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Album cover. RCA Victor (LSP-4686) (1972)
Touch Your Woman is the ninth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on March 6, 1972, by RCA Victor. The album was produced by Bob Ferguson. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. The title track was the only single released and it peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The single was also nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards.

Track listing

Side 1
  1. Will He Be Waiting (Dolly Parton) 2:28
  2. The Greatest Days of All (Dolly Parton) 2:37
  3. Touch Your Woman (Dolly Parton) 2:41
  4. A Lot of You Left in Me (Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton) 2:27
  5. Second Best (Dolly Parton) 2:57
Side 2
  1. A Little at a Time (Dolly Parton) 2:10
  2. Love Is Only as Strong (As Your Weakest Moment) (Bill Owens) 2:00
  3. Love Isn't Free (Joe Babcock) 2:30
  4. Mission Chapel Memories (Porter Wagoner, Dolly Parton) 3:05
  5. Loneliness Found Me (Porter Wagoner) 1:55

Recording

Recording sessions for the album began at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, on December 14, 1971. Two additional sessions followed on January 11 and 12, 1972. "Love Isn't Free" was recorded during the October 30, 1969 session for 1969's The Fairest of Them All.
October 30, 1969
  • Love Isn't Free
December 14, 1971
  • Will He Be Waiting?
  • Loneliness Found Me
  • Greatest Days of All
  • Touch Your Woman
January 11, 1972
  • A Little at a Time
  • Mission Chapel Memories
  • A Lot of You Left in Me
January 12, 1972
  • Love Is Only as Strong (As Your Weakest Moment)
  • Second Best

Release and promotion

​The album was released March 6, 1972, on LP and 8-track.

Singles

The album's single, "Touch Your Woman", was released on February 14, 1972, and debuted at number 66 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart dated March 11. It peaked at number six on the chart dated April 29, its eighth week on the chart. It charted for 14 weeks. It also peaked at number eight on the Cashbox Country Singles chart. The single peaked at number 28 in Canada on the RPM Country Singles chart.

Critical reception

The review published by Billboard in the March 18, 1972 issue said, "Miss Parton is currently enjoying a highly successful career and this LP will take her higher up the ladder as both a fine stylist and a superb songwriter. Produced by Bob Ferguson, this terrific package is a showcase for the beautiful voice and writing talent of the lovely country girl. "Second Best", "Will He Be Waiting", "A Little at a Time", and the title tune, all penned by Miss Parton are highlights."

Cashbox published a review in the March 11, 1972 issue, which said, "Dolly Parton has a unique voice, partly because of its tone and partly because of the emotion she places behind her singing. On this LP of ten new cuts, she reaches new heights of emotion in both her singing and songwriting. Sticking to pure country music roots as far as song structure goes, Dolly however, shows a very progressive attitude when it comes to writing lyrics in tunes such as "The Greatest Days of All", "Second Best", "Will He Be Waiting", and "Mission Chapel Memories", the latter which was co-written with Porter Wagoner."

AllMusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars.
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Billboard review, March 18, 1972.
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Cashbox review, March 11, 1972.

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 45 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated April 1, 1972. It peaked at number 19 on the chart dated April 22, its fifth week on the chart. The album charted for 10 weeks.

Accolades

​ The album's title track and single, "Touch Your Woman", was nominated for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female at the 15th Annual Grammy Awards in 1973.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes and the 2009 box set, Dolly ("Will He Be Waiting" and "Touch Your Woman"), and may not represent the personnel for all tracks.
  • Joe Babcock – background vocals
  • Jerry Carrigan – drums
  • Bobby Denton – liner notes
  • Pete Drake – steel guitar
  • Bobby Dyson – bass
  • Dolores Edgin – background vocals
  • Bob Ferguson – producer
  • Dave Kirby – guitar
  • Les Leverett – cover photo
  • Al Pachucki – recording engineer
  • ​June Page – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • Tom Pick – recording engineer
  • Hargus "Pig" Robbins – piano
  • Mike Shockley – recording technician
  • Roy Shockley – recording technician
  • Bobby Thompson – guitar

Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)​​​​
  • LP / Touch Your Woman / RCA Victor LSP-4686 / US & Canada / 03-06-1972
  • 8-track / Touch Your Woman / RCA Victor P8S-1915 / US & Canada / 03-06-1972
  • LP / Touch Your Woman / RCA Victor LSP-4686 / Germany / 1972
  • Digital download / Touch Your Woman / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 10-10-2014
  • Streaming / Touch Your Woman / Sony Music Entertainment / Various / 10-10-2014