Disco de Dolly Parton: “Honky Tonk Angels”

In a day and age when so-called country radio is overpopulated by twenty-something clones whose songs, personalities, and names are as interchangeable as they are forgettable, it's good to hear from three ladies who have a combined nearly 100 years of recording history behind them. Add in Kiity Wells guest appearance on the title performance of her signature song, and the country music experience acquires an additional half-century.

Taking turns as lead vocalist, Nashville's three divas bring out the best in each other. Country's late first lady takes center stage on the energetic remake of Linda Ronstadt's "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," which was the disk's premier single. Unfortunately, it was all but ignored by most radio stations because the singers had passed their fortieth birthdays. Another powerful remake is Ferlin Hisky's gospel classic "Wings of a Dove" which provides the perfect vehicle for the trio's voices to blend in inspirational harmony.

Each of the women penned an included song. Loretta Lynn's contribution, "Wouldn't it be Great?" is slightly rewritten from the version featured on her 80's release Just A Woman.

Honky Tonk Angels lack of airplay is all the more reason to add it to your collection. It's a shame, but Nashville doesn't give us much music like this anymore. The final track, "Hillbilly Heaven"-with updated lyrics from Tex Ritter's original standard-takes on an eerie quality due to Tammy Wynette's untimely death just a few years after its release. This collection is a proud piece of her musical legacy, and one of the few truly great country efforts of the nineties in a genre that has become dominated by Shania-Garth pop.

The songs these ladies put out on this c-d was wonderful to hear. I have grew up listen to these women and everytime I hear them they sounded great, but this c-d was one of the greatest with those ladies together. I loved everyone of their songs. Even thou Tammy is in a better place and she is now sanging with the Country Angels, like Pasty Cline. We still have our two Country Angels here. God Bless Loretta and Dolly.

Put this cd on and close your eyes, and you're in Pure Country Land. Beautiful, tuneful soulful sounds that country fans can't get enough of....Play this when you're glad, when you're sad, when you're up, when you're down, when you're in love with life and when you think life has dealt you a cruel blow. Just get it and play it!

If you only bought this album for 3 songs you would get your money's worth: Put It Off Until Tomorrow; That's The Way It Could Have Been; and the one Dolly SHOULD have written, Sittin' On The Front Porch Swing, which probably provides direct insight into the many faceted queen of country music. Not being blessed with children of her own this song does much to extole her feelings regarding missing motherhood. She is a fine, artistic performer and I personally am glad to have not heard her refered to as "Hollywood Dolly" in a long time.

This was when country was still country. The best investment anyone could ever make.