The Hits (Faith Hill album)

The Hits is the first greatest hits album by American country music singer Faith Hill issued in the United States. Originally slated for release on May 8, 2007, the album was delayed several times until it was finally released on October 2, 2007.

Hill initially planned to re-record her prior hits for the album:  It’s been difficult selecting the songs for The Hits. But when we decided to focus on what you’d want, the decisions became much clearer. We’re planning on newer, different versions of some songs and we’ve got a few new surprises on The Hits. Leave it to me, I would’ve made a whole album of surprises, but then it wouldn’t have been The Hits and it wouldn’t be coming out on October 2nd. Ultimately, the live version of "Stronger" (an album track from Cry), a more country sounding "Let Me Let Go" and pop remixes of "Breathe", "The Way You Love Me", and "This Kiss" are the only tracks that differ from their album versions. The album contains all eight of her solo No. 1 Country singles in addition to two songs, "Cry" (No. 12 Country) and "There You'll Be" (No. 11 Country), which topped the AC chart.

History
The first single, "Lost" was released in May, 2007. The song did not perform well on the Country charts peaking at #32. In September 2007, the song was released to AC radio and has peaked at #11 in January 2008. Faith debuted the second and final new track from the album, "Red Umbrella", on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on September 5. The song was released to Country radio on September 13. It peaked at #28 on the country charts. The album also features her Grammy nominated duet with Tim McGraw "I Need You".

The album debuted at #12 on the Billboard 200 and #3 on the Country Albums charts selling 69,368 copies in its first week. This became her lowest debuting album on the Billboard 200 since 1995's It Matters to Me. A special edition of the CD was also released with a companion DVD featuring videos of some of Hill's singles.

In April 2009, after 18 months on chart, the album moved to the Billboard Top Country Catalog Albums. As of the chart dated March 9, 2013, the album has sold 446,055 copies in the US.

Personnel

 * David Angell – violin
 * Greg Barnhill – background vocals
 * Stephanie Bentley – background vocals
 * Bruce Bouton – steel guitar
 * Bekka Bramlett – background vocals
 * Mike Brignardello – bass guitar
 * Dean Brown – fiddle, mandolin
 * Pat Buchanan – electric guitar
 * Tom Bukovac – acoustic guitar, electric guitar
 * Paul Bushnell – bass guitar
 * Larry Byrom – acoustic guitar
 * David Campbell – string arrangements, conductor
 * John Catchings – cello
 * Beth Nielson Chapman – background vocals
 * Lisa Cochran – background vocals
 * Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
 * Perry Coleman – background vocals
 * Bill Coumo – synthesizer
 * Eric Darken – percussion
 * David Davidson – violin
 * Chip Davis – background vocals
 * Dan Dugmore – electric guitar, steel guitar, lap steel guitar, soloist
 * Glen Duncan – fiddle
 * Stuart Duncan – fiddle, mandolin
 * David Dunkley – percussion
 * Connie Ellisor – violin
 * Shannon Forrest – drums, percussion
 * Paul Franklin – dobro, steel guitar
 * Marti Frederiksen – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
 * Byron Gallimore – 12-string acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drum loops
 * Sonny Garrish – steel guitar
 * Vince Gill – background vocals
 * Carl Gorodetzky – violin
 * Jim Grosjean – viola
 * Aubrey Haynie – fiddle
 * Tom Hemby – gut string guitar
 * Denny Hemingson – electric guitar, steel guitar
 * Faith Hill – lead vocals
 * Steve Hornbeak – background vocals
 * Dann Huff – electric guitar
 * John Barlow Jarvis – piano
 * Mary Ann Kennedy – background vocals
 * Jeff King – electric guitar
 * Michael Landau – electric guitar
 * Lee Larrison – violin
 * Tim Lauer – accordion
 * Paul Leim – drums
 * Chris Lindsey – piano
 * B. James Lowry – electric guitar
 * Mark Luna – background vocals
 * Tim McGraw – duet vocals on "I Need You"
 * Chris McHugh – drums
 * Jeff McMahon – Fender Rhodes
 * Terry McMillan – percussion
 * Jerry McPherson – electric guitar
 * Anthony LaMarchina – cello
 * John Marcus – bass guitar
 * Billy Mason – drums
 * Bob Mason – cello
 * Brent Mason – electric guitar
 * Bob Minner – acoustic guitar
 * Jamie Muhoberac – Hammond B-3 organ, piano, programming, synthesizer, synthesizer programming
 * Cate Myer – violin
 * Steve Nathan – keyboards, synthesizer
 * Craig Nelson – bass guitar
 * Jimmy Nichols – keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ
 * Gary Van Osdale – viola
 * Mary Kathryn Van Osdale – violin
 * Monet Owens – background vocals
 * Richard Pagano – drums
 * Kim Parent – background vocals
 * Tim Pierce – electric guitar
 * Kathryn Plummer – viola
 * Don Potter – acoustic guitar
 * Michael Rhodes – bass guitar
 * Chris Rodriguez – background vocals
 * Pam Rose – background vocals
 * Darrell Scott – mandolin
 * Tony Shanahan – bass guitar
 * Ira Siegel – acoustic guitar
 * Pam Sixfin – violin
 * Darren Smith – electric guitar
 * Karen Staley – background vocals
 * Crystal Taliefero – background vocals
 * Julia Tanner – cello
 * Alan Umstead – violin
 * Catherine Umstead – violin
 * Billy Joe Walker Jr. – acoustic guitar
 * Cindy Richardson-Walker – background vocals
 * Biff Watson – acoustic guitar
 * Lari White – background vocals
 * Kris Wilkinson – string arrangements, viola
 * Lonnie Wilson – drums
 * Glenn Worf – bass guitar
 * Curtis Young – background vocals