Mindy McCready - I'm Not So Tough (1999)

Taking a bit of a cue from Faith Hill and Shania Twain, Mindy McCready shoots for the crossover adult contemporary audience with her third album, I'm Not So Tough. She doesn't take things quite as far as either Faith or Shania, retaining a distinct country twang to the music (if not the voice) throughout the album, but it's clear that the album has a smoother, brighter sheen, all the better for pop radio, plus ballads and mid-tempo pop cuts that are designed for wider plays. This may dismay some longtime fans, but McCready pulls it off because she sings with conviction and she has true charisma. That said, the music itself isn't as appealing as that on her first two albums and the material is a bit more uneven, but it is often entertaining and is ultimately at least a musically successful bid at a crossover adult pop record.