Image credit: Owepar
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William Earl Owens (September 28, 1935 – April 7, 2021) was a singer, songwriter, musician, and music producer. Born in Sevier County, Tennessee, he was the seventh of eight children born to Rev. Jake Owens and his wife Rena. From a young age, he was motivated to achieve success in music. He started making music with his siblings early in life, and by the late 1950s, he was carving out his own path in Knoxville's vibrant country scene while managing his young niece, Dolly. In 1958, Bill recorded his debut song for Goldband Records using his rockabilly name, "Little Billy Earl." He was instrumental in the recording of Dolly's debut single, "Puppy Love", which was also released on Goldband Records in 1959. Bill continued to write songs throughout the 1960s, releasing independent records to promote his career, as well as Dolly's.
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Following his role as a guitarist for Grand Ole Opry stars Carl and Pearl Butler, he relocated to Nashville in 1964, with Dolly quickly following after she graduated high school. They signed with Combine Publishing, and their initial success came with "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", which reached the top ten of the country charts for Bill Phillips in 1966. In the following years, he performed live shows alongside his brother Louis, and together they created and recorded a collection of independent singles.
In the mid-1970s, Bill went back to East Tennessee, where he founded the Smoky Mountain Music Barn, among the earliest music theaters in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Bill also appeared in Dolly's 1984 movie, Rhinestone, as part of the band Wild Possum. He continued running the Music Barn throughout the 1980s and became a frequent performer with his siblings as The Kinfolks at Dollywood after the park was established in 1986.
In the mid-1970s, Bill went back to East Tennessee, where he founded the Smoky Mountain Music Barn, among the earliest music theaters in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Bill also appeared in Dolly's 1984 movie, Rhinestone, as part of the band Wild Possum. He continued running the Music Barn throughout the 1980s and became a frequent performer with his siblings as The Kinfolks at Dollywood after the park was established in 1986.
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In the early 1980s, and for the rest of his life, Bill made it his mission to bring awareness to the conservation of the chestnut tree in the Smoky Mountains and helped The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) in their efforts to create a blight-resistant tree. He and his wife, Sandy, planted about 70,000 chestnut trees on the Dollywood property. In 2009, TACF recognized Bill’s efforts with a presentation and tree planting at the Back Porch Theater in Dollywood with Dolly in attendance. Then in June 2022, Dolly accepted the Chestnut Conservation Champion Award on behalf of her late uncle, Bill Owens. The award was presented at the future site of Dollywood's HeartSong Lodge & Resort, where an American chestnut tree was planted to honor Bill and his work with TACF.
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Studio albums
Album cover. REM (RL-1024) (1967)
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Songs of the Smokie Mountains is a studio album by Bill Owens and the Kinfolk (his father Rev. Jake Owens and sister Dorothy Jo Owens). It was released in 1967 by REM Records. It was recorded at Dorothy Jo's home in East Tennessee. The album was pressed in a small quantity and became a sought after collector's item among folk music fans. It was released digitally on December 20, 2024.
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Track listing
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Personnel
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Album cover. (SMt 104) (c. 1988 or 1989) / Extended edit by The Dolly Parton Discography
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Album cover. Bill Owens (c. 1993 or 1994) / Extended edit by The Dolly Parton Discography
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Dreams Do Come True is a studio album by Bill Owens. It was released independently in 1988 or 1989 on cassette. The album features Dolly on the title track, a song written by Bill that she later recorded on her 1991 album, Eagle When She Flies. The album would be reissued in 1993 or 1994 with a different cover and the closing track changed from "Medley" to "Lord, Help Me".
Track listing
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Dreams Do Come True (c. 1988 or 1989)
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Dreams Do Come True (c. 1993 or 1994)
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Compilation albums
Album cover. Kinfolks Music Group (KMG 301) (c. 1993 or 1994) / Extended edit by The Dolly Parton Discography
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Uncle Bill Owens – Dolly Parton is a compilation album by Bill Owens. It was released by Kinfolks Music Group around 1993 or 1994 on cassette. The album features rare early recordings of Dolly and her sisters, in addition to contemporary recordings by Uncle Bill.
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Track listing
* Previously unreleased. |
Credits
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Album cover. KlearTone (KLR-0021) (2004)
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Bill Owens is a studio album by Bill Owens. It was released in 2004 by KlearTone Records. The album contains eight songs from Owens' two previous albums, both titled Dreams Do Come True, and six previously unreleased recordings.
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Track listing
* Previously unreleased. |
Liner notesDolly Parton's uncle Bill Owens had a very big influence on her in the early years of her music career. When she was just 10 years old Bill took her to perform on The Cas Walker Show, a local entertainment show on morning television which led to another childhood performance on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee. He soon became her musical tutor, her first manager, and then becoming songwriting partners they went on to write some of the most classic songs in the history of country music like "Put It Off Until Tomorrow", a winner of the BMI songwriters award. Bill went on to become one of the most celebrated musicians and songwriters in the country music scene.
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Album cover. Owens Music & Real Estate Group.
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Kinfolks at Dollywood is a compilation album featuring Bill Owens, Louis Owens, Dwight Puckett, Dale Puckett, and Rev. Jake Owens. It was released in the late 1990s or early 2000s by Owens Music & Real Estate Group. Dorothy Jo Owens is featured on the tracks credited to The Kinfolks, although she is not mentioned in the album's liner notes.
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Track listing
- Dreams Do Come True Bill Owens and Dolly Parton (Bill Owens)
- Welfare Blues Bill Owens (Bill Owens, Randy Parton)
- Put It Off Until Tomorrow Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- Fell Off the Wagon Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- Brand New Man Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- My Mind Has Been Cheating on You Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- Honky Tonk Bars Bill Owens (Bill Owens, Randy Parton)
- Lord, Help Me Bill Owens (Bill Owens)
- Don't You Ever Get Tired Louis Owens
- Somewhere Between Louis Owens
- Working Man Blues Louis Owens
- Those Memories of You Dwight Puckett (Alan O'Bryant)
- Orange Blossom Special Instrumental
- 9 to 5 Instrumental (Dolly Parton)
- Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man The Kinfolks (Dolly Parton, Dorothy Jo Owens)
- Amazing Grace Louis Owens
- Gospel Medley: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms / Power in the Blood / I'll Fly Away / Singing His Praise / There'll Always Be Music The Kinfolks
- Lost Sheep on the Mountain Rev. Jake Owens and the Kinfolks
- Singing His Praise The Kinfolks
Extended plays
EP cover. Circle-B (101) (1970)
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Dolly Parton Presents Billy Earl and the Kinfolks is an extended play by Billy Earl and the Kinfolks. It was released in summer 1967 by Circle-B Records. The group consisted of brothers Bill and Louis Owens, and their nephew, Dwight Puckett. They toured with Dolly in the summer and fall of 1967 and the EP was sold at their performances. Dolly is featured on background vocals on three tracks: "Tomorrow's Tears Today", "Would You Believe", and "I'll Introduce You".
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Track listing
- Tomorrow's Tears Today
- Would You Believe
- The Right Kind of Girl
- I'll Introduce You
- Thanks to You
- Before It's Too Late
Singles
A-SIDE / B-SIDE (LABEL; CATALOG #; RELEASE DATE)
Robert Owens and the Nite Twisters (Bill and Louis Owens):
- Wrapped Around Your Finger / Never Had the Blues (Folk-Star; F-1111/F-1112; 1954)
- I'm Too Tired to Rock / Father (Goldband; 45-1069; 1958)
- Honey Baby-O / Couple in the Car (Goldband; G-1075; August 1958)
- Go Dan Tucker / Please Don't Hurt Me (Goldband; G-1089; June 1959)
- So Little I Wanted, So Little I Got / Forbidden Love (Circle-B; CB-102; 1961)
- Just a Friend / Vagabond (Triple-O; 661; 1961)
- Got to Pull Myself Together / Home Cooking (REM; 45-410; 1967)
- I'll Oilwells Love You / I Hope You Don't Find Her the Way I Left Her (Hilltop; 3017; 1968)
- Left Holding the Bag / Through Thick and Thin (Circle-B; 45-106; 1968)
- Jim Johnson / This Is the Way (Circle-B; 1251; July 1969)
- Thoughtfulness (Circle-B; 1259; 1970)
- O Chestnut Tree (The American Chestnut Foundation; free download; September 2012)
- Who's Baby Are You Baby / I'm Too Tired to Rock (Goldband; none; 2013)
Other album appearances
TITLE / ARTIST / ALBUM / YEAR
- House of Gold / Bill Owens, Kim Owens, and Tammy Owens / The Old Tim Preacher Man / c. 1990
- Shine On / Dolly Parton* / Hungry Again / 1998
- Silver Sandals / Margo O'Donnell and Bill Owens / The Highway of My Life: Side of the Family Tree / 1998
- Power in the Blood / Dolly Parton** / Precious Memories / 1999
- Keep on the Firing Line / Dolly Parton** / Precious Memories / 1999
- When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder / Dolly Parton** / Precious Memories / 1999
- Singing His Praise / Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man / Bill Owens, Louis Owens, Dolly Parton and Family / Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables / 2024
- Put It Off Until Tomorrow / Bill Owens and Dolly Parton / Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables / 2024
* Bill provided backing vocals on "Shine On" as a member of The House of Prayer Congregation.
** Bill provided backing vocals on these tracks as a member of the Kinfolks