Album cover. Columbia (CK 67140) (1995)
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Dolly Parton
Something Special Columbia (CK 67140) August 22, 1995
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Recording
The album was recorded at four studios in Nashville, Tennessee: Nightingale Studio, Sound Emporium Studio, Doghouse Studio, and Woodland Digital Studio.
Content
In addition to seven new Parton compositions, the album includes updated versions of three classics from Dolly's repertoire: "Jolene", "The Seeker", and "I Will Always Love You", the latter of which was recorded as a duet with Vince Gill. The duet is Dolly's third recording of the song and became her highest charting single in four years.
Release and promotion
The album was released August 22, 1995, on CD and cassette.
Singles
Following Dolly's performance of "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill on the Grand Ole Opry in August 1995, radio stations began giving the duet unsolicited airplay, causing it to debut at number 53 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated September 16. The duo performed the song again at the Country Music Association Awards in October before it was officially issued as a single in November. The single peaked ay number 15 on the chart dated November 25. It charted for a total of 20 weeks.
Television appearances
To promote the album Dolly made several television appearances. She appeared on the Grand Ole Opry on August 26 and performed "Something Special", "Jolene", and "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill. Dolly appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 31 and performed "Something Special". She and Vince Gill performed "I Will Always Love You" on the 29th Annual Country Music Association Awards on October 4.
Critical reception
Upon its release, the album was met with mixed reviews from critics. A review from Billboard said that "it's a bit distressing when the highlights of a new Dolly Parton album are new recordings of old material." The review went on to praise the re-recording of "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill, but felt that the "recent material pales here when contrasted with that duet and...older Parton compositions." The review concluded by saying, "The new stuff is good. The old stuff is great."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, describing the album as "something of a mixed bag." Like the review from Billboard, Erlewine also felt that "the newer songs are fine, [but] they pale in comparison with [Parton's] classics." He went on to say that "if the new songs had been included on an album that only featured new material, they would have formed a strong record, but they take a back seat to Parton's older songs, which are more inspired and better-written." He concluded his review by saying that "the album provides several fine moments, even if it doesn't rank among her best works."
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, describing the album as "something of a mixed bag." Like the review from Billboard, Erlewine also felt that "the newer songs are fine, [but] they pale in comparison with [Parton's] classics." He went on to say that "if the new songs had been included on an album that only featured new material, they would have formed a strong record, but they take a back seat to Parton's older songs, which are more inspired and better-written." He concluded his review by saying that "the album provides several fine moments, even if it doesn't rank among her best works."
Billboard review, September 23, 1995.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number number 42 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated September 9, 1995. It peaked at number 10 on the chart dated October 21. The album spent a total of 21 weeks on the chart. The album also peaked at number 54 on the Billboard 200 chart. It peaked at number 7 in Canada on the RPM Country Albums chart.
Accolades
The album's single, "I Will Always Love You" with Vince Gill, was named Vocal Event of the Year at the 1996 County Music Association Awards.
Personnel
Adapted from the album liner notes.
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