Album cover. Sugar Hill / Blue Eye (SUG-CD-3927) (2001)
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Dolly Parton
Little Sparrow Sugar Hill / Blue Eye (SUG-CD-3927) January 23, 2001
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Recording
Recording of the album took place throughout 2000 at Oceanway Studio and The Doghouse in Nashville Tennessee, with additional recording taking place at Schnee Studio in Los Angeles, California.
Content
While the album's predecessor, The Grass Is Blue, featured straightforward bluegrass, Little Sparrow features a blend of Appalachian folk, bluegrass, and country gospel styles. Each of the musical styles is a notable part of the culture from Dolly's East Tennessee upbringing. In addition to a number of traditional songs and Dolly's own compositions, the album features a reworking of the Collective Soul hit, "Shine", and the Restless Heart hit, "A Tender Lie", as well as a bluegrass version of Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You". Among the backing musicians were members of the alternative bluegrass band Nickel Creek, Alison Krauss, and members of Irish folk music band Altan.
Dolly had previously recorded three of the tracks featured on the album. "Down from Dover" had originally been recorded by Dolly in 1969 and included on her 1970 album The Fairest of Them All. "My Blue Tears" was originally recorded in 1971 and included on Dolly's Coat of Many Colors album. Dolly also recorded the song with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt in 1978 for an ill-fated Trio project. This recording would eventually surface on Ronstadt's 1982 album Get Closer. Dolly first recorded "In the Sweet By and By" for her 1999 album Precious Memories. An unused vocal take from the Precious Memories session was used to create the version included on the 2021 compilation Country Faith Bluegrass. Dolly would later re-record "Little Sparrow" for the 2007 UK compilation Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer.
Dolly had previously recorded three of the tracks featured on the album. "Down from Dover" had originally been recorded by Dolly in 1969 and included on her 1970 album The Fairest of Them All. "My Blue Tears" was originally recorded in 1971 and included on Dolly's Coat of Many Colors album. Dolly also recorded the song with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt in 1978 for an ill-fated Trio project. This recording would eventually surface on Ronstadt's 1982 album Get Closer. Dolly first recorded "In the Sweet By and By" for her 1999 album Precious Memories. An unused vocal take from the Precious Memories session was used to create the version included on the 2021 compilation Country Faith Bluegrass. Dolly would later re-record "Little Sparrow" for the 2007 UK compilation Singer, Songwriter & Legendary Performer.
Release and promotion
The album was announced by Sugar Hill Records on December 6, 2000. In a press release, Dolly said, "I believe Little Sparrow has more depth, breadth, and soul than all of the other albums I have done. Hopefully it captures the best of everything I've ever lived or felt, written, or sung. I also think this is Steve Buckingham's best work as a producer. I hope you enjoy it. You know how every parent thinks their kids are the prettiest, how every person thinks their hometown and their home team is the best, and how every singer/songwriter thinks that the album they just finished is the best they've ever done...well, I think that too."
The album was released January 23, 2001, on CD and cassette.
The album was released January 23, 2001, on CD and cassette.
Singles
In April 2001, "A Tender Lie", "Bluer Pastures", and "Seven Bridges Road" were released as singles simultaneously to country, bluegrass, and Americana radio stations, respectively. None of them received enough airplay to chart.
"Shine" was released as the fourth single in July 2001, but did not chart. Brent Hedgecock directed the accompanying music video. It premiered June 13 on CMT Most Wanted Live.
"Shine" was released as the fourth single in July 2001, but did not chart. Brent Hedgecock directed the accompanying music video. It premiered June 13 on CMT Most Wanted Live.
Television appearances
On the day of the album's release Dolly appeared on NBC's Today. She appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman on January 29, performing "Shine". She also made an appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on February 1, where she performed "A Tender Lie" and "I Will Always Love You". On February 27, Dolly was interviewed and performed "Little Sparrow" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
Dolly also made television appearances in Europe. She appeared on Parkinson on February 17 and So Graham Norton on February 23, where she performed "Marry Me".
Dolly also made television appearances in Europe. She appeared on Parkinson on February 17 and So Graham Norton on February 23, where she performed "Marry Me".
Critical reception
Upon its release, Little Sparrow received widespread acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 86, which indicates "universal acclaim", based on 10 reviews. The review published in the January 27, 2001 issue of Billboard said, "Recognizing that mainstream country radio is pretty much off limits, Dolly Parton has wisely followed her muse of late rather than try to gauge commercialism, and God bless her for it. Little Sparrow is among Parton's best work ever, a stellar collection that peels the paint off the walls. Parton's voice remains a thing of wonder, whether it's on the haunting Smoky Mountains soul of the title cut, the aching "My Blue Tears", or the backwoods waltz "Bluer Pastures". "Mountain Angel" is spooky, "Marry Me" is a hoot, and both pay homage to the singer's mountain roots. Parton is still writing killer songs (half the 14 cuts), and the covers are lightning in a jug, including rousing takes on Collective Soul's "Shine", the Eagles' "Seven Bridges Road", and Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You". Production is of the back-porch variety, with bluegrass instrumentation mostly carrying the load. The pickers are top shelf, the harmonies are to die for, and Dolly rules. An instant classic."
Rolling Stone gave a positive review of the album and said, "Throughout Little Sparrow, Parton’s silvery, force-of-nature voice cuts to the heart of the matter, convincingly making the case that — famous literary dictum aside — you can go home again." Writing for PopMatters, Charlotte Robinson gave a positive review, saying that the album "contains some of the most beautiful and affecting music Parton has ever made, and the fact that she is doing it in her fifth decade makes it all the more dazzling an achievement." Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A and said the album "proves a sequel can surpass the original." Barry Weber of AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and said that the album's title track is "an ingenious metaphor that, along with a slow, aching melody, and a flawless production and performance, helps round out what is truly one of the best songs Dolly Parton has written in years."
Rolling Stone gave a positive review of the album and said, "Throughout Little Sparrow, Parton’s silvery, force-of-nature voice cuts to the heart of the matter, convincingly making the case that — famous literary dictum aside — you can go home again." Writing for PopMatters, Charlotte Robinson gave a positive review, saying that the album "contains some of the most beautiful and affecting music Parton has ever made, and the fact that she is doing it in her fifth decade makes it all the more dazzling an achievement." Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly gave the album an A and said the album "proves a sequel can surpass the original." Barry Weber of AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and said that the album's title track is "an ingenious metaphor that, along with a slow, aching melody, and a flawless production and performance, helps round out what is truly one of the best songs Dolly Parton has written in years."
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 14 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated February 10, 2001. It peaked at number 12 on the chart dated February 17. The album spent a total of 37 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number 97 on the Billboard 200, number 12 on the Billboard Bluegrass Albums chart, and number three on the Billboard Independent Albums chart. The album peaked at number one on the OCC UK Country Albums Chart and number 30 on the OCC UK Albums Chart. It peaked at number 27 in Sweden and number 39 in Denmark.
The album has sold 212,000 copies in the United States as of December 2003.
The album has sold 212,000 copies in the United States as of December 2003.
Accolades
The album was nominated for Best Bluegrass Album at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in 2002 and "Shine" won Best Female Vocal Performance. Little Sparrow won Best Bluegrass Album at the Association for Independent Music Awards in 2002. The "Shine" music video was nominated for Flameworthy Female Video of the Year at the 2002 CMT Music Awards (known as the CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards at the time).
The album was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry in April 2001, for shipment of 60,000 copies.
The album was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry in April 2001, for shipment of 60,000 copies.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Performance
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Production
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Other personnel
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Releases
FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)
- CD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SUG-CD-3927A / US / 2001 (promo, card sleeve, alternate cover, see below)
- CD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SUG-CD-3927 / US / 01-23-2001
- Cassette / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SUG-MC-3928 / 01-23-2001
- CD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SHCD3927 / Canada / 2001
- CD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye; Shock SHCD3927 / Australia / 2001
- CD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye; Sanctuary SANCD074 / UK / 2001
- SACD / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SUG-SACD-3927 / US / 2003
- Digital download / Little Sparrow / Sugar Hill / Various / Unknown
- 3xCD+DVD / The Acoustic Collection, 1999–2002 / Sugar Hill; Blue Eye SUG-CD-4008 / US / 10-10-2006
- Digital download / Little Sparrow / Dolly / Various / 04-10-2020
- Streaming / Little Sparrow / Dolly / Various / 04-10-2020
- LP / Little Sparrow / Vinyl Me, Please VMP – LTDP002 / US / 05-2023
Promo CD cover. Sugar Hill / Blue Eye (SUG-CD-3927A) (2001)
Image credit: venemousbeavers at discogs.com