The Best of Dolly Parton

The Best of Dolly Parton is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton. It was released on November 9, 1970, by RCA Victor. The album features Parton's biggest hits up to that point, along with a few non-single album tracks. The album included two previously unreleased tracks; the single, "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)", for which Parton earned her first Grammy nomination, and "How Great Thou Art", which would later be included on Parton's 1971 gospel album, The Golden Streets of Glory. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 12, 1978, for sales of 500,000 copies.

The Best of Dolly Parton
Compilation album by
Dolly Parton
ReleasedNovember 9, 1970
RecordedDecember 18, 1967–May 12, 1970
StudioRCA Studio B (Nashville)
GenreCountry
Length30:52
LabelRCA Nashville
ProducerBob Ferguson
Dolly Parton chronology
Once More
(1970)		 The Best of Dolly Parton
(1970)		 Two of a Kind
(1971)
Singles from The Best of Dolly Parton
  1. "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)"
    Released: June 18, 1970

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideA[2]

The review published in the November 21, 1970 issue of Billboard said, "This LP teams with big hits, including "Mule Skinner Blues", "In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)", and "Just Because I'm a Woman". Every tune is packed with that special emotion only Dolly Parton can render in a song. "Down from Dover" is a real tearjerker."[3]

Cashbox published a review in the November 14, 1970 issue which said, "It becomes difficult to choose the selections for a best hits album for Dolly, because almost everything she's recorded has been a hit! Nevertheless, this new album is just a small sampling of the enormous talent she has. "Mule Skinner Blues", "Down from Dover", "Gypsy, Joe and Me", "In the Ghetto", "Just Because I'm a Woman", "How Great Thou Art," and "Just the Way I Am" are included."[4]

Commercial performance

The album peaked at No. 12 on the US Billboard Hot Country LP’s chart.

The album's single, "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)", was released in June 1970[5][6] and peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart and No. 4 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Accolades

Parton earned her first solo Grammy nomination for "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)". It was nominated for Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 13th Annual Grammy Awards.[7]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)"
May 4, 19703:10
2."Down from Dover"Dolly PartonSeptember 4, 19693:42
3."My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy"PartonMay 20, 19693:27
4."In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)"PartonSeptember 9, 19682:46
5."Gypsy, Joe and Me"PartonMay 21, 19693:07
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."In the Ghetto"Mac DavisJune 2, 19692:46
2."Just Because I'm a Woman"PartonDecember 18, 19673:01
3."Daddy Come and Get Me"
  • Parton
  • Dorothy Jo Hope
October 31, 19692:59
4."How Great Thou Art"Stuart K. HineMay 12, 19703:27
5."Just the Way I Am"PartonOctober 31, 19692:27

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes and RCA recording session records.

  • Joseph Babcock – background vocals
  • David Briggs – piano
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Anita Carter – background vocals
  • Fred Carter, Jr. – guitar
  • Pete Drake – steel
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Lloyd Green – steel
  • Junior Huskey – bass
  • James Isbell – drums
  • Les Leverett – cover photo
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • George McCormick – rhythm guitar
  • Wayne Moss – guitar
  • Al Pachucki – recording engineer
  • June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Hargus Robbins – piano
  • Roy Shockley – recording technician
  • Bob Simpson – remastering
  • Jerry Stembridge – guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • Bill Vandevort – recording technician
  • Porter Wagoner – liner notes

Charts

Album

Chart (1970) Peak
position
US Hot Country LP's (Billboard)[8] 12

Singles

Title Year Peak position
US
Country
[9]		 CAN
Country
[10]
"Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)" 1970 3 5

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[11] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. The Best of Dolly Parton at AllMusic
  2. Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. "Billboard - November 21, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. p. 75. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  4. "Cashbox - November 14, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox. p. 50. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  5. "Billboard - July 4, 1970" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. p. 80. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  6. "Dolly Parton - Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)". Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  7. "Dolly Parton". GRAMMY.com. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
  8. "Dolly Parton Chart History - Top Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  9. "Dolly Parton Chart History - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
  10. Canada, Library and Archives (17 July 2013). "Results: RPM Weekly". www.bac-lac.gc.ca. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  11. "American album certifications – DOLLY PARTON – THE BEST OF DOLLY PARTON". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved May 23, 2019. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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