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45 single, Side A. RCA Victor (74-0868) (1972)
Image credit: allan0318 at 45cat.com
"My Tennessee Mountain Home" is a single by Dolly Parton. It was released on December 4, 1972, by RCA Victor as the only single from Dolly's album of the same name. It was written by Dolly and produced by Bob Ferguson. The single peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

Track listing

Side A
  • My Tennessee Mountain Home (Dolly Parton) 3:03
Side B
  • The Better Part of Life (Dolly Parton) 3:11

Background

Dolly wrote "My Tennessee Mountain Home" about what a typical day was like for her growing up. She recalled in her 2020 book, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics, that the song "really talks about sitting on a front porch, leaning back like we used to, singing, and having peaceful times. There were hard times, too. But when you grow up in the mountains, you're not working every second. If it's right after supper and you're with your mom and dad, everything seems to be calm. There are those moments when you talk about peaceful things—lightning bugs out in the fields, kids running around doing whatever, and thinking back."

Recording

"My Tennessee Mountain Home" was recorded on September 1, 1972, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, while the B-side, "The Better Part of Life" was recorded on October 3.

Audio

Critical reception

The single was reviewed in the December 16, 1972 issue of Billboard. The review said, "Builds strongly. Another winner from Miss Parton. Her television exposure builds extra sales."

Cashbox also reviewed the single in their December 16, 1972 issue. It said, Dolly sings a song she wrote about the place where she was raised. The vivid imagery of her lyrics is bolstered by the convincing emotion in her vocals. A Strong sound."
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Billboard review, December 16, 1972.
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Cashbox review, December 16, 1972.

Commercial performance

"My Tennessee Mountain Home" debuted at number 57 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated January 6, 1973. It peaked at number 15 on the chart dated March 10, its tenth week on the chart. The single charted for 13 weeks. It also peaked at number 12 on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 10 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the 2007 CD reissue of My Tennessee Mountain Home.
"My Tennessee Mountain Home"
  • ​Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Jimmy Capps – guitar
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Jimmy Colvard – guitar
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Johnny Gimble – fiddle
  • Mary Hoephinger – harp
  • Dave Kirby – rhythm guitar
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • Charlie McCoy – harmonica
  • ​June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals, guitar
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – rhythm guitar
  • Bobby Thompson – rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • Don Warden – dobro
  • ​Hurshel Wiginton – background vocals​
​"The Better Part of Life"
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Jimmy Colvard – guitar
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Johnny Gimble – fiddle
  • Mack Magaha – fiddle
  • Ron Oates – piano
  • ​June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals, guitar
  • Jerry Stembridge (Chip Young) – rhythm guitar
  • Buck Trent – electric banjo
  • ​Hurshel Wiginton – background vocals​