My Tennessee Mountain Home

Last updated
My Tennessee Mountain Home
Tennesseehome.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedApril 2, 1973
RecordedSeptember 1–October 3, 1972
Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville)
Genre Country
Length31:31
Label RCA Victor
Producer Bob Ferguson
Dolly Parton chronology
We Found It
(1973)
My Tennessee Mountain Home
(1973)
Love and Music
(1973)
Singles from My Tennessee Mountain Home
  1. "My Tennessee Mountain Home"
    Released: December 4, 1972

My Tennessee Mountain Home is the eleventh solo studio album by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released on April 2, 1973, by RCA Victor. The house pictured on the album cover was the house in which the Parton family lived during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Contents

Content

Largely a concept album about her childhood in rural East Tennessee, the album begins with a recitation of the first letter Parton wrote to her parents shortly after moving from her hometown of Sevierville, Tennessee to Nashville in 1964. Most of the songs are fond reminiscences of her youth and family, though in one song, "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", Parton candidly admits that though she is grateful for the lessons the poverty of her childhood taught her, she is in no hurry to repeat the experience. The final cut on the album, "Down on Music Row", recounts her first days on Nashville's Music Row, trying to get a record deal, and thanking those who helped her along the way, making specific mention of Chet Atkins and RCA's Bob Ferguson.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Christgau's Record Guide B+ [2]
Music BoxStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Pitchfork 2.2/10 [4]
Uncut Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [5]

In a positive review of the album, Billboard said,

"This is an autobiography, from start to finish. Telling musically what has happened in Dolly's life, her relationships with her family and friends, her career, etc. A little out of the ordinary and her devotees will love it. It even has liner notes by her parents, and a picture of her early home."

They named "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", "My Tennessee Mountain Home", and "Down on Music Row" as the best cuts on the album. [6]

Though neither the album nor the title single were huge commercial hits for Parton — neither cracked the top ten on the U.S. country singles or albums charts — they remain fondly remembered by her fans; the My Tennessee Mountain Home album is among the most critically praised albums in Parton's catalogue. The title track became one of Parton's better-known compositions.

Legacy

In later years, Parton has used the song "My Tennessee Mountain Home" as a theme song for her Dollywood theme park.

In 2009, "Eugene, Oregon" and Parton's original recording of "What Will Baby Be?," two outtakes from the recording sessions for this album, were released on the 4-disc, career-spanning box set "Dolly." Parton would later re-record "What Will Baby Be?" for inclusion on 1992's Slow Dancing with the Moon .

In 2010, Sony Music reissued the 2007 CD My Tennessee Mountain Home in a triple-feature CD set with Coat of Many Colors and Jolene and they have never been out of print.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dolly Parton.

Side one
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."The Letter"September 5, 19722:03
2."I Remember"October 3, 19723:42
3."Old Black Kettle"September 5, 19722:32
4."Daddy's Working Boots"September 1, 19722:52
5."Dr. Robert F. Thomas"October 2, 19722:36
6."In the Good Old Days (When Times were Bad)"October 2, 19723:26
Side two
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."My Tennessee Mountain Home"September 1, 19723:05
2."Wrong Direction Home"September 1, 19722:28
3."Back Home"October 3, 19722:44
4."The Better Part of Life"October 3, 19723:13
5."Down on Music Row"September 5, 19722:58
2007 CD reissue
No.TitleRecording dateLength
12."Sacred Memories"September 1, 19722:44

Personnel

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References

  1. Allmusic review
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies . Ticknor & Fields. ISBN   089919026X . Retrieved March 10, 2019 via robertchristgau.com.
  3. Music Box review
  4. Wolk, Douglas (April 13, 2007). "Dolly Parton". Pitchfork . Retrieved March 10, 2019.
  5. Alastair McKay Uncut, May 2007, Issue 120
  6. "Radio Action & Pick LPs" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. April 14, 1973. Retrieved January 16, 2020.