I always loved her work with Emmylou and Linda before there was an official "Trio". Especially on Emmylou's "Roses In The Snow" album.
I don't think Dolly should be judged by only these rather syrupy songs, unless you just don't like her voice. Some of her later stuff is very different. Personally I adore "Love is Like a Butterfly".
Most people over here know that song as the theme to the BBC TV sitcom Butterflies, where it was sung by Clare Torry, who famously performed the wordless vocals on Pink Floyd's 'The Great Gig in the Sky' on Dark Side of the Moon.
I took my mum to see Dolly here in Brisbane last Saturday night. It started very loud and with a muddy mix with echoey vocals, but once they got that sorted it was simply sublime. Her voice is still pure and pitch perfect, she looks fantastic and her multi-instrumental skills are astounding. She tells many stories and gives a lot of info about her background. She also tells a lot of jokes ie she doesn't mind dumb blonde jokes "because I ain't dumb and I ain't blonde", and "I have a tiny waist and small petite feet because nothing ever grows in the shade". We really enjoyed hearing many of the new songs from the "Blue Smoke" album performed live, as well as many many classics. Pick up the album, and go see her if you get a chance!
I love Dolly. I have all her albums and I've seen her live a couple times. Still not sure though if she is lip syncing or not. Anyone else notice that she does from time to time?
"Class Act" is a very appropriate description of Dolly Parton. She makes singing and songwriting sound easy.
I never felt that her singing was lip-synched, but I did wonder about some of the instruments she played - the recorder and the sax. Her voice was amazing last night, and it was great throughout the show, sometimes she was completely a cappella. If it was lip synched then it was pretty damn flawlessly done Steve
A 180 gram collector-grade vinyl edition of Blue Smoke (her latest album) from Sony Masterworks/Dolly Records is scheduled for release as well as a re-issue of her 1987 Trio project with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris also on 180 gram collector-grade vinyl from Warner Brothers Records is being released in May. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00IW...803-4706218?redirect=true&tag=dollymania03-20
I'm a fan but.... I think she is largely a wasted talent. I don't like anything she's done since her crossover in the mid seventies the way I like my favorite 2-3 dozen tracks made between '68 and '75. I don't think the talent (and maybe not the inspiration either) has flown. No, rather I get the feeling she has done what she meant to do. I actually got to talk with her briefly in the mid seventies just before she crossed over and she was clearly a driven woman. Driven to be more than a "country star" which she already was. She wanted to be "huge" without the "country" in front of it. I get the feeling her own intentions, brilliantly realized have artistically tainted even her "back to the roots" moves. Mind you... I'm a fan. I was just watching a live show she did last year on tv. and at 69 years old her voice is as supple and attractive and ever. and more important she is still both willing and able to sing with care. She sang Coat of many colors and even after FORTY YEARS of performances, she was willing and able to do the song justice. A GREAT artist, no doubt about it. I just wish there were more of her that I liked so that I wasn't reduced to always going back to her pre-'75 output. Always a great singer. I just wished she had continued producing material that I wanted to hear her sing.
I actually saw her play guitar with those long nails decades ago. not strumming, finger picking. and she kicked ass. I also remember seeing a close up of her hands while playing on a t.v. show decades ago and there were those long nails. Seems like a magic trick but there you are.
I've been a fan for as long I can remember. A great songwriter, a gifted performer. She made some albums I didn't like, but she always came back and she never forgot her country roots. Here's a great version of a song by some people who called themselves Led Zeppelin:
My parents loved that show, and for that reason Clare Torry's version was the only one I knew for years as well. I remember being very surprised when I learned who wrote it.
She's slowly becoming one of my favorite artists. I listened to Just Because I'm a Woman last week, and I think it's a great album. This is my favorite song off the album:
