| 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, Tommy James (vocals, guitar); 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); David Talbot (banjo); Sam Bush (mandolin); Stuart Duncan (fiddle); David Foster (piano); Viktor Krauss (bass guitar); George Jones, Porter Wagoner, Brenda Lee (background vocals). | | Recording information: Ocean Way Recording Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; No Can Beat Studios, Moui, Hawaii; Celebrity Theater, Dollywood, Tennessee; Sound On Sound Studios, New York, New York (2005). | | 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. |
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