The Winning Hand | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | November 1, 1982 | |||
Recorded | 1964–1982 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Country | |||
Length | 59:55 | |||
Label | Monument | |||
Producer | Fred Foster | |||
Kris Kristofferson chronology | ||||
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Willie Nelson chronology | ||||
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Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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Brenda Lee chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Winning Hand | ||||
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The Winning Hand is a collaborative compilation album by Kris Kristofferson,Willie Nelson,Dolly Parton and Brenda Lee. It was released on November 1,1982,by Monument Records. The album was produced by Fred Foster,founder and chairman of the board of Monument,and contains some newly-recorded material as well as catalog material with new instrumental tracks. [1] The album spawned two singles,the Parton and Nelson duet "Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)" and "You're Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning" by Lee and Nelson. The album also inspired a television special of the same name hosted by Johnny Cash,who had written the album's liner notes. The special featuring all four performers aired in over 150 markets in March and April 1985. [2]
The album was announced in the September 4,1982 issue of Billboard as the first release by Monument Records through a new distribution deal with CBS. [1]
The album was released on November 1,1982. Monument Records launched a major radio,retail and advertising campaign budgeted at $100,000 to carry the album to country,pop and adult contemporary audiences. The album's cover art depicts the four artists as kings and queens on a deck of cards. This artwork was utilized on posters,promotional decks of cards and other point-of-sale materials spotlighting the album's theme. Monument printed approximately 5,000 decks of promotional "Winning Hand" cards,with Nelson and Kristofferson as the kings,Lee and Parton as the queens. They were sent to pop,adult contemporary and country radio stations and a limited quantity was sent to retail locations nationally. Two weekends in November 1982 were designated as "Winning Hand Weekends" at key radio stations,including more than 60 country stations. The participating stations received 25 copies of the album and first single for giveaways. Additionally,Monument used the album's cover graphics to make a series of four-color 12-by-24-inch posters. Each poster was limited to 3,500 copies against red,green or blue backgrounds for in-store display. Along with the posters,retailers received promotional flats of the album with easel backs for display,and an eight track "mini LP" with four duet and four solo tracks from the album to be played in-store. [3] CBS distribution also coordinated a series of retail contests to run from December 1982 to January 1983. Winners won an expense-paid trip to see any act of their choice from The Winning Hand album in concert in Las Vegas,Lake Tahoe or Atlantic City. [4]
After writing the liner notes for the album,Johnny Cash suggested that the album be made into a television special with him as the host. Foster,Kristofferson,Nelson,Lee and Parton immediately agreed to both of Cash's suggestions,but it took a couple of years to arrange the schedules of these five superstars for the special to become a reality. The special includes every cut from the album in addition to some "signature songs" by each performer. Foster stated that he was humbled that the artists involved were participating in the special for a nominal fee in tribute to him. He went on to say that there wasn't enough money around or a sponsor able to pay for it otherwise. The special aired in over 150 markets in March and April 1985. [2]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [5] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B− [6] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
Billboard published a review in the November 13,1982 issue which said,"From the ultra-visual packaging to the liner insert penned by Johnny Cash,this is an engaging project involving three former Monument artists and one currently signed to the reactivated label (Kristofferson). The ambitiousness of the undertaking overrides some uneven spots,which can be expected when you're pairing different superstars on nearly every track of a double-record set. Best cuts include "You Left Me a Long,Long Time Ago" by Nelson and Lee,"To Make a Long Story Short,She's Gone" by Nelson and Kristofferson,and "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" by Parton and Kristofferson." [8]
The review published in the November 13,1982 issue of Cashbox said,"This is the ace that Fred Foster has been saving to play once Monument finalized its distribution agreement with CBS,and the LP is worth the wait,providing an assortment of duets and solo efforts made possible by adding recently-recorded tracks to existing material from the Monument vaults. Though the combination of this fearsome foursome is in itself a strong suit,the two-record set is enhanced by inspired cover art and thoughtful liner notes by Johnny Cash." [9]
The album peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard Hot Country LPs chart and No. 109 on the US Billboard Top LPs &Tape chart.
The album's first single,"Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)",a duet by Parton and Nelson,was released in November 1982. [10] It peaked at No. 7 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart,No. 19 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Singles chart,and No. 102 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart.
"You're Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning",a duet by Lee and Nelson,was released as the album's second single in March 1983. [11] It peaked at No. 43 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "You're Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning" | Donnie Fritts |
| 2:54 |
2. | "Ping Pong" | Boudleaux Bryant |
| 2:18 |
3. | "You'll Always Have Someone" |
| Willie Nelson | 2:56 |
4. | "Here Comes the Rainbow Again" | Kris Kristofferson | Kris Kristofferson | 2:51 |
5. | "The Bigger the Fool, the Harder the Fall" |
|
| 3:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Help Me Make It Through the Night" | Kristofferson |
| 3:46 |
2. | "Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby" |
|
| 2:28 |
3. | "You Left Me a Long, Long Time Ago" | Nelson |
| 2:46 |
4. | "To Make a Long Story Short, She's Gone" |
|
| 3:04 |
5. | "Someone Loves You, Honey" | Don Devaney | Brenda Lee | 2:51 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)" | Dolly Parton |
| 3:13 |
2. | "Bring on the Sunshine" | Danny Epps | Brenda Lee | 2:58 |
3. | "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" |
|
| 2:24 |
4. | "I Never Cared for You" | Nelson | Willie Nelson | 2:21 |
5. | "Casey's Last Ride" | Kristofferson |
| 4:06 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
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1. | "King of a Lonely Castle" | Kenny Devine | Willie Nelson | 3:17 |
2. | "The Little Things" | Parton | Dolly Parton | 2:32 |
3. | "The Bandits of Beverly Hills" | Kristofferson | Kris Kristofferson | 2:33 |
4. | "What Do You Think About Lovin'" |
|
| 2:38 |
5. | "Born to Love Me" | Bob Morrison |
| 4:19 |
Album
Charts (1982–1983) | Peak positions |
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US Hot Country LPs ( Billboard ) [12] | 4 |
US Top LPs & Tape ( Billboard ) [13] | 109 |
Singles
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
US Bubbling [14] | US AC [15] | US Country [16] [17] | ||
"Everything's Beautiful (In Its Own Way)" (Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson) | 1982 | 102 | 19 | 7 |
"You're Gonna Love Yourself in the Morning" (Brenda Lee and Willie Nelson) | 1983 | — | — | 43 |
"I Will Always Love You" is a song written and originally recorded in 1973 by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. Written as a farewell to her business partner and mentor Porter Wagoner, expressing Parton's decision to pursue a solo career, the country single was released in 1974. The song was a commercial success for Parton, twice reaching the top spot of the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart: first in June 1974, then again in October 1982, with a re-recording for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas soundtrack.
"Islands in the Stream" is a song written by the Bee Gees and recorded by American country music artists Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released in August 1983 as the first single from Rogers's fifteenth studio album Eyes That See in the Dark. The Bee Gees released a live version in 1998 and a studio version in 2001.
Trio is a collaborative album by American singers Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris. It was released on March 2, 1987, by Warner Bros. Records. The album has platinum certification in the U.S. for sales of one million copies, and has total worldwide sales of approximately four million. A second collaborative album, Trio II, was released in 1999.
The Highwaymen were an American country music supergroup, composed of four of country music's biggest artists who pioneered the outlaw country subgenre: Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. Between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen: two on Columbia Records and one for Liberty Records. Their Columbia works produced three chart singles, including the number one "Highwayman" in 1985.
Real Love is the twenty-seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on January 21, 1985, by RCA Records. The album was produced by David Malloy, and would be Parton's last studio album for RCA Records. It includes two number-one country singles, "Real Love" and "Think About Love". The album's other singles, "Don't Call It Love" and "Tie Our Love ", peaked at number three and number 17, respectively.
Once Upon a Christmas is a collaborative studio album by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. It was released on October 29, 1984, by RCA Records. The album was produced by Rogers with David Foster. It was Rogers' second Christmas album, following 1981's Christmas, and Parton's first. The album's release was accompanied by a CBS television special, Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas to Remember. The album was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in 1989.
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 Between You and Me is the first collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 15, 1968, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned one single, "The Last Thing on My Mind", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
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.
Treasures is the thirty-fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on September 24, 1996, by Rising Tide Records and Blue Eye Records. The Steve Buckingham-produced album is made up of covers of rock and country hits from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. It peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and spawned three singles: "Just When I Needed You Most", which peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart; a dance remix of "Peace Train", which peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot Dance Music chart; and a dance remix of "Walking on Sunshine". The album's release was accompanied by a CBS television special, Dolly Parton: Treasures.
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.
Repossessed is an album by Kris Kristofferson, released on Mercury Records in 1986. It was Kristofferson's first full-length solo album since 1981's To the Bone, although the singer did collaborate with other artists in the meantime, most notably on Highwayman with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson.
"Hard Candy Christmas" is a song written by composer-lyricist Carol Hall for the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
"Real Love" is a song written by David Malloy, Richard "Spady" Brannon and Randy McCormick, and recorded as a duet by American entertainers Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers that topped the U.S. country singles charts in August 1985. It was released in April 1985 the second single and title track from Parton's Real Love album. Released after the top-ten success of "Don't Call It Love", the song became Parton and Rogers' second country chart-topper as a duet act. However, "Real Love" did not fare as well on the pop singles charts as 1983's "Islands in the Stream" had done, stalling at number 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
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.
"The Last Thing on My Mind" is a song written by American musician and singer-songwriter Tom Paxton in the early 1960s and recorded first by Paxton in 1964. It is based on the traditional lament song "The Leaving of Liverpool". The song was released on Paxton's 1964 album Ramblin' Boy, which was his first album released on Elektra Records.
"I Still Miss Someone" is a song co-written by Johnny Cash and his nephew Roy Cash, Jr. and originally recorded by American country music singer Johnny Cash. He first recorded it in 1958 as the B-side to "Don't Take Your Guns to Town".
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.
The singles discography of American country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton includes over 200 singles and touches on eight decades. Parton has released 198 singles as a lead artist, 49 as a featured artist, six promotional single and 68 music videos. Parton also released 21 singles with Porter Wagoner from 1968 to 1980, bringing her total number of singles to 243.
"Put It Off Until Tomorrow" is a song written by Dolly Parton and Bill Owens, and first recorded by American country music artist Bill Phillips. It was released in January 1966, and Phillips released an album of the same name later that year. The song became his biggest hit, peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. Parton provided uncredited harmony vocals on the single. The song has been covered by numerous artists, and became a top ten hit for The Kendalls in 1980.