Search - Dolly Parton :: All I Can Do / New Harvest First Gather

Two classic RCA albums remastered for the first time on CD!

Mr. K | UK | 02/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To coincide with Dolly Parton's 2007 European Tour SonyBMG (UK) release a series of three 2on1s (twofers). These feature some of the most sought after albums recorded during her days signed to RCA Records. Each album is beautifully remastered from the original American tapes. If you love the Country star you will adore these CDs....



The release, in August 1976, of "All I Can Do" was significant as it was Dolly's last studio album produced by her longtime mentor, Porter Wagoner. This Grammy nominated album, included the bouncy single Hey, Lucky Lady and Dolly's heartfelt rendition of Emmylou Harris's Boulder to Birmingham. Both the title song and album went on to reach #3 on the Country charts.



The next step was to begin recording, during the autumn 1976, her first self-produced album, poignantly named New Harvest...First Gathering. These sessions notably introduced her to the talents of masterful keyboardist, arranger and producer, Gregg Perry and were her first to be done, in part, outside of Nashville. The album, released in February 1977, was a #1 Country smash. The gospel-tinged lead single Light of the Clear Blue Morning also reached #11. New Harvest...First Gathering may only have made a marginal dent on the Pop charts but it did win Dolly an American Music Award for `Best Country Album' in 1978. It also sparked a special friendship and working relationship with Gregg Perry. The ultimate reward for the songstress is this album remains her most coveted by fans!



Tracklisting:-

1. All I Can Do

2. Fire That Keeps You Warm

3. When The Sun Goes Down Tomorrow

4. I'm A Drifter

5. Falling Out Of Love With Me

6. Shattered Image

7. Boulder To Birmingham

8. Preacher Tom

9. Life's Like Poetry

10. Hey, Lucky Lady

11. Light Of A Clear Blue Morning

12. Applejack

13. My Love (My Girl)

14. Holdin' On To You

15. You Are

16. How Does It Feel

17. Where Beauty Lives In Memory

18. Higher And Higher

19. Getting In My Way

20. There

"

At long last!!!!

Allen Chapman | STAFFORD SPRINGS, CT USA | 03/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Finally Dolly's back catalog is slowly getting re-issued on CD. The first of these 2fer's includes Dolly's 1976 and 1977 RCA albums. "All I Can Do" from 1976 was the first of her albums where she was beginning to break away from Porter Wagoner. The stand out tracks include the title track, "I'm A Drifter", "Shattered Image" and Emmylou Harris' "Boulder To Birmingham". 1977's "New Harvest...First Gathering" is one of Dolly's best. The album opens and closes with two songs that both begin very quietly and build to a rousing finish. The opener "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning" has been redone by Dolly twice since, but the original is the best performance of the song. The closing song is her haunting gospel number "There" one of Dolly's best songs. Also included is her tale of childhood banjo picker, "Applejack", her take on the Motown classic "My Girl" here retitled "My Love", She also covers the Jackie Wilson classic "Higher and Higher". The other two stand out tracks are "You Are" and the sad story of delusion, "Where Beauty Lives In Memory".

These have been a long time coming. Thanks to Stephen Munns for spearheading this project."

My Second Favorite In This Collection

Jurai's Heir | Denham Springs, LA, USA | 03/26/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first half of the album is from Dolly's 1976 LP album "All I Can Do". The title song for the first half reached #3 on the U.S. Country charts. Even though the second half from "New Harvest...First Gathering" LP album are more moving, "All I Can Do" is almost equally good with a more fun feel to it. When this half was originally released separate it was more successful then the second half of songs (I have no idea how) but like I said it's almost equally good, it's just that the songs from "New Harvest...First Gathering" were written better, they also have meaning and more feeling in them. The highlights on the first half are "All I Can Do", "I'm A Drifter", "Falling Out Of Love With Me", the original version of "Shattered Image" which would later be redone on her moving bluegrass album "Halos & Horns". Another highlighted song is "Boulder To Birmingham" which was originally written & sung by Emmylou Harris. The last standout on this half is "Preacher Tom".



The second half of the album is from Dolly's 1977 LP album, "New Harvest...First Gathering". This was Dolly's first album that she produced herself, also it was her first album that was recorded out of Nashville. This half has some of most saddest and most touching songs, like the original version to the uplifting "Light Of A Clear Blue Morning", one of Dolly's fan's favorites "Applejack", the beautiful, moving & uplifting "You Are", a very fun "How Does It Feel", the most saddest song on this half "Where Beauty Lives In Memory" and the big final with "There" which is so moving, it will make you cry. This cd is so worth it, really for this half of "New Harvest...First Gathering". This is probarly one Dolly's best & underrated albums from the 1970s.



Both of these albums include their original artwork from the LPs inside the CD booklet, it also haves linernotes, but no lyrics."