Customer Reviews

Heartsongs: Live From Home

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HEARTSONGS is the only available album of Dolly Parton singing live, and its worth its price. Every fan will want this album. The album was recorded in 1994, a concert Dolly had at her Tennessee Mountain Home. Dolly takes the time to intimately talk with the crowd between songs, offering stories of her childhood and what the song means to her, giving this a realistic touch, and showing what a true artist Dolly is. She sings some of her own classics, such as "My Blue Tears", "Applejack", "To Daddy", "My Tennessee Mountain Home", "Coat of Many Colors", "Smokey Mountain Memories", etc. She also sings old favorites such as "Mary of the Wild Moor", "In The Pines", "Brave Little Solider", "Wayfaring Stranger", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", "Barbara Allen", "Hold Fast To The Right", "Night Train To Memphis" and more. The title track is a great song as well. She sings old TV themes, where she started her career, "Cas Walker Theme" and "Black Draught Theme", which was a commercial she would do. The closing "PMS Blues" is funny and worth the price of the CD alone, classic Dolly as always. Lots of artists and musicians join Dolly such as Rhonda Vincent, Alison Krauss, Suzanne Cox, Carl Jackson, Harry Stinson, Randy Scruggs, and more. Overall you just cant lose with this cd!

I just noticed this album has only limited availability. It is probably my favorite Dolly album. The songs are some of Dolly's own favorites---songs her mother sang to her and her family sang together. There are also many Dolly penned songs, and all of the LIVE performances are heart felt and strong. It is a mini history in the origins of country/mountain music, and many of the songs are actually old Irish or Scottish traditional ballads. Dolly is even joined on stage by the Irish group Altan to sing the tragic "Barbara Allen" and Dolly's own "Brave Little Soldier". The harmonies are beautiful, especialy on "My Blue Tears" and "Hold Fast to the Right". The album also showcases one of Dolly and Allison Krauses first on-stage collaborations on "To Daddy". The Album is also a lot of fun with rousing renditions of the sing along "Applejack", "Walter Henry Hagen", and the riotous "PMS Blues". Also, Dolly speaks to the audience throughout the live concert and will make you laugh out loud. Even if you have only a passing admiration for Dolly Parton or Bluegrass/Mountain music, you will like this album. Buy it! Buy it! Buy it!

If you have ever seen Dolly in concert you know she puts on a great show. This is a great CD recorded live at DollyWood. I have been a fan for many many years and have never heard Dolly sing anything from when she was on the cas walker show. She laughs talks and sings about those days,and much much more!!!

STRONG BUY

Dolly established her theme park in the region of East Tennessee where she was born and raised, and sometimes performs there herself. These recordings were made in 1994, and remind us of Dolly's musical as well as her geographical roots.

Dolly performs several of her own oldies. It would have been interesting to hear some of her pop-country hits like Here you come again given a traditional country treatment, but Dolly avoided those. However, it is nice to hear new versions of My blue tears, Applejack, Coat of many colors and My Tennessee mountain home. Longer than always is a song Dolly first recorded as a duet with Porter Wagoner, but titled Is forever longer than always. Smoky mountain memories was originally recorded for Burlap and satin, but titled Appalachian memories.

Most interesting of all is the inclusion of To daddy. Dolly originally recorded this in 1976 for the All I can do album, then let her friend Emmylou hear it. Emmylou immediately recorded it herself and Dolly dropped it from the album, replacing it with another song. The original version eventually appeared on a compilation, The essential Dolly Parton.

Traditional songs are also included, among them Mary of the wild moor, In the pines, Barbara Allen and Wayfaring stranger, as well as a couple of country golden oldies - I'm thinking tonight of my blue eyes and Night train to Memphis.

I generally do not rate live recordings because most of them sound awfully bad. Usually the hall effects makes the recording not to sound like the original cd but alas this is a unique cd in every way. I bought this cd a few months ago and it is the best live recording I have ever listened to. The songs are all very touching as they give you the real picture of Dolly's upbringing. Dolly's parents are in the crowd and she proudly introduces them and narrates some of her daddy's ordeals. Unfortunately I misplaced the cd and all I could find was the cover so I went back to buy it again and alas I found the old one again. In other words I have two of this cd and I will keep them. If you enjoy listening to that blue grass guitar this is what I would term a strong buy. Do not even hesitate.