A Living Dolly – If you’ll Parton the expression.

Rip It Up, Issue 5, 1 October 1977, Page 11

A Living Dolly - If you’ll Parton the expression.

Bruce Belsham

Dolly Parton New Harvest . . . First Gathering RCA

If you’ve ever seen Dolly Parton you’ll know she’s a remarkable anthropoid. She’s the sort of girl Opie Girffiths might have a crush on. Rumour has it that she stands a foot higher than her due when she dons wig and heels and then there’s the all American bosom . . .

If you’ve ever heard Dolly Parton you’ll know that she’s a remarkable musician. Hereabouts she is an unaccountably obscure performer. I think I've only heard Dolly thrice on local radio. But in the States she has become a cause celebre. Devotees Maria Muldaurand Emmy-Lou Harris think the sun shines out of her bouffant, as do a

hard core country following. Emmy-Lou calls her "one of the great writers . . . and one of the great singers of the generation” and Muldaur talks of "one of the really great voices issued to a human being”. Yet Dolly Parton has never been a great seller outside the country belt. That fact she seeks to modify with her latest and more populist recording, New Harvest . . .

First Gathering. Ironically, in doing so, Dolly risks the displeasure of hitherto devoted fans. In turning her talents to more popular forms, including a soul number by Smokey Robinson and gospel-rock of her own like “Holdin' on to You”, she takes her chances outside the strict confines of her Nashville market.

Dolly Parton is gunning for a less esoteric audience. Her song writing prowess is being turned to pop, her voice to a synthesis of country, soul and hit parade. Horrors, you might say, another Olivia Newton John. Absolutely not. When Dolly Parton says "I don’t want to leave the country but to take the country with me,” she speaks with the self assurance of her most sentimental lyrics. And genuine sentiment is one of Dolly Parton's absolute strengths. When she talks about roots you believe it. The proof is on New Harvest . . . First Gathering for, in spite of the updated backing, most tracks are palpably country, and all are strong.-“ Light of a Clear Blue Morning” is as direct a statement as the songstress has made.

There is a real danger that in the pop arena Parton's country emotion might degenerate into saccharin. Once or twice this album comes perilously close to doing that. But Dolly’s ability to work on a song and set it steaming saves the day. Even the breathy production job "You Are” surfaces through its mushy backing. And when she opens out as on "Getting My Way” one begins to think that Muldaur doesn't exaggerate in her praise.

If you’re a Dolly Parton fan and a country purist then, apart from being a very rare creature indeed, you may have to readjust to Dolly in commercial voice. Make the effort. If Dolly Parton is just a name to you, get investigating.