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The Definitive Collection compiles the key highlights from Mark Wills' up-and-down stint with Mercury Nashville from 1996-2003. A couple other greatest-hits collections preceded this one's release, but there's no question that The Definitive Collection lives up to its billing. It rounds up a total of 18 songs, whereas competing releases such as Greatest Hits (2002) and 20th Century Masters (2004) are cursory, featuring less than a dozen each. Moreover, the packaging of The Definitive Collection is well done: the booklet is filled with glossy photos, the songs are credited and sequenced chronologically, the sound is remastered, and Martin Huxley penned some insightful liner notes (come to find out, it was Wills who'd presented his guitar to President George W. Bush on August 30, 2005 -- in the midst of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the Gulf Coast -- for that infamous, widely circulated photo that became a symbol of the President's inattentiveness to the horrors then taking place in New Orleans). Of the 18 tracks, three come from Mark Wills (1996), four from Wish You Were Here (1998), three from Permanently (2000), three from Loving Every Minute (2001), two from Greatest Hits (2002), and three from And the Crowd Goes Wild (2003) -- a fairly even roundup overall. The style and quality of the inclusions vary, however, with the sensitive ballads of Wish You Were Here perhaps standing out most. The Greatest Hits inclusion "19 Somethin'" is also a clear standout -- Wills' biggest hit, it held the number one spot on the country singles chart for six weeks and is one of the few up-tempo, purely fun songs here. The chronological sequencing of The Definitive Collection is revealing. As the serviceable contemporary country style of Mark Wills gives way to the adult contemporary of Wish You Were Here, you can sense a sea change in direction, and from there, Wills seems adrift, trying on different hats in vain until his contract eventually ran its course. In retrospect, the R&B-tinged schmaltz of Permanently particularly seems like it was an ill-advised detour, while all that followed seems to be a fruitless struggle to regain Wills' lost audience, with the exception of "19 Somethin'," of course, which was a novelty.
© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo
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Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Keith Stegall, Producer - Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brent Mason, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Glenn Worf, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Martin, ComposerLyricist - John Wesley Ryles, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, MainArtist - John D. Willis, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brenda Sweat, ComposerLyricist - Cal Sweat, ComposerLyricist - Dirk Johnson, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1996 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Keith Stegall, Producer - Brent Mason, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Glenn Worf, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Mike Johnson, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - John Wesley Ryles, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, MainArtist - John D. Willis, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - David A. Kent, ComposerLyricist - Harley Campbell, ComposerLyricist - Dirk Johnson, Piano, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1996 Mercury Records
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Aimee Mayo, ComposerLyricist - Reese Wilson, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Keith Stegall, Producer - MATT ROLLINGS, Piano, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Brent Mason, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Glenn Worf, Electric Bass, AssociatedPerformer - Tony Martin, ComposerLyricist - John Wesley Ryles, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, MainArtist - John D. Willis, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1996 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Keith Stegall, ComposerLyricist - Dan Hill, ComposerLyricist - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Paula Montondo, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Allen Shamblin, ComposerLyricist - Steve Seskin, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Paula Montondo, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Skip Ewing, ComposerLyricist - Bill Anderson, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Debbie Moore, ComposerLyricist - Paula Montondo, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Keith Stegall, ComposerLyricist - Dan Hill, ComposerLyricist - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, Additional Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Paula Montondo, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1998 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carson Chamberlain, Producer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - BRIAN MCKNIGHT, ComposerLyricist - Brady Barnett, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Jan Stolpe, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Shelly Peiken, ComposerLyricist - Guy Roche, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brady Barnett, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Jan Stolpe, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Bob Regan, ComposerLyricist - Lewis Anderson, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Brady Barnett, Assistant Mixer, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Jan Stolpe, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2000 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Tom Shapiro, ComposerLyricist - Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Monty Criswell, ComposerLyricist - MICHAEL WHITE, ComposerLyricist - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Matt Rovey, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Steve Harbinson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2001 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carson Chamberlain, Producer - Casey Beathard, ComposerLyricist - John Kelton, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Matt Rovey, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, MainArtist - Steve Harbinson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2001 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carson Chamberlain, Producer, Co-Producer - Keith Stegall, Producer, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Randy Vanwarmer, ComposerLyricist - Rich Alves, ComposerLyricist - B. James Lowry, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - John Kelton, Drum Programmer, AssociatedPerformer - Glenn Worf, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jamie O'Neal, MainArtist - Brady Barnett, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, MainArtist
℗ 2001 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - David Lee, ComposerLyricist - Chris Lindsey, Producer - Wes Hightower, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Chris DuBois, ComposerLyricist - David Bryant, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Akers, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ricky cobble, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - JT Corenflos, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Gunnerson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Greg Droman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, Producer, MainArtist
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Lindsey, Producer - Brett James, ComposerLyricist - Wes Hightower, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Troy Verges, ComposerLyricist - David Bryant, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Akers, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Leslie Richter, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julian King, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Ricky cobble, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - JT Corenflos, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Anthony LaMarchina, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - John Catchings, Cello, AssociatedPerformer - Kris Wilkinson, String Arranger, AssociatedPerformer - Pam Sixfin, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Alan Umstead, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Jim Grosjean, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Gunnerson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Carl Gorodetzky, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Gary Vanosdale, Viola, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Droman, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Dave Davidson, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Teal, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, Producer, MainArtist - Dave Angell, Violin, AssociatedPerformer - Conni Elllisor, Violin, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Craig Wiseman, ComposerLyricist - Jeffrey Steele, ComposerLyricist - Chris Lindsey, Producer - David Bryant, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Akers, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Ricky cobble, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aubrey Haynie, Mandolin, AssociatedPerformer - JT Corenflos, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Gunnerson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Greg Droman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Mark Wills, Producer, MainArtist - Aimee Mayo Lindsey, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills' band, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Vanessa Lynch, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - George Plaster, Unknown, Other
℗ 2003 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Jeffrey Steele, ComposerLyricist - Chris Lindsey, Producer - Kristin Wilkinson, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Steve Robson, ComposerLyricist - David Bryant, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Akers, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ricky cobble, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - JT Corenflos, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID DAVIDSON, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - David Angell, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Pamela Sixfin, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - CONNI ELLISOR, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Gunnerson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Carl Gorodetzky, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Greg Droman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julia Tanner, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Carole Neuen-Rabinowitz, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, Producer, MainArtist - Carolyn Huebl, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Elisabeth Small, Strings, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Lonnie Wilson, Drums, AssociatedPerformer - Chris Lindsey, Producer - Steven Dale Jones, ComposerLyricist - Wes Hightower, Background Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Kristin Wilkinson, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - David Bryant, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Jimmie Lee Sloas, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tim Akers, Keyboards, AssociatedPerformer - Paul Franklin, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Ricky cobble, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Aubrey Haynie, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - JT Corenflos, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - BIFF WATSON, Acoustic Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tom Bukovac, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - DAVID DAVIDSON, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - David Angell, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Pamela Sixfin, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Eric Darken, Percussion, AssociatedPerformer - CONNI ELLISOR, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Todd Gunnerson, Assistant Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Carl Gorodetzky, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Rivers Rutherford, ComposerLyricist - Greg Droman, Mix Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Julia Tanner, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Carole Neuen-Rabinowitz, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Mark Wills, Producer, MainArtist - Carolyn Huebl, Strings, AssociatedPerformer - Elisabeth Small, Strings, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 2003 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
The Definitive Collection compiles the key highlights from Mark Wills' up-and-down stint with Mercury Nashville from 1996-2003. A couple other greatest-hits collections preceded this one's release, but there's no question that The Definitive Collection lives up to its billing. It rounds up a total of 18 songs, whereas competing releases such as Greatest Hits (2002) and 20th Century Masters (2004) are cursory, featuring less than a dozen each. Moreover, the packaging of The Definitive Collection is well done: the booklet is filled with glossy photos, the songs are credited and sequenced chronologically, the sound is remastered, and Martin Huxley penned some insightful liner notes (come to find out, it was Wills who'd presented his guitar to President George W. Bush on August 30, 2005 -- in the midst of Hurricane Katrina's devastation of the Gulf Coast -- for that infamous, widely circulated photo that became a symbol of the President's inattentiveness to the horrors then taking place in New Orleans). Of the 18 tracks, three come from Mark Wills (1996), four from Wish You Were Here (1998), three from Permanently (2000), three from Loving Every Minute (2001), two from Greatest Hits (2002), and three from And the Crowd Goes Wild (2003) -- a fairly even roundup overall. The style and quality of the inclusions vary, however, with the sensitive ballads of Wish You Were Here perhaps standing out most. The Greatest Hits inclusion "19 Somethin'" is also a clear standout -- Wills' biggest hit, it held the number one spot on the country singles chart for six weeks and is one of the few up-tempo, purely fun songs here. The chronological sequencing of The Definitive Collection is revealing. As the serviceable contemporary country style of Mark Wills gives way to the adult contemporary of Wish You Were Here, you can sense a sea change in direction, and from there, Wills seems adrift, trying on different hats in vain until his contract eventually ran its course. In retrospect, the R&B-tinged schmaltz of Permanently particularly seems like it was an ill-advised detour, while all that followed seems to be a fruitless struggle to regain Wills' lost audience, with the exception of "19 Somethin'," of course, which was a novelty.
© Jason Birchmeier /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 01:07:06
- Main artists: Mark Wills
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Mercury Nashville
- Genre: Blues/Country/Folk Country
© 2007 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2007 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
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