What I Do the Best explained

What I Do the Best
Type:	studio
Artist:	John Michael Montgomery
Cover:	whatidothebest.jpg
Released:	September 24, 1996
Recorded:	1996
Studio:	Masterfonics, The Tracking Room, Sound Emporium Studios, Emerald Sound Studios, Woodland Sound Studios, Marsh Laboratory and The Mix Room (Nashville, TN) Sound Kitchen (Franklin, TN) Twin Creeks (Brentwood, TN) New River Studio (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
Genre:	Country
Length:	35:04
Label:	Atlantic
Producer:	Csaba Petocz
Prev Title:	John Michael Montgomery
Prev Year:	1995
Next Title:	Greatest Hits
Next Year:	1997

What I Do the Best is the fourth studio album by American country music artist John Michael Montgomery. The tracks "Ain't Got Nothin' on Us", "Friends", "How Was I to Know" and "I Miss You a Little" were all released as singles, peaking at #15, #2, #2 and #6, respectively on the Hot Country Songs charts, making this the first album of his career not to produce a #1 hit. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA for one million shipments in the US.

"Cloud 8" was later recorded by Canadian country artist Gil Grand on his 1998 debut album Famous First Words.

Personnel

As listed in liner notes.^[1]

• John Michael Montgomery – vocals
• Barry Beckett – keyboards
• Carl Marsh – keyboards
• Steve Nathan – keyboards
• Larry Byrom – electric guitars
• Dann Huff – electric guitars
• John McFee – electric guitars
• Brent Rowan – electric guitars
• Don Potter – acoustic guitars
• Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitars
• Biff Watson – acoustic guitars
• Paul Franklin – steel guitar
• Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
• Leland Sklar – bass guitar
• Eddie Bayers – drums
• Steve Brewster – drums
• Terry McMillan – percussion, harmonica
• Glen Duncan – fiddle
• Louis Dean Nunley – backing vocals
• John Wesley Ryles – backing vocals
• Dennis Wilson – backing vocals
• Curtis "Mr. Harmony" Young – backing vocals

Production

• Csaba Petocz – producer, additional recording, mixing
• Joe Chiccharelli – recording, additional recording
• David Hall – recording assistant, additional recording
• Brad Kinney – assistant engineer
• Chris Stone – assistant engineer
• Mike Clute – mixing (10)
• Brian K. Lee – mastering at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine)
• Lisa Roy – production manager
• P. David Eleazar – art direction, design
• Nick Long – art direction, design
• Jim "Señior" McGuire – photography
• Lynne Cook – photography assistant
• R.B. Miller – photography assistant

Charts

Year-end charts

Notes and References

1. What I Do the Best . John Michael Montgomery . 1996 . CD . Atlantic Records . 82947.
2. Top Country Albums – Year-End 1996. Billboard. April 25, 2021.