harmony Travis Cottrell Vocal Harmony, Choir, Chorus, Vocals (Background) Trisha Yearwood Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background) Vicki Hampton Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony Virginia Team Art Direction Wayland Patton Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Wayne Kirkpatrick Guitar (Acoustic) Wendy Suits Johnson Vocal Harmony, Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus Yvonne Hodges Vocals (Background), Choir, Chorus, Vocal Harmony