TRUE ARTISTS, Part 5: Dolly Parton

I've grown to love Dolly Parton. I think she has a beautiful voice and is such a remarkable songwriter. Her songbook is amazing--"Jolene", "Coat Of Many Colors", "I Will Always Love You" and "Dagger Through The Heart". The fact that Porter Wagoner gave Dolly her first big break doesn't hurt either! And, with the Broadway debut of her play, "Nine To Five", she's demonstrated she remains RELEVANT more than 40 years after her debut on the Porter Wagoner TV Show. Thus far, Dolly is the only artist to earn the Porter Tubb "True Poet" (see March 18 blog entry) and "True Artist" designations. Here's Miss Dolly Parton.

"Just Because I'm A Woman"


"My Blue Mountain Boy"


Porter Tubb

A Satisfied Mind...Gram, Bob and Porter

Three versions. First, audio from Gram Parsons, who was first and foremost, a country singer who loved Porter Wagoner and all the trad country artists. Then a gospel version from Dylan and, finally, Porter from his all-girl band, "The Right Combination", days. A great song by three of music's best.

Gram Parsons


Bob Dylan


Porter Wagoner


Porter Tubb

FOUR GREAT COUNTRY DUETS

Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton: "Holding On To Nothing"


Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash: "Jackson"


Bill Phillips & Ruby Wright: "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" (written by Dolly Parton)


Melba Montgomery & George Jones: "We Must Have Been Out Of Our Mind"

Porter Tubb

DOLLY & PORTER, THE REAL THING

Being a trad country fan, I, frankly, didn't enjoy much of the music on the Academy of Country Music awards show on CBS. I made a point of watching just to see what was going on and won't say much beyond that. I was impressed by Taylor Swift for her voice and the fact that she plays several instruments and writes her songs--a rarity for a star of her stature in the music business. But, call me odd, but, when the show ended, I literally ran to YouTube for some trad country oxygen, the real thing from Dolly and Porter. Two lighter songs and a sacred number, "Satan's River," that Porter re-recorded for his last record.

Corny. Yeah. I love it.

"Run That By Me One More Time"


"Milwaukee, Here I Come"


"Satan's River"


Porter Tubb

PORTER'S FIRST DOLLY

Before Miss Dolly Parton joined the Porter Wagoner Show, Porter had another "girl singer" named Pretty Miss Norma Jean. Ultimately, she left to get married, leaving a void. Dolly joined the show, launching her career and boosting Porter's, who was ahead of his time with possibly the most popular country music TV show ever--it ran for 20 years. Notice how comfortable Porter is on-camera and the friendly, unscripted ribbing that would never make it on TV today, unfortunately.

Pretty Miss Norma Jean, "Walking Advertisement For The Blues":
Porter Tubb

TRUE POETS, Part 3: DOLLY PARTON

Dolly Parton is bigger than ever...no pun intended! She's best known for songs like "Nine To Five", but I prefer the more country side. Songs like "Just Because I'm A Woman" and "Dagger Through The Heart", which Sinead O'Connor covered so beautifully in a tribute album to Dolly. Porter Wagoner gave Dolly her first big break and the songs from that period were pretty remarkable. Here are three of my favorites, including Dolly's goodbye song to Porter, "I Will Always Love You". When Whitney Houston had a monster hit with that one, it was Dolly's version that I played on my turntable.

"Jolene"


"Coat Of Many Colors"


"I Will Always Love You"

• Dolly Parton
  

Porter Tubb