Those Were the Days (CD - 2005)

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. minimize