Country Gold Dolly Hopes New Album Puts Her Back On The Charts
The perception is that Dolly Parton is mounting a comeback with this week’s release of her Rising Tide album “Treasures.” The reality is that she never went away.
“I’ve had an album out every year for several years,” says the flamboyant singer, “but I ain’t had no hits. So I’m just trying to fit into this new country.
“If I were trying to make a living at this, I’d starve to death, like some of my good friends are. I’m proud of the new country (acts). Some of them are real good, and they’re clean - they’re not dope addicts and pillheads like some of the older ones were - but it would be nice to get a balance, where some of the old folks could still make a living.”
Parton, who has been directing much of her energy in recent years to such ventures as the Dollywood theme park in eastern Tennessee, her production company in Los Angeles, and her television and movie career, says she wanted to make another run at country because she is “still hungry as a songwriter and a singer. I still want to be part of the mainstream. For me, it’s not about the money, it’s about the art.”
Despite being a prolific songwriter, Parton decided to record an album of cover songs for her Nashville re-entry, many as duets. The selection is eclectic: nine country classics, including “Behind Closed Doors,” “Satin Sheets” and “For The Good Times,” augmented by three of her personal favorites: “Peace Train,” “After The Goldrush” and “Walking On Sunshine.” Her singing partners are equally diverse: Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the Maverick’s Raul Malo, Alison Krauss, Blues Traveler’s John Popper and Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo.
Parton says she decided that it would be wise to record some classics. “These are songs I’ve wanted to cut for years,” she says, “and I thought these would be fresh and new for some of the new country listeners and would also be pleasing to some of us older folks who have always loved these songs. This is the first time in years I haven’t done my own songs.”
What seemed initially to be the oddest pairing, the song with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, perhaps isn’t. Parton says that for years, she wanted to record “Peace Train” with a big chorus but couldn’t find the sound she envisioned. “Then, I was watching TV,” she says, “and this Lifesavers commercial came on, and I heard these beautiful, rich voices. It was exactly the world sound that I wanted. I called (producer Steve Buckingham) and told him to find them, whoever it was. It turned out to be a perfect blend. I was going to record that song regardless of what album I did, because of the shape the world’s in.”
Parton’s TV presence should help promotion of the new album. A CBS special about the album will air Nov. 30, and she’ll be on “The Tonight Show” and morning talk shows near the release date. Additionally, she has a Christmas special ready and a sitcom scheduled to debut in January; networks have not yet committed to either project.
Parton says that as part of her country re-immersion, she has finally hired song pluggers to work some of the thousands of compositions that are sitting in her basement. “I love to write ‘em and sing ‘em,” she says, “but I hate to plug ‘em.”