| A year in the making, this album of era-defining songs from the 1960s and 1970s is an astonishing collection of indispensable classics, performed in Dolly Parton's signature style with a top-notch list of friends.
Parton, who produced the album, invited several of the artists who wrote or made these songs famous to sing with her. Renowned musicians Roger McGuinn (of the Byrds), Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins, and Tommy James make appearances on Those Were the Days. She also asked recent chart-topping artists Norah Jones, Keith Urban, Nickel Creek, Lee Ann Womack, Rhonda Vincent, Joe Nichols, and Alison Krauss to join her in the studio.
The Country Music Hall of Famer, Grammy winner, and Oscar nominee said, "I am really very proud of this album. I love all of these songs and all of the artists who performed, it just felt special from the moment the concept came to my mind. I knew I had to produce it myself in order to get all of my ideas across exactly as I wanted them to be presented. I really hope people enjoy it. I know I enjoyed making it."
Recorded in Nashville, Those Were the Days retains the bluegrass-inspired sound that earned her two Grammys and a new generation of fans for her previous four albums on Sugar Hill Records. The album includes a group sing featuring a menagerie of Grand Ole Opry legends. Capping off the album is Parton's unique version of "Imagine."
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Notes & Personnel Info |  | Personnel: Dolly Parton (vocals); Roger McGuinn (vocals, guitar, electric guitar); Tommy James (vocals, guitar); Kent Wells (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 6-string bass, background vocals); Terry Eldredge (vocals, acoustic guitar, background vocals); Andy Hall (vocals, dobro, harp, background vocals); Danny Roberts (vocals, mandolin, background vocals); Richard Dennison (vocals, toy piano, Wurlitzer organ, background vocals); Chuck Tilley, Billy Joe Walker, Jr., Jennifer O'Brien, Emily Webb, Callie Cryar, Phoebe Cryar, Duane Hamilton, Jon Mark Ivey, George Hamilton IV, Kristin Bauer, Kid Connection Inc., Opry Gang, Robert Bailey, Jr. , Jamie Johnson, Jan Howard, Jeannie Seely, Jimmy C. Newman, Kathy Stewart, Lisa Bevill, Lisa Cochran, Mel McDaniel, Pam Tillis, Angel Cruz, Anna Wilson, Vicki Hampton, Kim Fleming, Drew Cline, Jack Green (vocals, background vocals); Dan Tyminski, Joe Nichols, Judy Collins, Keith Urban, Kris Kristofferson, Lee Ann Womack, Alison Krauss, Mary Hopkin, Mindy Smith, Nickel Creek, Norah Jones, Rhonda Vincent, Yusuf (vocals); Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton (guitar, acoustic guitar); Yusuf Islam (acoustic guitar); Tommy Lee James (electric guitar); Ilya Toshinsky (banjo, dulcimer); Chris Thile (mandolin); Jimmy Mattingly (fiddle); Doctor Ming Wang (erhu); Connie Ellisor, Jack Jezioro, Kristin Wilkinson, Tom Howard, Jim Grosjean, Anthony LaMarchina, Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Pamela Sixfin, David Davidson , Alan Umstead, Monisa Angell, Catherine Umstead, Gary VanOsdale, Carole Rabinowitz-Neuen (strings); Jim Hoke (harmonica); Joey Schmidt (accordion); Paul Hollowell, Tony Smith (piano); Viktor Krauss (bass guitar); Bob Mater (drums, percussion); David Talbot (vocals, banjo, background vocals); George Jones, Porter Wagoner, Brenda Lee (vocals, background vocals); Sam Bush (mandolin); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); David Foster (piano). | | Recording information: Avatar Studios, New York, NY; Chartmaker Studios, Los Angeles, CA; Dollywood's Celebrity Theater, Pigeon Forge, TN; Kensol Town Studio D, London, England; Minutiae Studio, Nashville, TN; No Can Beat Studios, Hana, Maui HI; OceanWay, Nashville, TN; Sound On Sound Recording, New York, NY; Stir Studios, Cardiff, Wales; Taylor Made Studios, North Caldwell, NJ; The Tracking Room At Masterphonics, Nashville, TN; Two Monkeys Studio, Nashville, TN. | | Author: Dolly Parton. | | Director: Sasha Vosk. | | Photographer: Dennis Carney. | | Arranger: Dolly Parton. | | Like fellow country legend Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton was remarkably prolific during the first years of the 21st century, and 2005's THOSE WERE THE DAYS features Parton sharing Nelson's penchant for guest-star-studded albums. The general theme is Parton's favorite songs of the 1960s and '70s, with additional artists ranging from Porter Wagoner, her former duet partner, to singer/songwriter Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens). Throughout the disc, Parton's crystal-clear voice shines as bright as ever, meshing particularly well with the record's younger performers, including Australian country-rock hero Keith Urban (the playful "Twelfth of Never") and the bluegrass trio Nickel Creek (a lilting rendition of Bob Dylan's oft-covered "Blowin' in the Wind"). While THOSE WERE THE DAYS isn't quite as consistent as HALOS & HORNS or LITTLE SPARROW (largely due to so many cooks in the kitchen), it is a charming album that's sure to please fans of Dolly and the other artists represented here. |
Producer: Dolly Parton; Jimmy Wisner; Tommy Lee James |
Engineer: Steve Davis; Matt Boynton; Kelly Pribble; Alan Silverman; J. Carter Tutwiler; Sarah Jane Schmeltzer; Neil Devor; Gary Paczosa; Reed "Mountain Man" Taylor; Patrick Murphy; Steve Davis; Matt Boynton; Kelly Pribble; Glenn Taylor; Alan Silverman |
Musical Guests | | George Jones | | Porter Wagoner | | Norah Jones | | Lee Ann Womack | | Yusuf | | Kris Kristofferson | | Alison Krauss | | Judy Collins | | Nickel Creek | | Roger McGuinn | | Brenda Lee |
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