George Strait - Strait Out of the Box

A truly comprehensive four-CD compilation covering the years 1976-1995, including all 31 of his number one hits, 11 more chart singles of great musical significance, 19 LP tracks, and 11 more rare tracks, plus a brace of unreleased songs that are anything but leftovers. The opening three tracks, all written by Strait and dating from 1976-1979, show a lot of potential on his part as a singer fronting a competent band. 1981's "Unwound" was where his career lifted off, and his singing takes on serious depth and range. Beyond "Unwound," there's a lot here that could've done well as singles, displaying his early sound as a mix of traditional country and country-pop. Strait ultimately rebelled against the latter, but the songs off of his first two LPs show a prodigious talent in any milieu he'd have chosen to work. Disc two opens with the Bob Wills number "Right or Wrong," which became central to Strait's sound and image and, in the early '80s, was a reminder that as smooth as those early MCA songs had been, Strait had a genuine commitment to western swing and traditional country music. Disc three divides its space between ballads and honky tonk numbers, with some comedy and some bracing western swing. Disc four is all '90s material, right up through 1995. The cut that helped sell this set is Strait's never-issued 1993 duet with Frank Sinatra on "Fly Me to the Moon," which never should have been left off the Duets album -- the two singers' voices sound right together, and the song works as is. The producers have provided a booklet with an extensive biographical essay, a full sessionography, and comments from Strait himself on each of the songs included. ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alan Mayor Photography Alan Moore String Arrangements Andrea Zonn Vocals (Background) Arlene Hardin Vocals (Background) Benny McArthur Guitar (Electric) Beth Gwinn Photography Bill Mabry Fiddle Bill Miller Piano Billy Joe Walker, Jr. Guitar (Electric) Blake Mevis Producer Bob Gelotte Drums Bob Moore Bass Bob Thompson Guitar (Acoustic) Bobby Hardin Vocals (Background) Bobby Thompson Guitar (Acoustic) Bobby Wood Keyboards Brent Mason Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Brent Rowan Guitar (Electric) Buddy Cannon Vocals (Background) Buddy Emmons Guitar (Steel) Buddy Spicher Fiddle Carl Gorodetzky ? Carmelo Roman Photo Research Chip Young Guitar (Electric) Chris Ferrara Design Chuck Berghofer Bass, Rhythm Bass Cindy Cashdollar Hawaiian Guitar, Guitar (Steel) Clyde Brooks Drums Curtis Young Guitar (Electric), Vocals (Background) Dave Kirby Guitar (Acoustic) David Anthony Guitar (Acoustic) David Hungate Bass David Miller Bass David Sanger Drums Dennis Molchan ? Diane Tidwell Vocals (Background) Don Daily Producer Don Putnam Photography Donald Teal ? Donna Sheridan Vocals (Background) Doug Clements Vocals (Background) Eddie Bayers Drums Eldon Shamblin Guitar (Rhythm) Emory Gordy Bass Floyd Domino Piano Frank Sinatra Vocals, Performer Fred Newell Guitar (Electric) Gary VanOsdale ? Gene Chrisman Drums Gene Elders Fiddle George Binkley III ? George Strait Guitar, Vocal Harmony, Photography, Compilation, Vocals, Producer, Vocals (Background) Glen Duncan Fiddle Glenn Meadows Mastering Glenn Worf Bass Gregg Field Drums Gregg Galbraith Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Gwen Kay Vocals (Background) Hank Cattaneo Producer Hank DeVito Guitar (Steel) Hank Thompson Vocals, Performer Hargus "Pig" Robbins Keyboards Harry Stinson Vocals (Background) Henry Strzelecki Bass Hoot Hester Fiddle Hurshel Wiginton Vocals (Background) Jack Ross Bass Jamie Whiting Keyboards Jarrett Gaza Photography Jerry Carrigan Drums Jerry Kroon Drums Jerry Shook Guitar (Acoustic) Jerry Smith Photography Jim Horn Saxophone Jim McGuire Photography Jim Shea Photography Jimmy Bowen Producer Jimmy Capps Guitar (Acoustic) Jody Nix Vocal Harmony Joe Barnhill Guitar (Acoustic), Producer Joe Chemay Bass John Barlow Jarvis Piano John David Boyle ? John Hobbs Keyboards John Hughey Guitar (Steel) John Jarvis Piano Johnny Gimble Saxophone, Mandolin, Fiddle Judy Rodman Vocals (Background) Keith Carter Photography Larrie Londin Drums Larry Byrom Guitar (Electric) Larry Paxton Bass Leland Sklar Bass, Guitar (Electric) Lennie Haight ? Leo Jackson Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) Leon Rhodes Guitar (Bass), Guitar Liana Manis Vocals (Background) Liana Young Vocals (Background) Louis Dean Nunley Vocals (Background) Marcy Cates Vocals (Background) Margie Cates Vocals (Background) Mark Feldman Fiddle Mark O'Connor Fiddle Mark Tucker Photography Marvin Chantry ? Matt Betton Drums Matt Rollings Piano Michael Francis Saxophone Mike Daily Guitar (Steel) Mike Leech Bass Mike Rutherford Photography Mitch Humphries Keyboards Nashville String Machine Group Owen Hale Drums Pamela VanOsdale ? Pat Flynn Guitar (Acoustic) Patrick Williams Director, Conductor Paul Franklin Guitar (Steel), Pedal Dobro Paul Kingsbury Liner Notes Paul Yandell Guitar (Electric), Guitar (Acoustic) Pete Bordonali Guitar (Electric) Peter Nash Photography Phil Fisher Drums Phil Ramone Producer Randy McCormick Piano Randy Scruggs Guitar (Acoustic) Ray Baker Producer Ray Benson Vocal Harmony, Guitar, Producer Reggie Young Guitar (Electric) Richard Bennett Guitar (Acoustic) Rick Henson Photography Rick McRae Guitar (Electric) Ricky Turpin Fiddle, Mandolin Rita Figlio Vocals (Background) Rob Hajacos Fiddle Ron Anthony Guitar Ronnie Brooks Guitar Ronnie Huckaby Piano Roy Christensen ? Ruben Gosfeld Guitar (Steel) Sandra Callaway Vocals (Background) Sherilyn Huffman Vocals (Background) Slick Lawson Photography Sonny Garrish Dobro, Guitar (Steel) Stephanie Woolf ? Steve Chapman Guitar (Rhythm), Guitar (Acoustic) Steve Dorff String Arrangements, Conductor Steve Gibson Multi Instruments, Guitar (Acoustic) Steve Marsh Saxophone Steve Nathan Piano, Synthesizer, Multi Instruments Stuart Duncan Fiddle Terry Hale Bass Tim Alexander Piano Tom Foote Drums Tom Wilkes Photography Tony Brown Producer Virginia Christensen ? Wade McCurdy Vocals (Background) Walter Schwede ? Weldon Myrick Guitar (Steel)