It was an album that had been in the making for years. In the
1970s, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt appeared on Emmylou Harris’ recording of
“Mister Sandman.” Needless to say, the blend of such three uniquely talented
female vocalists made fans of all three artists hungry for a collaboration
between the three. There was just one little problem. All three were signed to
different labels, so the legalities of such a situation made an album
impossible to pull off.
However, by 1986, both Harris and Ronstadt’s labels were under
the same corporate umbrella, and Parton was in the midst of changing labels
from RCA to Columbia – so the time for the collaboration was now. Needless to
say, the three made the most of the long-awaited opportunity with the release
of Trio in the spring of 1987.
If this album had been released five years later, it might
not have had the commercial impact that it did. By 1992, Country Radio had
ceased to play almost anyone over 40 for the most part. But the disc – and the
singles all found favor with a mainstream audience. “To Know Him Is To Love
Him,” a cover of a pop classic from The Teddy Bears, was the lead single – and
subsequently topped the singles chart. The set’s other three singles,
“Wildflowers,” “Telling Me Lies,” and the bluegrass-flavored “Those Memories Of
You” all hit the top ten.
Looking back, the cool thing about Trio was that the disc
served as a musical history lesson, of sorts. In addition to “To Know Him Is To
Love Him,” the ladies brought a new shimmer to classics like “Hobo’s Meditation,”
“Rosewood Casket,” and “My Dear Companion.” Parton also offered a preview of a
reconciliation she was about to have with Porter Wagoner by including “The Pain
of Loving You” (which she co-wrote with Wagoner) and “Making Plans” (a huge hit
for the duo) on the collection.
Fans had been longing for the album for years, and the four
million in total sales – plus a Grammy – proved to be well worth the wait. Trio
will be the featured album of the week on “Crazy Chucky’s Classic Country
Corner” on Wednesday, August 26 from 1-3pm on WNKX 96.7 FM. The show is brought
to you by Tennessee Properties.
