Playlist for 9/1 (Dolly Parton Albums)
All recommended Dolly Parton albums:
All recommended Dolly Parton albums:
Back in 2023, I published a list of the 100 Most Loved, Living Musicians And it was a real toss-up at #1 between Paul McCartney and Dolly Parton. Ultimately Dolly came in at #2.
This what I wrote:
“ Thanks to her philanthropy she has become known as Saint Dolly. Not just confined to the Country genre, she long ago became an icon known throughout the world.”
I first heard Dolly Parton in the early 70’s because my Dad listened to Country radio a lot in that time. And because he was an Army soldier stationed in Fort Bragg, NC in the 60’s/early 70’s, I went to my Country music shows. Sadly, I was too young to remember the shows. But I do remember being there. My Dad said we went and saw Haggard, Pride, Jones, Wynette, Lynn and Porter and Dolly.
My favorite era of Dolly’s remains the pre-crossover years from the late 60’s to mid-70’s. Some of her most authentic recordings came from these years. This is what made her a genius. Especially “Coat of Many Colors”.
But Dolly was always destined to be bigger than just a Country star. And crossing over to the Pop charts was only a matter of time by the late 70’s. She was no dumb blonde. A savvy business woman who knew how to market her brand. Remember, Dolly grew up poor. Her ambition was to always break free of whatever restraints weren’t her way.
Not only an incredible musician/singer/songwriter, she was also one of our greatest humanitarians. It’s why always said she was one of the most beloved people in the world.
This is a good time to dig into Dolly’s recorded legacy. Start at the beginning. Check out the Porter duets. All her albums prior to her 1077 Pop chart breakthrough. The 1987 Trio album she made with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. Check out her 90’s bluegrass records. And her “Rock” record from 2023 that celebrated her much deserved induction into the Rock Hall. Take it all in. Her movies too. She was a singular artist. A genius.
Here's some albums by Dolly I recommend:
9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
July 1967. I'm 3 years old. But some of these songs make up my earliest musical memories: The Doors, Procol Harum, "Groovin'".
"Respect", Aretha Franklin : 1
"A Whiter Shade Of Pale", Procol Harum : 2
"Light My Fire", Doors : 3
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough", Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell : 4
"Groovin'", Young Rascals : 5
"Windy", Association : 6
"I Was Made To Love Her", Stevie Wonder : 7
"Somebody To Love", Jefferson Airplane : 8
"Soul Finger", Bar-Kays : 9
"All You Need Is Love", Beatles : 10
"White Rabbit", Jefferson Airplane : 11
"Let's Live For Today", Grass Roots : 12
"Can't Take My Eyes Off You", Frankie Valli : 13
"Little Bit O' Soul", Music Explosion : 14
"Carrie-Anne", Hollies : 15
"Hypnotized", Linda Jones : 16
"Pleasant Valley Sunday", Monkees : 17
"Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)", Janis Ian : 18
"Up-Up And Away", 5th Dimension : 19
"San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)", Scott McKenzie : 20
"Don't Sleep In The Subway", Petula Clark : 21
"Sunday Will Never Be The Same", Spanky & Our Gang : 22
"New York Mining Disaster 1941 (Have You Seen My Wife, Mr. Jones?)", Bee Gees : 23
"A Girl Like You", Young Rascals : 24
"Silence Is Golden", Tremeloes : 25
"Jackson", Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood : 26
"7-Rooms Of Gloom", Four Tops : 27
"The Tracks Of My Tears", Johnny Rivers : 28
"C'mon Marianne", 4 Seasons : 29
"Make Me Yours", Bettye Swan : 30
"Here We Go Again", Ray Charles : 31
"Alfie", Dionne Warwick : 32
"She'd Rather Be With Me", Turtles : 33
"Come On Down To My Boat", Every Mother's Son : 34
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy", Buckinghams : 35
"There Goes My Everything", Engelbert Humperdinck : 36
"Don't Let The Rain Fall Down On Me", Critters : 37
"I Take It Back", Sandy Posey : 38
"Don't Go Out Into The Rain (You're Going To Melt)", Herman's Hermits : 39
"Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead", Fifth Estate : 40
"My Mammy", Happenings : 41
Great Father's Day Songs:
Alan Jackson - Drive (For Daddy Gene)
Beyonce & Chicks - Daddy Lessons
Brad Paisley - He Didn't Have To Be
Bread - Everything I Own
Bruce Springsteen - My Father's House
Cat Stevens - Father and Son
Dan Fogelberg - Leader Of The Band
Dolly Parton - Daddy's Working Boots
Drive-By Truckers - Outfit
Elton John - Last Song
Elvis Presley - Don't Cry Daddy
Eric Clapton - My Father's Eyes
Everclear - Father of Mine
Jimmie Rodgers - Daddy and Home
John Lennon - Beautiful Boy
John Prine - Paradise
Johnny Cash - Boy Named Sue
Keith Urban - Song For Dad
Loudon Wainwright III - Father and A Song
Luke Combs - My Old Man Was Right
Luther Vandross - Dance With My Father
Madonna - Oh Father
Madonna - Papa Don't Preach
Marc Cohn - Silver Thunderbird
Mike & The Mechanics - Living Years
Nas - Daughters
Queen - Father To Son
Reba McEntire - Greatest Man I Never Knew
Rod Stewart - Touchline
Simon & Garfunkel - Silver Haired Daddy of Mine
Steve Goodman - My Old Man
Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
Tori Amos - Winter
Waylon Jennings - Between Fathers and Sons
Will Smith - Just The Two Of Us
Winstons -Color Him Father
Zac Brown Band - My Old Man
This month two albums. Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks joining Fleetwood Mac in 1975. And putting them on the Top 40 singles chart for the first time ever. Rumours was an even bigger classic. It's the greatest breakup album ever? It's up there for sure. These are my 2 favorite Buckingham/Nicks era albums.
Fleetwood Mac