The Best of Dolly Parton

Last updated
The Best of Dolly Parton
Bestofdp.jpg
Compilation album by
ReleasedNovember 9, 1970
RecordedDecember 18, 1967–May 12, 1970
Studio RCA Studio B (Nashville)
Genre Country
Length30:52
Label RCA Victor
Producer Bob Ferguson
Dolly Parton chronology
Once More
(1970)
The Best of Dolly Parton
(1970)
Two of a Kind
(1971)
Singles from The Best of Dolly Parton
  1. "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)"
    Released: June 22, 1970

The Best of Dolly Parton is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on November 9, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It includes some of Parton's early hits, a few non-single album tracks, and two previously unreleased tracks ("Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)" and "How Great Thou Art"). The album peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The single, "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)" peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and earned Parton a nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 12, 1978, for sales of 500,000 copies.

Contents

Recording

Two previously unreleased songs were included on the album. "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)" was the only song recorded at the May 4, 1970 session at RCA Studio B in Nashville. "How Great Thou Art" was recorded on May 12, 1970, during the second of three sessions for what would be Parton's 1971 album The Golden Streets of Glory .

Release and promotion

The album was released November 9, 1970, on LP.

Singles

The album's single, "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)", was released in June 1970 [1] and peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and number 4 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Christgau's Record Guide A [3]

The review published in the November 21, 1970 issue of Billboard said, "This LP teams with big hits, including "Mule Skinner Blues", "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", and "Just Because I'm a Woman". Every tune is packed with that special emotion only Dolly Parton can render in a song. "Down from Dover" is a real tearjerker." [4]

Cashbox published a review in the November 14, 1970 issue which said, "It becomes difficult to choose the selections for a best hits album for Dolly, because almost everything she's recorded has been a hit! Nevertheless, this new album is just a small sampling of the enormous talent she has. "Mule Skinner Blues", "Down from Dover", "Gypsy, Joe and Me", "In the Ghetto", "Just Because I'm a Woman", "How Great Thou Art," and "Just the Way I Am" are included." [5]

AllMusic gave the album 4.5 out of 5 stars. [2]

Commercial performance

The album peaked at number 12 on the US Billboard Top Country Albums chart.

Accolades

Parton earned her first solo Grammy nomination for "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)". It was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards. [6]

Awards and nominations received for The Best of Dolly Parton
AwardYearCategoryNominee/workResult
Grammy Awards 1971 Best Female Country Vocal Performance "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)"Nominated

Track listing

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)"
May 4, 19703:10
2."Down from Dover" (from The Fairest of Them All ) Dolly Parton September 4, 19693:42
3."My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy" (from My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy )PartonMay 20, 19693:27
4."In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)" (from In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad) )PartonSeptember 9, 19682:46
5."Gypsy, Joe and Me" (from My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy)PartonMay 21, 19693:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."In the Ghetto" (from My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy) Mac Davis June 2, 19692:46
2."Just Because I'm a Woman" (from Just Because I'm a Woman )PartonDecember 18, 19673:01
3."Daddy Come and Get Me" (from The Fairest of Them All)
  • Parton
  • Dorothy Jo Hope
October 31, 19692:59
4."How Great Thou Art"Stuart K. HineMay 12, 19703:27
5."Just the Way I Am" (from The Fairest of Them All)PartonOctober 31, 19692:27

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes and RCA recording session records.

Charts

Chart performance for The Best of Dolly Parton
Chart (1970)Peak
position
US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [7] 12

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [8] Gold35,000Double-dagger-14-plain.png
United States (RIAA) [9] Gold500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Double-dagger-14-plain.png Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<i>Here You Come Again</i> 1977 studio album by Dolly Parton

Here You Come Again is the nineteenth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on October 3, 1977, by RCA Victor. It was Parton's first album to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for shipping a million copies.

<i>Trio</i> (1987 album) 1987 studio album by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris

Trio is the first collaborative studio album by 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 US for sales of one million copies, and has total worldwide sales of approximately two million.

<i>Coat of Many Colors</i> 1971 studio album by Dolly Parton

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.

Mule Skinner Blues Song by Jimmie Rodgers

"Mule Skinner Blues" is a classic country song written by Jimmie Rodgers and George Vaughan. The song was first recorded by Rodgers in 1930 and has been recorded by many artists since then, acquiring the de facto title "Mule Skinner Blues" after Rodgers named it "Blue Yodel #8".

<i>New Harvest...First Gathering</i> 1977 studio album by Dolly Parton

New Harvest...First Gathering is the eighteenth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on February 14, 1977, by RCA Victor. It is significant for being Parton's first self-produced album, as well as her first effort aimed specifically at the pop charts.

<i>Touch Your Woman</i> 1972 studio album by Dolly Parton

Touch Your Woman is the ninth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on March 6, 1972, by RCA Victor. The album's title song and single, "Touch Your Woman", was nominated for a Grammy.

<i>Joshua</i> (album) 1971 studio album by Dolly Parton

Joshua is the seventh solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on April 12, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 198 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's single, "Joshua", was nominated for a Grammy and was Parton's first song to reach number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

<i>Just Because Im a Woman</i> (1968 album) 1968 studio album by Dolly Parton

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.

<i>My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy</i> 1969 studio album by Dolly Parton

My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy is the fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on September 8, 1969, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number six on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 194 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album spawned three singles: "Daddy", "In the Ghetto", and the title track. "Daddy" was the most successful, peaking at number 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

<i>In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)</i> 1969 studio album by Dolly Parton

In the Good Old Days is the third solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 3, 1969, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's title track was the only single released and it peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

<i>The Fairest of Them All</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Dolly Parton

The Fairest of Them All is the fifth solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on February 2, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's only single, "Daddy Come and Get Me", peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

<i>A Real Live Dolly</i> 1970 live album by Dolly Parton

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 25, 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.

<i>Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca</i> 1970 studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca is the fourth collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on March 9, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number four on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 137 on the Billboard 200 chart. Two top ten singles were released from the album, "Just Someone I Used to Know" and "Tomorrow Is Forever", peaking at numbers five and nine, respectively. "Just Someone I Used to Know" was nominated for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group at the 12th Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Once More</i> (Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton album) 1970 studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

Once More is the fifth collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on August 3, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 191 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's single, "Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man", peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was nominated for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>Two of a Kind</i> (Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton album) 1971 studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

Two of a Kind is the sixth collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on February 8, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 142 on the Billboard 200 chart. No singles were released from the album, but "Oh, the Pain of Loving You" was included as the B-side of the 1971 single "The Right Combination".

<i>The Golden Streets of Glory</i> 1971 studio album by Dolly Parton

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.

<i>The Best of Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton</i> 1971 compilation album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

The Best of Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton is a compilation album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on July 19, 1971, by RCA Victor. The album contains tracks from each of their collaboration albums released up to that point, with the exception of 1969's Always, Always. The album included one previously unreleased track, the Grammy nominated single, "Better Move It on Home".

<i>The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil</i> 1972 studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil is the seventh collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on January 3, 1972, by RCA Victor.

<i>Together Always</i> 1972 studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton

Together Always is the eighth collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on September 11, 1972, by RCA Victor.

<i>Honky Tonk Angels</i> 1993 studio album by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette

Honky Tonk Angels is a collaborative studio album by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. It was released on November 2, 1993, by Columbia Records. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on January 5, 1994, for sales of 500,000 copies.

References

  1. "Spotlight Singles" (PDF). World Radio History. Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "The Best of Dolly Parton". AllMusic. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  3. 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.
  4. "Billboard - November 21, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. p. 75. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  5. "Cashbox - November 14, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox. p. 50. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  6. "Dolly Parton". GRAMMY.com. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  7. "Dolly Parton Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.
  8. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  9. "American album certifications – Dolly Parton – The Best of Dolly Parton". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved May 23, 2019.