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Album cover. RCA Victor (LSP-4186) (1969)
Always, Always is the third collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on June 30, 1969, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The album's two singles, "Yours Love" and the title track, peaked at numbers nine and 16, respectively, on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Track listing

Side 1
  1. Milwaukee, Here I Come (Lee Fykes) 2:12
  2. Yours Love (Harlan Howard) 2:23
  3. I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby (Autry Inman) 2:11
  4. Malena (Dolly Parton) 2:21
  5. The House Where Love Lives (Leona Reese) 2:00
  6. Why Don't You Haul Off & Love Me (Wayne Rainey, Lonnie Glossman) 1:50
​Side 2
  1. Always, Always (Joyce McCord) 2:35
  2. There Never Was a Time (Myra Smith, Margaret Lewis) 2:25
  3. Good as Gold (Paul Martin) 2;20
  4. My Hands Are Tied (Dolly Parton) 2:32
  5. No Reason to Hurry Home (Dolly Parton) 2:24
  6. Anything's Better Than Nothing (Marie Wilson) 2:11

Recording

​Recording sessions for the album took place at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 3 and 20, 1968. Three additional sessions followed on April 21, 22 and 23, 1969.
December 3, 1968
  • Malena
December 20, 1968
  • Good as Gold
  • Yours Love
​April 21, 1969
  • ​No Reason to Hurry Home
  • Milwaukee, Here I Come
  • The House Where Love Lives
April 22, 1969
  • Why Don't You Haul Off & Love Me
  • I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby
April 23, 1969
  • Anything's Better Than Nothing
  • Always, Always
  • My Hands Are Tied
  • There Never Was a Time

Release and promotion

​The album was released June 30, 1969, on LP, cassette, and 8-track.​

Singles

​The album's first single, "Yours Love", was released on February 3, 1969, and debuted at number 39 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It peaked at number nine on the chart dated May 10, its tenth week on the chart. It charted for 14 weeks. It also peaked at number 10 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.

The second single, "Always, Always", was released on May 19, 1969, and debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 21. It peaked at number 16 on the chart dated July 26, its sixth week on the chart. The single spent 11 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number nine on the Cashbox Country Singles chart.

Critical reception

The review in the July 12, 1969 issue of Billboard said, "In the tradition of the country duet, you would have to see far to find another as polished and professional as Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton—and few of those would be as successful. Here's their hit "Always, Always", and the impactful "Yours Love". Also recommended: "I Don't Believe You've Met My Baby"."

Cashbox published a review which said, "Titled after their latest single, this talented twosome offer a powerful package loaded with listening and sales appeal. Set contains twelve oldies and newies, including "Milwaukee, Here I Come", "Why Don't You Haul Off & Love Me", "There Never Was a Time", "No Reason to Hurry Home", and "Anything's Better Than Nothing". Expect instant action on this one."

AllMusic rated the album 3 out of 5 stars.
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Billboard review, July 12, 1969.
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Cashbox review, July 12, 1969.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 35 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated August 2, 1969. It peaked at number five on the chart dated September 19, its eighth week on the chart. The album spent 27 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number 162 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Personnel

​Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes and the 2014 box set, Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976.
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Glenn Baxter – trumpet
  • David Briggs – piano
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Lloyd Green – steel guitar, tambourine
  • Roy Huskey Jr. – bass
  • Little Jack Little – liner notes
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle, liner notes
  • George McCormick – rhythm guitar, liner notes
  • William McElhiney – trumpet
  • Wayne Moss – electric guitar
  • Speck Rhodes – liner notes
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano, organ
  • Al Pahcucki – recording engineer
  • June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Roy Shockley – recording technician
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo, liner notes
  • Porter Wagoner – lead vocals
  • Don Warden – guitar, liner notes
  • Hurshel Wiginton – background vocals

Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)
  • LP / Always, Always / RCA Victor LSP-4186 / US & Canada / 06-30-1969
  • 8-track / Always, Always / RCA Victor P8S-1481 / US & Canada / 06-30-1969
  • LP / Always, Always / RCA Victor 38-544 / South Africa / 1969
  • LP / Always, Always / RCA SHP-6103 / Japan / 1969
  • CD / Always, Always • Two of a Kind / American Beat / US / 02-12-2008
  • ​Digital download / Always, Always / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 11-02-2010
  • Streaming / Always, Always / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 11-02-2010
  • 6xCD / Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976 / Bear Family BCD 16889 FK/ Germany / 05-26-2014
  • 2xCD / Just Between You and Me • Always, Always • Porter Wayne and Dolly Rebecca • Love and Music / BGO BGOCD1404 / UK / 02-08-2020