Best, a compilation album by folk singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen, released by Koch Records on November 7, 2006. The album features songs from six of Keen's previous albums: No Kinda Dancer, A Bigger Piece of Sky, No. 2 Live Dinner, Farm Fresh Onions, What I Really Mean, and Live at the Ryman: The Greatest Show Ever Been Gave.
Reception The AllMusic review by Mark Deming gave the album 3½ stars stating: "Robert Earl Keen is an archetypal Texas singer/songwriter, someone who can mine both laughter and tragedy from life along the dusty margins of life in the Lone Star State... a comprehensive and well-programmed compilation offering a fully rounded introduction to his music would be more than welcome. However, 2007's Best isn't quite that album... If you're looking for a concise, career-spanning overview of Robert Earl Keen's long career in music, Best isn't as much help as you might wish, but the consistent quality is a sure convincer."Deming, M. Allmusic Review accessed December 24, 2010
Track listing All tracks by Robert Earl Keen except where noted "No Kinda Dancer" (from No Kinda Dancer) – 3:07 "Willie" (from No Kinda Dancer) – 2:36 "Armadillo Jackal" (from No Kinda Dancer) – 3:26 "Paint the Town Beige" (from A Bigger Piece Of Sky) – 4:34 "Whenever Kindness Fails" (from A Bigger Piece Of Sky) – 3:38 "Corpus Christi Bay" (from A Bigger Piece Of Sky) – 3:59 "Merry Christmas from the Family" (from No. 2 Live Dinner) – 3:54 "The Road Intro" (from No. 2 Live Dinner) – 5:08 "The Road Goes on Forever" (from No. 2 Live Dinner) – 7:45 "Furnace Fan" (from Farm Fresh Onions) – 3:58 "All I Have Is Today" (from Farm Fresh Onions) – 3:28 "Let the Music Play" (Keen, Bill Whitbeck) (from Farm Fresh Onions) – 5:36 "For Love" (from What I Really Mean) – 4:24 "Mr. Wolf and Mama Bear" (from What I Really Mean) – 3:46 "Ride" (from What I Really Mean) – 3:45 "Feeling Good Again" (from Live At The Ryman) – 3:15 "Gringo Honeymoon" (from Live At The Ryman) – 4:53 "I'm Comin' Home" (from Live At The Ryman) – 4:17
Personnel
Robert Pool – Fender Bass Dan Augustine – horn arrangements, trombone, tuba Danny Barnes – banjo Rich Brotherton – audio production, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, rhythm guitar, producer, vocal harmony Nick Connolly – organ Bryan Duckworth – fiddle Dave Durocher – drums, vocal harmony, backing vocals Joe Ely – pedal steel Denice Franke – vocal harmony, vocals, backing vocals Nanci Griffith – vocal harmony, backing vocals Fred Gumaer – drums John Hagen – cello Melissa Story Haycraft – executive producer Dan Huckabee – dobro Robert Earl Keen Jr. – audio production, acoustic guitar, rhythm guitar, producer, vocals Mike Landschoot – acoustic guitar, electric guitar Randy LeRoy – mastering Lyle Lovett – vocal harmony, backing vocals Lloyd Maines – audio production, pedal steel, producer George Marinelli – electric guitar, vocal harmony, backing vocals Ian McLagan – organ Eamon McLoughlin – fiddle, viola Marty Muse – pedal steel Riley Osborne – piano Chuck Rhodes – production coordination Phil Richey – trumpet Elliott Rogers – backing vocals Bill Schas – trombone Michael Snow – bodhran, tenor banjo Jay Spell – accordion Tommy Spurlock – acoustic guitar, gut string guitar, lap steel guitar, pedal steel Marty Stuart – mandolin Paul Sweeney – mandolin Garry Tallent – electric bass, upright bass Tom Van Schaik – drums, percussion Garry Velletri – audio production, producer Bill Whitbeck – bass, electric bass Elizabeth Yoon – art direction, design Jonathan Yudkin – violin
References