Album cover. RCA Victor (AHL1-3700) (1980)
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Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton
Porter & Dolly RCA Victor (AHL1-3700) August 4, 1980 Side A
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Background
Porter and Dolly recorded "Here Comes the Freedom Train" in 1973, their only non-RCA single, as a fundraiser for a bicentennial train that was going to be traveling America with a museum car featuring the nation's historic documents on display. Around this time Porter had begun to urge Dolly to write about more than her East Tennessee home and the rapidly vanishing rural lifestyle. Porter later told CMT, "I had a pretty long talk with her about it. I said, 'Dolly, the people who live in Idaho and Canada don't care if you're mama's got an old black kettle or if your dad has working boots. They know about love. You need to write some love songs."
That was on Dolly's mind one night while she was sitting by the fireplace at her home in Antioch, Tennessee. She had decided to write a song of farewell, which ended up being "I Will Always Love You". Dolly told CMT, "I absolutely remember where I was sitting, the time of night and everything. I was having so much trouble leaving Porter's show...We'd had great success, [but] we had a lot of problems. We didn't get along very well, but we loved each other, too...But he wouldn't hear me out. He just couldn't listen to me, and so I thought, 'The only way I'm gonna express what I feel and have him understand is to write a song.' I wrote it in a couple of hours. It just felt so right to get it all out. And while I was at it, I wrote "Jolene". A lot of people don't know that I wrote those two songs on the same night, the same writing session."
The next day Dolly went to Porter's office and sang "I Will Always Love You" for him. Porter told her she could go, as long as he could produce that song. They performed their last show together in June 1974, although Porter continued to produce Dolly's albums through 1976's All I Can Do.
Porter filed a $3 million lawsuit against Dolly on March 21, 1979, alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit sought an accounting of Dolly's net income and record royalties to the date of judgment, 15% of her net income from June 1974 through June 1979, and 15% of her record royalties from the date the payments ceased to the date of judgment. Porter hoped for the court to issue a declaratory judgment that Dolly "is liable under contract to pay Porter Wagoner 15% of her record royalties earned from the date of judgment for so long as she receives such record royalties." As an alternative to this, Porter sought $2 million for "future loss of income from Dolly Parton's net income and record royalties." The suit was settled out of court, with Dolly later saying, "It took me a while to pay it off, but he got the first million dollars I ever made."
Rumors began to circulate in November 1979 that Porter and Dolly were discussing recording a new duet album in 1980 following the settlement of the lawsuit. This turned out to be partially true. The resulting album was made up of songs the pair had recorded between 1968 and 1976, overdubbed with new instrumentation. Porter and Dolly were reportedly not on speaking terms and would not reunite in person, so the cover photo is actually a composite of two separate photos edited together.
That was on Dolly's mind one night while she was sitting by the fireplace at her home in Antioch, Tennessee. She had decided to write a song of farewell, which ended up being "I Will Always Love You". Dolly told CMT, "I absolutely remember where I was sitting, the time of night and everything. I was having so much trouble leaving Porter's show...We'd had great success, [but] we had a lot of problems. We didn't get along very well, but we loved each other, too...But he wouldn't hear me out. He just couldn't listen to me, and so I thought, 'The only way I'm gonna express what I feel and have him understand is to write a song.' I wrote it in a couple of hours. It just felt so right to get it all out. And while I was at it, I wrote "Jolene". A lot of people don't know that I wrote those two songs on the same night, the same writing session."
The next day Dolly went to Porter's office and sang "I Will Always Love You" for him. Porter told her she could go, as long as he could produce that song. They performed their last show together in June 1974, although Porter continued to produce Dolly's albums through 1976's All I Can Do.
Porter filed a $3 million lawsuit against Dolly on March 21, 1979, alleging breach of contract. The lawsuit sought an accounting of Dolly's net income and record royalties to the date of judgment, 15% of her net income from June 1974 through June 1979, and 15% of her record royalties from the date the payments ceased to the date of judgment. Porter hoped for the court to issue a declaratory judgment that Dolly "is liable under contract to pay Porter Wagoner 15% of her record royalties earned from the date of judgment for so long as she receives such record royalties." As an alternative to this, Porter sought $2 million for "future loss of income from Dolly Parton's net income and record royalties." The suit was settled out of court, with Dolly later saying, "It took me a while to pay it off, but he got the first million dollars I ever made."
Rumors began to circulate in November 1979 that Porter and Dolly were discussing recording a new duet album in 1980 following the settlement of the lawsuit. This turned out to be partially true. The resulting album was made up of songs the pair had recorded between 1968 and 1976, overdubbed with new instrumentation. Porter and Dolly were reportedly not on speaking terms and would not reunite in person, so the cover photo is actually a composite of two separate photos edited together.
Recording
All ten of the album's tracks were recorded on ten different dates between 1968 and 1976 at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. The two newest tracks on the album, "Touching Memories" and "Someone Just Like You", were the only two tracks from their respective April 22 and 26, 1976 sessions to be released until the 2014 box set Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976. "Hide Me Away" was recorded during a May 24, 1974 session for 1974's Porter 'n' Dolly. "If You Say I Can" was the first track to be released from a December 5, 1973 session and is possibly the only surviving track from this session as none of the other songs recorded during the session were included on the 2014 box set. "Beneath the Sweet Magnolia Tree" was recorded during the February 13, 1973 session for 1973's Love and Music. "Singing on the Mountain" and "Little David's Harp" were recorded during sessions for 1973's We Found It on August 21 and 22, 1972, respectively. "If You Go, I'll Follow You" was the second track to be released from the September 29, 1971 session. "Daddy Did His Best" was recorded during a session on December 2, 1970, for 1971's Two of a Kind. The oldest track included on the album, "Making Plans", was recorded on May 22, 1968, during a session for 1968's Just the Two of Us.
Overdub sessions for the album took place on November 23, December 3, December 7, December 11, and December 14, 1979, at Fireside Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
Overdub sessions for the album took place on November 23, December 3, December 7, December 11, and December 14, 1979, at Fireside Studio in Nashville, Tennessee.
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May 22, 1968
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February 13, 1973
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Release and promotion
The album was released August 4, 1980, on LP, cassette, and 8-track.
Singles
The album's first single, "Making Plans", was released on June 2, 1980. It debuted at number 75 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated June 21. It peaked at number two on the chart dated September 6, its twelfth week on the chart, where it remained for an additional week. It charted for 17 weeks. The single peaked at number 38 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.
"If You Go, I'll Follow You" was released as the second single on October 13, 1980. It debuted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated November 8. It peaked at number 12 on the chart dated January 10, 1981, its tenth week on the chart, where it remained for an additional week. The single charted for 14 weeks.
"If You Go, I'll Follow You" was released as the second single on October 13, 1980. It debuted at number 61 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated November 8. It peaked at number 12 on the chart dated January 10, 1981, its tenth week on the chart, where it remained for an additional week. The single charted for 14 weeks.
Critical reception
A positive review of the album from Billboard said, "An encore album from this once red-hot country pairing takes Parton and Wagoner through a series of songs heavy on heartbreak and guitars. Simple arrangements by Wagoner, solid harmony bolstered by some smooth background singing and upfront keyboard work and strings provide a good balance in molding these two dissimilar voices." The review noted "Making Plans", "Someone Just Like You", "Touching Memories", and "If You Say I Can" as the best cuts on the album.
Although they made mention of the age of the material on the album, Cashbox also gave a positive review of the album, saying, "This package of never before released material dates back to pre-1976, when the duet was as hot as this summer's heatwave. Except for a few minor touch-ups, the material is as it was recorded in the Parton-Wagoner heyday. Even though this album was actually recorded at least four years ago, the material and distinctive Parton-Wagoner vocals are timeless."
AllMusic rated the album 3 out of 5 stars.
Although they made mention of the age of the material on the album, Cashbox also gave a positive review of the album, saying, "This package of never before released material dates back to pre-1976, when the duet was as hot as this summer's heatwave. Except for a few minor touch-ups, the material is as it was recorded in the Parton-Wagoner heyday. Even though this album was actually recorded at least four years ago, the material and distinctive Parton-Wagoner vocals are timeless."
AllMusic rated the album 3 out of 5 stars.
Billboard review, August 16, 1980.
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Cashbox review, August 16, 1980.
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Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 67 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated September 6, 1980. It peaked at number nine on the chart dated October 11, its sixth week on the chart, where it remained for an additional week. It charted for 31 weeks.
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Performance
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Production
- Chuck Cochran – string arrangements
- Tom Pick – engineer
- Roy Shockley – engineer
- Porter Wagoner – producer, arrangements
Other personnel
- Herb Burnette – art director
- Ed Caraeff – photography (Dolly Parton)
- K&S Photographics – special photo effects
- Bill Noss – lettering
- Hope Powell – photography (Porter Wagoner)
Releases
FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)
- LP / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor AHL1-3700 / US & Canada / 08-04-1980
- Cassette / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor AHK1-3700 / US & Canada / 08-04-1980
- 8-track / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor AHS1-3700 / US & Canada / 08-04-1980
- LP / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor APL1-3700 / Australia / 1980
- LP / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor AHL1-3700 / South Africa / 1980
- LP / Porter & Dolly / RCA Victor PL 13700 / UK / 1980
- CD / Porter & Dolly / Sony BMG Music Custom Marketing Group A 716486 / US / 12-16-2007
- Digital download / Porter & Dolly / Sony BMG Music Custom Marketing Group A 716486 / US / 12-16-2007
- Streaming / Porter & Dolly / Sony BMG Music Custom Marketing Group A 716486 / US / 12-16-2007
- 6xCD / Just Between You and Me: The Complete Recordings, 1967–1976* / Bear Family BCD 16889 FK / Germany / 05-26-2014
- 2xCD / We Found It • Porter 'n' Dolly • Say Forever You'll Be Mine • Porter & Dolly / BGO BGOCD1410 / UK / 06-19-2020
* The Bear Family box set features the orignal undubbed masters of the songs included on the Porter & Dolly album.