View source for Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines

{{Use American English|date=January 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name         = Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines
| type         = studio
| artist       = [[Garth Brooks]] (as [[Chris Gaines]])
| cover        = GarthBrooksintheLifeofChrisGaines.jpg
| alt          = 
| released     = September 28, 1999
| recorded     = 
| studio       = *[[Ocean Way Nashville|Ocean Way]] (Nashville, Tennessee)
*OmniSound (Nashville, Tennessee)
*[[Quad Studios Nashville|Quad Studios]] (Nashville, Tennessee)
*The Beabstalk ([[Franklin, Tennessee]])
*[[Record Plant]] (Los Angeles, California)
| genre        = {{hlist|[[pop music|Pop]]<ref name=Allmusic/><ref name=ew/><ref name=rs/>|[[pop rock]]<ref>{{Cite journal |jstor = 40071703|title = The Greatest Rock Star Who Never Was: Garth Brooks, Chris Gaines, and Modern America|journal = American Music|volume = 26|issue = 2|pages = 196–222|last1 = MacLachlan|first1 = Heather|year = 2008| doi=10.2307/40071703 |doi-access = free}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,31478,00.html|title=A Different Hat|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|author-link=Christopher John Farley |last=Farley |first=Christopher John|date=September 26, 1999|access-date=September 22, 2019}}</ref>|[[alternative rock]]<ref name="McLeod2010">{{cite book|author=Lisa Earle McLeod|title=The Triangle of Truth: The Surprisingly Simple Secret to Resolving Conflicts Large and Small|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b4J92ASjis4C&pg=PT89|date=January 5, 2010|publisher=Penguin Publishing Group|isbn=978-1-101-17147-9|page=89}}</ref>
}}
| length       = 56:23
| label        = [[Capitol Records|Capitol]]
| producer     = [[Don Was]]
| chronology   = [[Garth Brooks]]
| prev_title   = [[Double Live (Garth Brooks album)|Double Live]]
| prev_year    = 1998
| next_title   = [[Garth Brooks and the Magic of Christmas]]
| next_year    = 1999
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev2 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=Allmusic>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r401931}}</ref>
|rev3 = ''[[The A.V. Club]]''
|rev3score = (mixed)<ref>{{cite news|author=Stephen Thompson |url=https://www.avclub.com/garth-brooks-in-the-life-of-chris-gaines-1798196831 |title=Garth Brooks: In The Life Of Chris Gaines |newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]] |date=April 19, 2002 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>
|rev4 = ''[[Christgau's Consumer Guide]]''
|rev4score = {{Rating-Christgau|dud}}<ref>{{cite web|author=Robert Christgau |url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=garth+brooks |title=CG: Garth Brooks |publisher=RobertChristgau.com |access-date=April 14, 2013|author-link = Robert Christgau}}</ref>
|rev5 = ''The Daily Vault''
|rev5score = B−<ref>{{cite web|author=Christopher Thelen |url=http://dailyvault.com/toc.php5?review=797 |title=The Daily Vault Music Reviews : Chris Gaines Greatest Hits (aka In The Life Of Chris Gaines) |publisher=The Daily Vault |date=October 13, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>
|rev6 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
|rev6score = C−<ref name=ew>{{cite magazine |author=David Browne |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,270949,00.html |title=In... The Life of Chris Gaines Review |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=October 1, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013 |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425220132/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,270949,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|rev7 = ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]''
|rev7score = (favorable)<ref name=cduniverse>{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=1107800&style=music |title=Garth Brooks - In The Life Of Chris Gaines CD Album |publisher=[[CD Universe]] |access-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>
|rev8 = ''[[PopMatters]]''
|rev8score = (favorable)<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Nikki Tranter |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/brooksgarth-inthelife/ |title=Garth Brooks: In the Life of Chris Gaines |magazine=[[PopMatters]] |date=September 27, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013}}</ref>
|rev9 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
|rev9score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=cduniverse/>
|rev10 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
|rev10score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref name=rs>{{cite magazine|author=David Wild |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/garthbrooks/albums/album/208047/review/6067373/inthe_life_of_chris_gaines |title=Garth Brooks: In...The Life Of Chris Gaines |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=October 28, 1999 |access-date=April 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113163425/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/garthbrooks/albums/album/208047/review/6067373/inthe_life_of_chris_gaines |archive-date=November 13, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|noprose=yes
}}
'''''Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines''''', also titled '''''Greatest Hits''''', is an album by American [[country music]] artist [[Garth Brooks]], in which Brooks assumes the fictitious persona of Australian [[Rock music|rock]] artist [[Chris Gaines]]. Originally, this album was intended to be the soundtrack for a movie called ''The Lamb'' that would star Brooks as a rock star recalling the different periods of his life. This album was purposely released a year in advance from the scheduled film release date to pique interest in Brooks performing rock instead of country. ''The Lamb'', however, was never filmed due to financial and management problems.

The album was released on September 28, 1999. It reached No.&nbsp;2 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart behind [[Creed (band)|Creed]]'s ''[[Human Clay]]'', and also gained Brooks his first and to date only appearance in the top 40 of the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, with "Lost in You", which peaked at No.&nbsp;5. The track "It Don't Matter to the Sun" was later [[Cover version|covered]] in 2005, by [[Rosie Thomas (singer-songwriter)|Rosie Thomas]] on her ''If Songs Could Be Held'' album, and later as a duet between [[Don Henley]] and [[Stevie Nicks]] on the [[Target Corporation|Target]] edition of Henley's 2015 album ''[[Cass County (album)|Cass County]]''. The track "Right Now" samples the chorus of The Youngbloods' 1969 hit "[[Get Together (Youngbloods song)|Get Together]]", while the track "Maybe" was previously recorded by [[Alison Krauss]] on her 1999 album ''[[Forget About It]]''.

On November 13, 1999, Brooks hosted ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' as himself but performed the musical number ("Way of the Girl") as Chris Gaines without acknowledging to the audience that they were the same person. The album had disappointing sales compared to Brooks' previous albums, with some citing Brooks' image change of wig and make up, and the album's rock-star [[concept album|concept]] for this fact.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/news/Garth_Flop/33437/p1/|title=Garth Flop: Poor sales for 'The Life Of Chris Gaines' by Garth Brooks|website=www.crossrhythms.co.uk}}</ref>

==Commercial performance==
''Garth Brooks in... The Life of Chris Gaines'' peaked at No.&nbsp;2 on the U.S. [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and peaked at No.&nbsp;5 on the [[Canadian Albums Chart]]. In November 1999, it was certified 2× Platinum by the [[RIAA]].

==Track listing==
{{Track listing
|headline=''Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines'' track listing
| total_length    = 56:23
| title1          = That's the Way I Remember It
| writer1         = [[Tommy Sims]], [[Tony Arata]]
| length1         = 4:29
| title2          = [[Lost in You (Chris Gaines song)|Lost in You]]
| writer2         = [[Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy]], [[Wayne Kirkpatrick]], Sims
| length2         = 3:05
| title3          = Snow in July
| writer3         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick, [[Mike More]], [[Andrew Logan (songwriter)|Andrew Logan]]
| length3         = 4:20
| title4          = Driftin' Away
| writer4         = Sims
| length4         = 4:56
| title5          = Way of the Girl
| writer5         = Kennedy
| length5         = 3:44
| title6          = Unsigned Letter
| writer6         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick
| length6         = 4:17
| title7          = It Don't Matter to the Sun
| writer7         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick, Sims
| length7         = 4:21
| title8          = Right Now
| writer8         = [[Cheryl Wheeler]], [[Chet Powers]]
| length8         = 3:24
| title9          = Main Street
| writer9         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick, [[Trisha Yearwood]]
| length9         = 4:12
| title10          = White Flag
| writer10         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick
| length10         = 4:45
| title11          = Digging for Gold
| writer11         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick
| length11         = 5:08
| title12          = Maybe
| writer12         = Kennedy, [[Phil Madeira]]
| length12         = 5:11
| title13          = My Love Tells Me So
| writer13         = Kennedy, Kirkpatrick, Sims
| length13         = 4:33
}}

== Personnel ==
'''Musicians'''
* [[Garth Brooks]] (as Chris Gaines) – lead vocals, acoustic guitar
* [[Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy]] – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass (1–4, 7, 10–13), backing vocals, lead vocals (13)
* [[Reggie Young]] – electric guitar (4)
* [[Jimmie Lee Sloas]] – bass (5, 6, 8)
* [[James Hutchinson (musician)|James "Hutch" Hutchison]] – bass (9)
* [[Wayne Kirkpatrick]] – keyboards, [[clavinet]], acoustic guitar, drum programming, backing vocals
* [[Tommy Sims]] – keyboards, acoustic guitar, drum programming, backing vocals
* Blair Masters – keyboards (1, 3, 5, 6, 11)
* [[The Allman Brothers Band|Mike Lawler]] – keyboards (3), clavinet (3)
* [[Greg Phillinganes]] – keyboards (3)
* [[Matt Rollings]] – keyboards (4)
* [[Rami Jaffee]] – [[Hammond B3 organ]] (9)
* [[Phil Madeira]] – Hammond B3 organ (10, 12), horn and string arrangements (12)
* Dan Needham – drums (1)
* [[Chris McHugh]] – drums, percussion, drum programming 
* [[Eddie Bayers]] – drums (4)
* [[Kenny Aronoff]] – drums (9)
* [[Lenny Castro]] – percussion (3)
* [[Terry McMillan (musician)|Terry McMillan]] – percussion (12)
* Carl Marsh – horn and string arrangements (12), [[Fairlight CMI|Fairlight horns]] (13)
* Carl Gorodetzky – string contractor (12)
* [[The Nashville String Machine]] – horns and strings (12)
* Lee Leavitt – vocal whispers (8)
* [[Crystal Taliefero]] – backing vocals (9)
* Kelly Shane – stock market reporter (11)
* Chris Harris – chanting (12)
* Mark Heimermann – chanting (12)

'''Technical personnel'''
*[[Don Was]] – [[Record producer|production]] 
* J.B. Baird – recording and mixing
* [[George Massenburg]] – recording and mixing (horns and strings)
* Glenn Spinner – recording and mixing
* Rik Pekkonen – recording

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Weekly chart performance for ''Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines''
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1999)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums ([[ARIA Charts|ARIA]])<ref name="ARIA Chart">{{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/miFcohz |title= Garth Brooks ARIA chart history to April 2025 |publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date=May 18, 2025}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.</ref>
| 122
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCanada|5|artist=Garth Brooks|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|72|id=27328|artist=Garth Brooks|album=...The Life Of Chris Gaines|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2021}}
|-
! scope="row"| Irish Albums (''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'')<ref name=autogenerated3>{{Cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eAgEAAAAMBAJ&q=garth+brooks|title=Hits of the World - Ireland|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|date=October 30, 1999|access-date=July 21, 2012|page=43}}</ref>
| 1
|-
{{album chart|Norway|13|artist=Garth Brooks|album=...The Life Of Chris Gaines|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2021}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|2|artist=Garth Brooks|rowheader=true|access-date=October 14, 2021}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+Annual chart performance for ''Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines''
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1999)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1999/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1999|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 14, 2021|archive-date=January 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150124045933/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1999/the-billboard-200|url-status=live}}</ref>
| 132
|}
{{col-end}}

==Certifications==
{{certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for ''Garth Brooks in...the Life of Chris Gaines''}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Canada|artist=Garth Brooks|title=In the Life of Chris Gaines|award=Platinum|certyear=2000|relyear=1999|access-date=January 31, 2024}}
{{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Garth Brooks|title=In...the Life of Chris Gaines|award=Platinum|number=2|certyear=1999|relyear=1999|access-date=January 31, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

== See also ==
* [[List of most expensive albums]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.myspace.com/chrisgainesofficial Official Chris Gaines Myspace]

{{Garth Brooks}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Hits (Chris Gaines Album)}}
[[Category:1999 albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Don Was]]
[[Category:Garth Brooks albums]]
[[Category:Capitol Records albums]]
[[Category:Works published under a pseudonym]]
[[Category:1990s concept albums]]