| Pure & Simple | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 19, 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 2015–2016 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 33:00 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | Dolly Parton | |||
| Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Pure & Simple | ||||
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Pure & Simple is the forty-fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released worldwide on August 19, 2016 by Dolly Records and RCA Records. "Pure & Simple" is Dolly Parton's seventh #1 country album. It is her first #1 country album in 25 years.
The genesis for the project was a pair of intimate concerts Parton performed at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium in August 2015, featuring Parton and a quartet of backing players, entitled "Dolly Parton: Pure and Simple". The concerts were repeated the following weekend with four performances at Dollywood. The shows were well received and from that emerged the idea to produce a similarly-stripped down album and tour.
At a press conference held in Toronto, Canada on June 13, 2016 Parton covered a wide range of topics to promote the Canadian leg of her Pure & Simple Tour. Among the tidbits were that the album would be distributed worldwide by Sony Music for Dolly Records, its release date had been moved from August 26 to 19, that the title track would be a single and that "Outside Your Door" might be the second single. [1] The album was ultimately distributed through RCA Nashville, effectively reuniting Parton (who had been with RCA from 1967 to 1986) with her longtime record label.
Four songs from the album have been previously recorded by Parton. "Tomorrow Is Forever" was originally recorded as a duet with Porter Wagoner for their 1970 album Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca . "Say Forever You'll Be Mine" was also originally recorded as a duet with Porter Wagoner for their 1975 album of the same name. "Can't Be That Wrong", with a few lyrical differences, was previously recorded as "God Won't Get You", and released on the soundtrack to Parton's 1984 film Rhinestone . The bonus track "Mama" was featured in Dollywood's My People production from 2013 to 2017.
The bonus track "Mama" was released as a free download for Mother's Day via Parton's official website on May 4. [2]
On July 7, Parton revealed the album's artwork and track listing in an article by the Huffington Post . It was also announced that the album would be available for pre-order beginning July 8. [3]
USA Today published an interview with Parton about the album on August 16, and it featured a first-listen to the album track "Can't Be That Wrong". [4]
The album was released August 19 on CD and digital download. A variety of CD versions were released. The standard version featured the 10-track album. The deluxe version of the album sold at Walmart stores contained two bonus tracks and a bonus CD featuring ten of Parton's biggest hits. The European version of the album contained two bonus tracks and a bonus CD of Parton's 2014 Glastonbury set. A deluxe version of the album was released August 26 exclusively at Cracker Barrel. This version of the album comes with a 30-page booklet, two bonus tracks from Parton's Glastonbury set, a magnet, and a coupon booklet.
The Pure & Simple Tour was announced March 6, 2016 on Parton's official website. [5] A press conference was held the following day providing additional details concerning the tour. The trek was Parton's biggest tour in 25 years. [6] Parton played 64 dates across the United States and Canada, visiting the most requested markets missed on previous tours. Parton explained that a tour was not initially planned due to her busy schedule, [7] but following two sold out performances at the Ryman Auditorium in August 2015, [8] and four shows the following weekend at Dollywood, her interest in returning to the stage was sparked.
On July 6, Parton announced via Twitter that her new single, "Pure and Simple", would receive its radio debut on BBC Radio 2 during the Ken Bruce Show on July 7. [9] Its lyric video was debuted on July 7 by the Huffington Post . [3] The single was released to all digital music platforms on July 8.
The album's second single, "Outside Your Door", was released July 29, along with its lyric video.
On September 15, Cosmopolitan published an article announcing "Head Over High Heels" as the album's third single and premiered the lyric video. [10]
To promote the album and tour, as well as Dollywood, Parton appeared on Hallmark Channel's Home & Family everyday during the week of May 30–June 3. Throughout the week Parton performed seven songs: three new songs off the album ("Pure and Simple", "Mama", and "Say Forever You'll Be Mine"), one song from the movie Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors ("Angel Hill" with Alyvia Alyn Lind), and three classics ("Coat of Many Colors", "Applejack" and "My Tennessee Mountain Home").
Parton appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on August 23 to promote the album and performed the title track, "Pure and Simple". The following morning, to further promote the album, Parton made an appearance on Today where she performed "9 to 5", "Pure and Simple" and "Coat of Many Colors".
On October 3, Parton made appearances on The Talk where she gave an interview, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! where she was interviewed and performed "Outside Your Door".
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 5.9/10 [11] |
| Metacritic | 67/100 [12] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Toronto Sun |    [13] |
| The Scotsman | [14] |
| The Plain Dealer | C− [15] |
| Newsday | B+ [16] |
| Now | [17] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A− [18] |
| The Irish Times | [18] |
| The Guardian | [19] |
| Metro Weekly | [20] |
| Exclaim! | 6/10 [21] |
Pure & Simple received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, they assign a rating out of 100 to selected independent reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 67, based on 11 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [12] Glenn Gamboa gave the album a B+ rating in his review for New York's Newsday , calling the album "a thick slice of down-home charm from the country legend." He also named "Head Over High Heels" and "Outside Your Door" standout tracks and praised the simple production of the album, "This isn't big-production Dolly. These are songs that focus on her vocals and her storytelling, sweet, kindhearted tales that seem to belong in a simpler time." [16]
The Toronto Sun reviewed the album, giving it 2 1/2 out of 5 stars, saying, "While it might not be her glossiest offering, Pure & Simple is an average batch of romantic ballads and poppier ditties voiced in her breathy flutter. Nice and sweet – but no big deal." Writing for Exclaim! , Stuart Henderson gave the album a mixed review, calling it a "a middle shelf release in Parton's discography." [21] The Scotsman gave it 2 stars, stating "This is Dolly in either sugary sweet or breathily sensitive mode, accompanied by the trill of mandolin, delicately picked guitar or graceful strings." The Arts Desk gave a positive review of the album, "As artistic passions go, Parton's is a straightforward one, but it's delivered with conviction and an enjoyable sense of melodrama," praising all tracks except "Mama", saying that it "is a gruesome syrup of 1950s gender stereotyping." [22]
In a review for Entertainment Weekly Madison Vain gave the album an A− and said that "occasionally the album feels like it might be on the verge of wading too far into sappy Hallmark Card territory...but those moments are rare, and the album is saved by Parton's self-assured soprano, which has lost none of its girlish charm." [18] Joe Breen of The Irish Times gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, saying that "there is entertainment aplenty, both lachrymose and lively, but the songs are mostly safe and predictable musings on enduring love." [18]
Matt Williams of Toronto's Now gave the album 3 out of 5 stars in his review, calling the album a much needed "injection of sunshine" in the midst of all the "darkness and anxiety [that] permeate[s] our pop music landscape." [17] Sean Maunder for Metro Weekly gave the album 4 stars and said that although it "may not rank among her most memorable work, ...it is quintessential Dolly, an album that reminds us why she has such staying power. In an increasingly uncertain world, it's comforting to know that Dolly Parton is a constant." [20]
In the U.S., Pure & Simple debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 20,200 copies. Pure & Simple was also Parton's best debut on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart, entering at No. 1, surpassing 2014's Blue Smoke , which debuted at No. 2. It was also Parton's first No. 1 album on the Top Country Albums chart since 1991's Eagle When She Flies 25 years prior. [23] The album also debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's US Folk Albums chart. The album has sold 117,600 copies in the U.S. as of May 2017. [24]
Pure & Simple debuted at No. 2 on the UK Albums chart and No. 1 on the UK Country Albums chart with sales of 17,000 copies. On the Australian Albums chart the album landed at No. 9. In Canada, the album debuted at No. 20, her highest charting studio album in the Canada SoundScan era. It surpassed the No. 31 peak of her last release, 2014's Blue Smoke. The album debuted at No. 33 on the Irish Albums chart. In New Zealand the album made its chart debut at No. 39. The lowest chart position came from Belgium, debuting at No. 133.
All tracks are written by Dolly Parton, except where noted
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Pure and Simple" | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Say Forever You'll Be Mine" | 2:49 |
| 3. | "Never Not Love You" | 3:36 |
| 4. | "Kiss It (And Make It All Better)" | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Can't Be That Wrong" | 3:56 |
| 6. | "Outside Your Door" | 3:03 |
| 7. | "Tomorrow Is Forever" | 3:10 |
| 8. | "I'm Sixteen" | 3:34 |
| 9. | "Head Over High Heels" | 2:50 |
| 10. | "Forever Love" | 3:30 |
| Total length: | 33:00 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Mama" | 3:42 |
| 12. | "Lovin' You" | 3:25 |
| Total length: | 40:07 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Jolene" (Live from Glastonbury) | 2:52 |
| 12. | "9 to 5" (Live from Glastonbury) | 3:59 |
| Total length: | 39:51 | |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "My Tennessee Mountain Home" | 3:08 | |
| 2. | "Coat of Many Colors" | 3:05 | |
| 3. | "How Great Thou Art" | Stuart K. Hine | 3:34 |
| 4. | "Jolene" | 2:42 | |
| 5. | "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" | 4:57 | |
| 6. | "Here You Come Again" | 2:57 | |
| 7. | "Help!" | 2:45 | |
| 8. | "Islands in the Stream" (duet with Kenny Rogers) | 4:10 | |
| 9. | "9 to 5" | 2:47 | |
| 10. | "I Will Always Love You" | 2:54 | |
| Total length: | 32:59 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Fire Medley: Baby I'm Burning / Great Balls of Fire / This Girl Is on Fire" |
| 3:26 |
| 2. | "Why'd You Come in Here Lookin' Like That" | 3:29 | |
| 3. | "Jolene" | 3:41 | |
| 4. | "Blue Smoke" | 5:08 | |
| 5. | "Coat of Many Colors" | 4:27 | |
| 6. | "Rocky Top" | 5:08 | |
| 7. | "Mud Song" | 2:54 | |
| 8. | "Banks of the Ohio" |
| 3:15 |
| 9. | "Here You Come Again" | 2:53 | |
| 10. | "Two Doors Down" | 1:59 | |
| 11. | "Islands in the Stream" (duet with Richard Dennison) |
| 3:49 |
| 12. | "9 to 5" | 7:29 | |
| 13. | "Lay Your Hands on Me" (duet with Richie Sambora) | 6:34 | |
| 14. | "I Will Always Love You" | 5:29 | |
| Total length: | 59:41 | ||
Adapted from album liner notes.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Edition(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | August 19, 2016 | CD, digital download | Dolly Records, RCA Nashville | Standard, Walmart, International, UK editions |
| United States | August 26, 2016 | CD | Dolly Records, RCA Nashville | Cracker Barrel edition |
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and philanthropist, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s, before her sales and chart peak arrived during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s. Some of Parton's albums in the 1990s did not sell as well, but she achieved commercial success again in the new millennium and has released albums on various independent labels since 2000, including her own label, Dolly Records.
Coat of Many Colors is the eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 4, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 1972 CMA Awards. It also appeared on Time magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Albums of All Time and at No. 257 on Rolling Stone's 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Parton has cited the title track on numerous occasions as her personal favorite of all the songs she has written.
Burlap & Satin is the twenty-fifth solo studio album by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released on May 2, 1983, by RCA Records. The album straddled the line between pop and country sounds. Consisting mostly of Parton's own compositions, two tracks were outtakes from the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas film: "A Cowboy's Ways" and "A Gamble Either Way". The album's single, "Potential New Boyfriend" was a top 20 country single and was accompanied by Parton's first ever music video. Willie Nelson duetted on a cover of the Eddy Arnold hit "I Really Don't Want to Know". The track "Ooo-eee" was recorded by Nicolette Larson on her 1980 album, "Radioland" and features backing vocals from Linda Ronstadt.
Eagle When She Flies is the thirty-first solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on March 7, 1991, by Columbia Records. The album was produced by Steve Buckingham and Gary Smith, with Parton serving as executive producer. It continues Parton's return to mainstream country sounds following 1989's White Limozeen. The album features collaborations with Lorrie Morgan and Ricky Van Shelton, with additional supporting vocals provided by Vince Gill and Emmylou Harris. The album was a commercial success, becoming Parton's first solo album to peak at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart since 1980s 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs. It was certified Platinum in by the RIAA in 1992. The album spawned four singles, the most successful being "Rockin' Years" with Ricky Van Shelton, which topped the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. In support of the album, Parton embarked on the Eagle When She Flies Tour, her only concert tour of the 1990s.
Hello, I'm Dolly is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on September 18, 1967, by Monument Records. The album was produced by Fred Foster. It peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album spawned two top 40 hits, "Dumb Blonde" and "Something Fishy", which peaked at numbers 24 and 17, respectively.
Just Because I'm a Woman is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on April 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's title track was the only single released and it peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
A Real Live Dolly is the first live album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on June 29, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson and was recorded on April 15, 1970, at Sevier County High School in Sevierville, Tennessee. It peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 154 on the Billboard 200 chart.
The Golden Streets of Glory is the sixth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 15, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. No singles were released from the album, but the title track was released as the B-side of the religious single "Comin' for to Carry Me Home" in May 1971. The album was nominated for Best Sacred Performance at the 14th Annual Grammy Awards. The album's liner notes were written by Parton's maternal grandfather, Rev. Jake Owens.
Something Special is the thirty-third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on August 22, 1995, by Columbia Records and Blue Eyes records. In addition to seven new Parton compositions, the album includes updated versions of three classics from Parton's repertoire: "Jolene", "The Seeker", and "I Will Always Love You", the latter of which was performed as a duet with Vince Gill. The Gill duet, Parton's third recording of the song, reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, becoming Parton's highest charting single in four years. Additionally, it was named "Vocal Event of the Year" by the Country Music Association.
Halos & Horns is the thirty-ninth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on July 9, 2002, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. It is the third album in Parton's critically acclaimed bluegrass trilogy, continuing her experimentation with folk and bluegrass sounds. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Album in 2003, while "Dagger Through the Heart" and "I'm Gone" were both nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Parton embarked on her first tour in 10 years in support of the album. The sold-out Halos & Horns Tour played 25 shows throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. The album tracks "These Old Bones" and "Sugar Hill" were adapted into episodes of Dolly Parton's Heartstrings in 2019.
"Coat of Many Colors" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer Dolly Parton. It was released in September 1971 as the second single and title track from the album Coat of Many Colors.
Those Were the Days is the forty-first solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 11, 2005, by Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records. The album is a collection of covers of 1960s and 1970s folk and pop songs performed in a bluegrass style, some featuring the artists who originally recorded them. Parton supported the album with The Vintage Tour from August through December 2005.
Backwoods Barbie is the forty-second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 26, 2008, by Dolly Records. The album was Parton's first mainstream country album in nearly a decade and marked the first release on Parton's own label. Parton embarked on the Backwoods Barbie Tour with 64 dates across North America and Europe from March through November 2008 to support the album.
"Love Is Like a Butterfly" is a song written and recorded by American country music artist Dolly Parton and released in August 1974 as the first single and title track from the album Love Is Like a Butterfly. It was her overall fourth number one on the country chart as a solo artist. The single stayed at number one for one week and spent a total of twelve weeks on the country chart.
The albums discography of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton includes 49 studio albums, four collaborative albums, nine live albums, six soundtrack albums, one extended play and approximately 222 compilation albums globally. Popularly referred as the "Queen of Country" by the media, she is also widely recognized as the most honored woman in country music history. She has charted 25 Number One songs, 41 Top 10 country albums and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best selling female country artists in history. As of January 2022, Parton's catalog has amassed more than 3 billion global streams.
Better Day is the forty-third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on June 28, 2011, by Dolly Records and Warner Music Nashville. The album was produced by Parton and Kent Wells. To promote the album, Parton embarked on her Better Day World Tour. With 49 shows, the tour visited North America, Europe, and Australia.
Blue Smoke is the forty-fourth solo studio album by American country entertainer Dolly Parton. The album was released in Australia and New Zealand on January 31, 2014, in North America on May 13, 2014, in Ireland on June 6, 2014, and in Europe on June 9, 2014.
I Believe in You is the forty-sixth solo studio album and first children's album by American country music singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released digitally on September 29, 2017, and physically on October 13, 2017, by Dolly Records and RCA Records. All proceeds from the album's sales will go to benefit Parton's Imagination Library.
A Holly Dolly Christmas is the forty-seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on October 2, 2020, by Parton's Butterfly Records in partnership with 12-Tone Music Group. The album was produced by Kent Wells, with Parton serving as executive producer. It is Parton's third Christmas album, following 1984's Once Upon a Christmas with Kenny Rogers and 1990's Home for Christmas. The album features guest appearances by Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, and Parton's brother Randy. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, becoming Parton's eighth album to top the chart. The album also peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart and number 16 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
Run, Rose, Run is the forty-eighth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released March 4, 2022, through Parton's own Butterfly Records. The album was produced by Parton with Richard Dennison and Tom Rutledge. It is a companion album to the novel of the same name, co-written by Parton and James Patterson. The album was preceded by the release of the singles "Big Dreams and Faded Jeans" and "Blue Bonnet Breeze". On March 21, 2022, it was announced that Parton would star in and produce a film adaptation of the novel from Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine.
