eMusic Review
Ardent Dolly Parton fans may be well aware of all the ground the iconic singer has covered in her five-decade career, but for those to whom "Dolly" primarily brings to mind "country," this set may serve as a revelation. While it's true that Parton has had more country chart hits than any other female singer, she didn't initially set out in a countrified direction, despite her rural Tennessee origins. The first dozen or so tracks of this 99-song collection attest to that, showcasing Dolly as more likely to follow in the footsteps of Annette Funicello or perhaps even Diana Ross rather than Kitty Wells or Skeeter Davis. Though the opening "Puppy Love" (a single she recorded as a pre-teen) is included mostly just for historical value, many of the other introductory cuts here are fascinating. On "Busy Signal" and "Don't Drop Out," the teenaged Parton shows a real flair for classic mid-'60s Brill Building-style pop; she may have been still trying to find her voice, but her talent was abundantly clear. Further, this pop material foreshadowed Dolly's massive country/pop crossover success in the 1970s, when at one point she was simultaneously on the country, pop, and disco… read more »
