There have been plenty of Randy Travis compilations, from the initial 1992 Greatest Hits to Rhino's superb 2002 double-disc set Trail of Memories: The Randy Travis Anthology, but there is still place in his catalog for Rhino's 2004 The Very Best of Randy Travis. Essentially, this is a single-disc distillation of Trail of Memories, with 19 of its 20 tracks also featured on the previous compilations -- and it's not just that they're duplicated, it's that these are the same versions, the same single edits and mixes, that were on the two-CD set. The one new track is "Three Wooden Crosses," a 2003 single that became his first country chart-topper since 1994. It's a welcome addition, but not enough to make this necessary to anybody who already owns Trail of Memories, but for those who don't have that excellent collection, this is worth considering since it covers the same ground more concisely, providing the best single-disc overview of Travis released to date. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
Russ Barenberg (Guitar (Acoustic)), Jerry Douglas (Dobro), Verlon Thompson (Vocals (Background)), Randy Travis (Main Performer), Take 6 (Vocals (Background)), Greg Walker (Vocals (Background)), Carol Chase (Vocals (Background)), Steve Gibson (Dobro), Steve Gibson (Mandolin), Steve Gibson (Guitar (Electric)), Steve Gibson (Guitar (12 String)), Don Schlitz (Choir, Chorus), Eric Darken (Percussion), Troy Seals (Choir, Chorus), John Wesley Ryles (Vocals (Background)), James Austin (Compilation Producer), Kathie Baillie (Choir, Chorus), Eddie Bayers (Drums), Joseph Bogan (Engineer), Michael Bonagura, Jr. (Choir, Chorus), Dennis Burnside (Piano), Dennis Burnside (Keyboards), Dennis Burnside (Piano (Electric)), Larry Byrom (Guitar (Acoustic)), Larry Byrom (Slide Guitar), Mark Casstevens (Guitar (Acoustic)), Alvin Chea (Group Member), Cherry Sisters (Vocals (Background)), Cherry Sisters (Choir, Chorus), Doug Clements (Group Member), Shane Keister (Organ), Cedric Dent (Group Member), Béla Fleck (Banjo), Roy Galloway (Vocals (Background)), Doyle Grisham (Pedal Steel), Doyle Grisham (Guitar (Steel)), Sherilyn Huffman (Group Member), David Hungate (Bass), John Jarvis (Piano), Jelly Roll Johnson (Harmonica), Joey Kibble (Group Member), Mark Kibble (Group Member), Kyle Lehning (Producer), Kyle Lehning (Engineer), Kyle Lehning (Mixing), Kyle Lehning (Wurlitzer), Kyle Lehning (Original Recording Producer), Paul Leim (Drums), Steve Lindsey (Synthesizer), Steve Lindsey (String Arrangements), Steve Lindsey (Kurzweil Strings), Mac McAnally (Guitar (Acoustic)), Brent Mason (Guitar (Electric)), Brent Mason (6-String Bass), Claude V. McKnight III (Group Member), Gordon Mote (Keyboards), Louis Dean Nunley (Group Member), Mark O'Connor (Fiddle), Dean Parks (Guitar), Dean Parks (Soloist), Richard Perry (Bass (Vocal)), Richard Perry (Producer), Richard Perry (Original Recording Producer), Gary Peterson (Project Assistant), Suzy Ragsdale (Vocals (Background)), Cindy Richardson Walker (Vocals (Background)), Tom Roady (Percussion), Darrell Scott (Vocals (Background)), Allen Shamblin (Choir, Chorus), Lisa Silver (Vocals (Background)), Lisa Silver (Group Member), Keith Stegall (Choir, Chorus), Keith Stegall (Producer), Keith Stegall (Original Recording Producer), Diane Vanette (Group Member), Billy Joe Walker, Jr. (Guitar (Electric)), Hurshel Wiginton (Group Member), Jack Williams (Bass), Curtis Young (Vocals (Background)), Curtis Young (Harmony Vocals), Curtis Young (Group Member), Robert K. Oermann (Liner Notes), Dennis Wilson (Vocals (Background)), Jason Lehning (Engineer), Kirt Odle (Engineer), John Barlow Jarvis (Piano), Larrie Londin (Drums), John Condon (Engineer), Maria Villar (Art Direction), Maria Villar (Design), Pam Francis (Cover Photo), Lib Hatcher (Choir, Chorus), Reggie Collins (Project Assistant), Ben Harris (Engineer), Martha Sharp (Choir, Chorus), Pat Kraus (Remastering), Tennessee (Vocals (Background)), Sheryl Farber (Project Assistant), Alan Fletcher (Project Assistant), Wes Hightower (Vocals (Background)), Larry Beaird (Guitar (Acoustic)), Randy Perry (Project Assistant), Fred White (Vocals (Background)), Leigh Hall (Project Assistant), Becky Wagner (Project Assistant), Matthew Abels (Project Assistant), David Thomas (Group Member)
