# Best (Robert Earl Keen album)

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."
Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |

## 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