Thursday random music note

If there's one thing that Kathy G. and I can agree on, it's that Dolly Parton is pretty remarkable, both as a person, and as a musician. Music snobs who wish to challenge this statement are invited to send their seconds around to my lodgings this evening.

I highly encourage you to read the whole post--it's got some terrific YouTube clips, including, I am not making this up, Dolly singing "After the Gold Rush" with Linda Ronstadt and EmmyLou Harris. As a passionate fan of the original, I'm not quite sure how I feel about that, though it definitely has novelty appeal. But the rest are definitely fascinating, especially the early clips--I'd never seen what she looked like when she was starting out.

My modest contribution is this song, which is . . . how else can I put this . . . adorable.

Comments

As w/ so many, the early stuff is the best. Are you talking about Dolly & Porter Wagoner sporting his Nudie suits?

Posted by Malignant Bouffant | May 1, 2008 4:27 PM

Sorry. I meant, "Second!!"

Posted by M. B. | May 1, 2008 4:32 PM

You'll just have to click through and see for yourself . . .

Posted by Megan McArdle | May 1, 2008 4:33 PM

Islands in the Stream is the bestest song evar!

Plus she seems like a genuinely nice and good person.

Makes me wonder why I spend so much time listening to the little rock bands that I do.

Oh yeah, I remember: I would be forced to turn in my hipster card along with my chucks if I admitted to the Parton on my iPod.

Posted by Bob | May 1, 2008 4:55 PM

It's so nice to see you linking people, Megan. I'm glad you finally acknowledged that some of your critics have some worthwhile criticism, even if it does take months for it to sink in.

Posted by NutellaonToast | May 1, 2008 4:58 PM

Parton has done a lot of good work helping the people of eastern Tennessee. She is definitely one of the real class acts of the entertainment world.

Posted by Dan | May 1, 2008 5:12 PM

I've been digging Dolly Parton for years.

Posted by John Winger's erstwhile girlfriend | May 1, 2008 7:46 PM

Anybody who doesn't grasp the rare genius of Parton's singing, songwriting, and general musicianship, wouldn't know art if it were the Grand Canyon, and they stepped of the ledge.

Posted by Will Allen | May 1, 2008 8:34 PM

I'd have to say Dolly is the greatest country singer ever.I have loved her music so much & I'm always waiting for her to bring out new songs.I have about ten DVD's of hers & I'm always watchin one of them everyday.Dolly will always be number one to me.

Posted by Channy | May 2, 2008 5:51 AM

It's so nice to see you linking people, Megan. I'm glad you finally acknowledged that some of your critics have some worthwhile criticism, even if it does take months for it to sink in.

Posted by NutellaonToast | May 1, 2008 4:58 PM

And it's so incredibly good of you to thank her and acknowledge that she's classy even though it was obviously hard to overcome your pseudo-intellectual bluster and say so!

Megan engages in more dialogue with 'opposing camps' than nearly any blogger I've read. The reward, unfortunately, is too often defensive and baseless obloquy, as well as useless nitpicking from people with threatened worldviews.

Posted by "Mindles H. Dreck" | May 2, 2008 6:05 AM

Dolly represents the very best of the Nashville Flashy Rhinestone Country, and I respect that.

But if you want to hear pure country music, George Strait is it, and yes I know he doesn't write his songs.

Where to start? "Desperately" or "She Took the Wind From His Sails."

Marcus

Posted by Marcus | May 2, 2008 8:08 AM

I remember seeing Dolly Parton in a TV interview some 30 years ago. She said that from an early age she wanted to be a famous singer. There was none of that "Lil' ol' me? a singer?... Oh ah am so lucky." I admire Dolly Parton for her drive and ambition. She knew what she wanted, and she went out and got it. And once she got it, she didn't pretend that it was all a lucky accident.

I worked for a short time with an accountant who had done some work in the music biz. The accountant had a good opinion of Dolly Parton. From this anecdote, it would appear that Dolly Parton treats the "little people" well,which speaks well of Dolly.

More power to her.

Posted by XLiberal | May 2, 2008 10:10 AM

Her album, "The Great Pretender" is spectacular. A cover album of songs from the 50's and 60's. Turn! turn! turn!, save the last dance for me, I walk the Line, and others. Unfortunately it was only released on vinyl and in cassette.

This is were I despise the record companies and their downloading policies. This album has never been made available in any digital form so far as I know. Certainly never CD, and yet if were to download this without paying I would be a criminal.

Posted by jon | May 2, 2008 10:32 AM

To describe Parton as Flashy Rhinestone Country really is inadequate to her body of work. Yes, obviously that is a major element to her career, but her talent has extraordinary range and depth, far beyond that description.

Posted by Will Allen | May 2, 2008 1:24 PM

Will, I LIKE Dolly. I just prefer country artists like George that present their music simply, without frosting the cake with Vegas-style costumes, dancing, and huge orchestras.

Then again, I'm from Texas, and have spent a lot of time in rural dancehalls, seeing guys before they made it. (Clint Black, Mark Chesnutt, Tracy Byrd, etc.)

Marcus

Posted by Marcus | May 2, 2008 3:48 PM

Dolly is the greatest female country artist ever, and I'll stand on Loretta Lynn's coffee table and say that.

Posted by Route 66 | May 2, 2008 7:06 PM

My point, Marcus, was that there was a substantial part of her career which did not contain those elements.

Posted by Will Allen | May 3, 2008 9:14 AM

Will, a question, a sincere one, and certainly not meant in an argumentative manner. Do you know how to dance C&W?

As to her Un-Rhinestoned career, are you speaking of her early days with Porter Wagoner?

Marcus

Posted by Marcus | May 3, 2008 11:06 AM

Marcus, I am speaking of the numerous times I saw her perform in a manner that was rather close to unadorned bluegrass.

Posted by Will Allen | May 3, 2008 2:30 PM

Fair enough. She has done a good bit of bluegrass work. That is one of the reasons, though, that I don't really think of her as a country artist. A lot of her work has been in pop and other genres.

What country success she has had has been primarily with duets and trios.

Marcus

Posted by Marcus | May 3, 2008 3:31 PM

Truly a woman built to military specifications - and she can write and sing music too!

The Porter Waggoner Show was carried on one of the four TV stations available in my small childhood hometown. The fabled Parton poitrine fascinated then as now.

And Porter's vertiginous pompadour distracted. I think he was in a close dice with Conway Twitty for Tallest Hair on a Male C&W Singer.

Posted by Dick Eagleson | May 4, 2008 6:11 AM