Trio

Len Houmous, Ken Chutney, Peter Mandelson. The real trio. 4.3 4/11 Hobos Meditation

Uh, change the album credits on the list here, it isn’t a Dolly solo record. Dolly and Emmylou and Linda were born to harmonize like this. Sweet and soulful, melancholy and uplifting, their voices combine so beautifully they transcend the songs. Feels like they could cover Kid Rock and make me fall in love with it. Also it’s very funny to me that this pick followed Einsturzende Neubaten’s “Kollaps”. Can’t imagine a greater contrast — in this case, a huge relief from the German industrial clanking. Four stars because I wish the songs were a bit more current to the time of recording. Also I won’t deduct a star, but those poor women have the most godawful 1987 haircuts preserved forever on the cover. There’s a reason I don’t show my senior picture around, and I bet they wished the same.

one star per

Beautiful voices, felt like a very "safe" album for these three legends. Maybe I was hoping for something a little more like a Highwaymen / Highwomen album? It was fine. Not a fan or country, but this was pleasant enough.

Don't we all have a bad day once in a while, and haven't we all lived through a painful breakup at some point? Consider yourself a very lucky person if you have friends who don't hit mute on you if you deliver lines such as “I'd join the wild birds in their crying, thinking of [him] and [his] sweet face” or “I will go down to the cold dark waters, and there I'll lay me down and weep” for 40+ minutes straight. I mean, if they did, rightfully so. It's just too much. The obvious highlight here is “Wildflower,” mainly because it's way more empowering than this devotional, near-religious, all-cosuming understanding of failed man-woman relationships, which takes up most of this record. Great musicianship all around, but lyrically, Trio feels just like a loose collection of one-dimensional metaphors on misery.

queens

Not even a country fan, but this was excellent.

Lovely songs with some beautiful voices.

This was undeniably beautiful but the actual songs maybe didn’t resonate with me as much as others we’ve listened to.

How cool that this album exists!

it’s ok! should’ve guessed from the title that it would in fact be a trio performing and not just dolly. anyway it was pleasant enough

it's ok country. whatever

I wanted to like this more than I did, after becoming more of an admirer of Dolly’s work after listening to the podcast Dolly Parton’s American recently.

Makes boygenius seem even more basic

87! No way. This sounds like the old school county I grew up with! I would have guessed this album is older. Solid county album. It's not the pop stuff they all make now. It's harmony and sad lyrics and with bouts of uplifting the spirit. Dolly shines as always. Wildflowers and Making Plans are my favorites from this album.

I liked this album. It's not so much for me but I still enjoyed it. I think Dolly carries here. Really cool pairing though! 6.3/10

Not really my kind of music.

So much fun

chill

Wonderful singers performing quite safe country music. 3.5

Not really my vibe

Classic album by some classic ladies.

This sounds a lot more like a Dolly Parton album with two featured backup singers than it does a collaborative trio album, but I like Dolly Parton so I don't care too much. I liked the random experimenting they did with their style in the second half more than the more consistent country sound of the first, but it's all pretty good.

If they were the president I would be proud to be an american

Cozy driving music.

Dream blunt rotation.

This shit must’ve hit like Endgame for a certain audience. I’m not that audience and this sucked

No private session used for Spotify. This is country music I enjoy, but not sure when I would put it on again.

Solid country, just not something i naturally gravitate towards

To Know Him Is To Love Him

7/10

3 y ayudándole

Flawless voices. I am sure this is gold to those who appreciate this genre, but to me, it’s just some great singers singing songs that pretty much bore me. Gets a 3 for me which feels both too high and too low at the same time.

Meh

Beautiful. Great morning music.

It would be ok with me if these 3 ladies made all the music.

A: TAKE ME HOOOOME COUNTRY ROADSSSSSS... Typ. Gillar ish country i begränsad kvantitet. Skulle hellre lyssna på den delen av country där kvinnor sjunger om att mörda sina makar. Denna for lite överstyr. Gillade dom lugnare låtarna. Men lite #tradwife. Joo? 2/5 (hög B-tier pga lugna låtarna) D: Clockade Emmylou Harris inom 10 sekunder av att albumet började. Min hittills stoltaste dygd. Överlag ganska lugn. Gillade kanske Emmmiluu Harris lite mera. Lite onödig att ha med kanske. Skulle vilja få en girlboss-country album, sådär att en kvinna sjunger country på samma sätt som män. 2/5

Very lovely songs, sung by 3 of the best country voices. I can see why it was rated as highly as it was back in the day. Not something I would usually put on, but I enjoyed it none the less.

Three amazing singers and wonderful women blending their voices in beautiful harmony. The song selections are very old fashioned, though, even for the 80's, and rather sleepy, so it's not very engaging for me, except that their siren calls are impossible to let go of.

A couple too many slow songs, but when the 3 singers all come together in harmony, it’s as close to a choir of angels as you can get.

3 masters of their trade collaborating to provide us with a beautiful album of some country classics. It is good, but not fantastic enough that I would go out and seek it to own it, but I would absolutely listen to it again. it was comfortable like a piece of sourdough with a hot tomato soup on a cold winters night To Know him is to Love him is the standout track. 3.5 stars

I didn't listen as closely, so I feel that I owe this a rewatch at some point. Regardless, I cannot lie that the voices of these three were phenomenal to listen to, and while I am not necessarily partial to country, I am partial to Dolly.

Bluegrass X country, women singing about relationship drama. If this is your vibe is the right album and a good one. Plenty of songs about relationship drama.

Not bad at all, just not my cup of tea

Trio brings together three incredible artists: Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. On paper, that sounds like a dream team. Three legendary solo careers coming together should surely result in something special. Unfortunately, it just didn't work for me. I'd read that this was considered groundbreaking and hugely influential, but listening to it today I found it surprisingly ordinary. Rather than hearing three distinctive voices creating something unique, I felt like I was listening to fairly standard country music that never really developed or surprised me. Track after track blended into the next, and I struggled to find anything that grabbed my attention or made me want to keep listening. It's one of those albums that I really wanted to like because of the people involved, but I just couldn't Favourite tracks: I couldn't pick one that stood out. Least favourite tracks: Nothing really clicked for me. I found the album consistently dull from start to finish. Album artwork: Such an unmistakably '80s album cover! It always makes me smile, although I'm never quite sure whether it's intentionally cheesy or not.

These are three lovely singers who sound lovely together, as expected. What gives this collection more weight is, of course, the material and the arrangements. For me this really kicks into gear following the initial, standard-seeming love songs - with the one-two combination of Jimmie Rodgers' "Hobo's Meditation" (highlighted by Steve Fishell's dobro) and Parton's own "Wildflowers." Both songs celebrate the wonderful, understated empathy Parton in particular has showcased her entire career; she is kind to others and kind to herself. And they are followed by Linda Thompson's quietly acidic "Telling Me Lies," the sound of a beautiful heart broken. Here it's Harris's voice that signifies, re-forging and bringing to the fore the link between American folk and its British Isles ancestors. Ronstadt seems to have the least to do throughout, but that's less on her than on the wonders of American music she happens to be sharing the stage with. This album deserved, and deserves, every accolade it's gotten.

An excellent version of something I greatly dislike.

Just good classic country. They're all so talented. I wish they all let their strengths show a little more, but it's hard not to like this Favorite Songs: To Know Him Is To Love Him

Loved this album. Was a breath of fresh air amongst some more intense albums of late. Trip of country singing Americana songs, with 3 part harmonies all the way through. What’s not to love, definitely come back for more on this one.

I feel like each of these artists is better separately. Or maybe these songs just aren't that compelling; I'm a fan of historical songs, but hearing about "hobos" really makes things feel antiquated.

Way too much banjo and high pitched harmonies for my liking.

No, but really... fuck country music

Really nice country music by Dolly and friends. I enjoyed it as background music.

I think I just dislike country sounds cuz like it sounded nice but country twangs piss me off

You know what, that was good

I love all these ladies individually and had high expectations. Good, not great.

I don’t like country. I don’t like the music, I don’t like the vocal stylings. This was a struggle to get through.

A choir of angels

Great harmonies, but some of these songs run together.

Pure harmony and perfection

Legendary. Loved it.

Probably not going to complain about three great voices singing together.

This album sounds like a Smokey Mountain Vacation on the Parkway of Pigeon Forge. So many great memories of a simpler time.

There is a song called I've had enough. That sums ups how this one went. There are two types of music that I just can't relate to. One is country and the other is western. (Blues Brothers reference)

7.5/10

Good but not my thing

It doesn't follow the country music rules established by Steve T., but I enjoyed the harmonic singing. No bold surprises.

The harmonies of these 3 sound beautiful together. Wildflowers was the best song for me, but the rest of the album was pretty good.

Not a country listener, but that was lovely.

4 stars for the Dolly dominated parts, 2 for the others.

Nah

I wanted badly to like this more.

fun and well done but not particularly invigorating

Nah thanks

flirted with a five for this. It feels like an apology for all the unnecessary CSN albums on the list and is a reminder the album list cold sucks when it comes to adequate country music representation

3,5

Fun, but I won't be reaching for it too often.

#401/1001. Country music sung by country music three leading ladies. Next.

I could tell when it was Dolly singing as I actually enjoyed the album when she was. Not entirely sure why an album was made by these 3 and I care not enough to go and find out why I’m afraid. I did find one track outstanding in ‘wildflowers’ The rest were easy listening apart from I didn’t enjoy ‘rosewood casket’ I found that to grate personally on me. Easy listening album with 1 super track. 6/10

Dolly, Emmylou & Linda Undeniable that these three voices blend and intertwine so seamlessly that they become one beautiful harmony. But I'm just struggling to get the point of this other than three megastar besties can basically do whatever they want. In essence, a musical folly with all the polish, style and sheen, but lacking in structure and purpose. Best Track - Farther Along Worst Track - To Know Him is To Love him 4/10

Man, I've been having a rough week, both IRL and with this list. It's been a while since I've gotten a 5 album streak of albums I just do not care about in the slightest. This is fine at best, they are good singers, but I can't stand country and all of the songs really started to sound the same. This faded into the background while I worked, and I was just waiting for it to end so I can listen to something I actually enjoy. I'll be generous and give this a low 3, since I think it is just kind of average. Low 3.

I'm a huge Dolly Parton fan. In this album I can't hear anything else but her voice, basically. It's a completely fine album, for what it wants to do: old music, straight from a country sound of the (I assume, didn't check it) 1960 or 1970. It's a long lullaby, with amazing voices. I like it, but I don't love it - the production level is not the highest, and the lyrics are what you would expect from a country album with such a sound. It's fine, it's not perfect, and her Majesty Dolly Parton has way better albums I would've included instead of this.

Very pleasant album to listen to. Not really my genre,, but some songs strike the right chords.

Honestly, this was some beautiful singing from start to end. Not a country person, but this was fantastic!

I never thought I’d dislike a Dolly Parton album but here we are. This mandrigal driven hill music is similar to early Carter family songs but it lacks the grit of the original. To put it another way, it lacks variety and is boring. Cheers to the musicians.

While not my go-to style, you can’t deny the great voices and song writing here.

I really love this era of country. And even though I wasn’t a huge fan of every single song, it’s a beautiful album. Their voices work so well together especially for a super group.

(Cowboy) Hats off to miss Parton for being such a musical force! Musically speaking, well, it's a country album. I really dislike country music.

what a trio

Dolly got that sound I can't be ignorin'

Just a bit sedate

This is the kinda country I can fw. Super gorgeous music. Kinda wild that these 3 absolute Queens I don’t think passed the Bechdel test on this one. Still fire tho.

I felt very moved by the songs on this record. Dolly and girls rip on this one.

no doubt these three voices go incredibly well together, and this is an album of some solid country songs. the musicians play with grace, and you can tell the singers are enjoying creating together. I’m more familiar with Dolly and Emmylou, tho I’m sure we’ll get more chances to hear Linda through this list. as usual, the ballads didn’t do much for me, but I enjoyed the rest. will I enjoy ballads more when I get into my 40s? 50s? never? 3.5 for me on this one.

Felt like an album length version of that meme where men country singers talk about ice cold beer, fishing, and trucks and women country singers talk about hating their husbands.

4/10

This slapped maybe I should listen to more country.

So I’ll admit that lately I’m taking a very relaxed approach to this album listening music time. Often what happens is Kori starts the album at breakfast, we listen together and then I leave for work and I stop listening to the album. Eventually I’ll probably go back to listening to the album. However, he played this one and you better believe I listened in the car while doing my daycare run and work commute. I love Dolly.

These three-part harmonies are next level. Three iconic voices coming together. Not the most groundbreaking song writing so the vocals are definitely the highlight.

Best part about listening to this album is that there is one less country album on the list to listen to.

These ladies can h-a-r-m-o-n-i-z-e Was a lovely listen through, but I probably won't be returning to this one anytime soon, nothing stuck out to me, even though it was delightful. These ladies are iconic, and I can see why they're on the list as a trio. Id be interested to know what went down collaboration wise on this one. Whether it was written for them, or if they took major creative decision making in lyrics, writing, and instrumentation.

Ever wondered if there was a Boygenius for middle-aged country singers? No, of course you haven’t, but Dolly, Linda, and Emmylou were way ahead of you here. To be fair, it’s not a bad sounding album, with a relaxed sound paired with traditional lyrical themes of country. But nor did anything really stay with me. A fine listen, but nothing that special.

When I saw this come up I assumed it would be perfectly fine, but nothing special. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It’s a lovely collection of good songs performed very well in a traditional country style by three of the genre’s leading ladies, with astonishingly beautiful three-part vocal harmonies. Nothing to complain about here. Standout tracks include ‘The Pain of Loving You’, ‘To Know Him Is to Love Him’, ‘Wildflowers’, ‘Telling Me Lies’ (great to see a Linda Thompson song here) and ‘Those Memories of You’. I reckon it’s good enough for 4 stars.

Solid voices!

THE VOCALS. THE HAIR.

*1987. *This is delightful. There's not a lot of country music I enjoy, but I'd gladly listen to these 3 ladies any time. RATING - 7/10

Pretty good reminder of what country music used to be like. Not a single truck in sight. Still, can't help but think there wasn't enough variety - I know there's only so much you can do with the genre, and the difference in the three leads did make it more interesting, but it could do with a little more jooj. Give Dolly Parton a gun.

This one is a little of a mixed bag because on the one hand there are some good songs here and all three singers have great voices, but this album also sounds old. It’s deeply stuck in country music sounds that are rooted in bluegrass and gospel. I think it would have sounded dated in 1987, let alone today. Probably a 2.5?

Background music for a graduation.

la country 80’s est BORING… leur voix sont incroyables par contre 2+/5

Drei der prägendsten weiblichen Stimmen der amerikanischen Countrymusik fanden sich 1987 endlich zu einem gemeinsamen Werk zusammen, nachdem Terminkonflikte und unterschiedliche Plattenverträge ein solches Projekt seit den 1970ern verhindert hatten. Aufgenommen wurde Trio größtenteils in The Complex in West Los Angeles, ergänzt durch Sessions in den Woodland Studios in Nashville und in Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood, erschienen ist das Album bei Warner Bros. Records. Produziert von George Massenburg, vereint die Platte traditionelle Bluegrass- und Folksongs mit zeitgenössischem Songwriting und lässt dabei den drei Sängerinnen viel Raum für ihre charakteristischen, eng verwobenen Harmoniegesänge. Stücke wie die Spector-Coverversion "To Know Him Is to Love Him", Dollys eigene Komposition "Wildflowers" und das von Linda Thompson stammende "Telling Me Lies" zeigen, wie selbstverständlich sich die drei Stimmen ergänzen, ohne dass eine die anderen dominiert. Begleitet von erstklassigen Sessionmusikern wie Ry Cooder, David Lindley und Albert Lee entsteht ein Klangbild, das zwischen Appalachen-Folk, klassischem Nashville-Sound und einer fast kammermusikalischen Zurückhaltung changiert. Gerade die ruhigen, akustisch geprägten Momente machen deutlich, dass hier keine drei Stars nebeneinander posieren, sondern tatsächlich miteinander musizieren. Was diese Aufnahme so besonders macht, ist die hörbare Vertrautheit dreier Freundinnen, die jahrzehntelang aufeinander gewartet hatten, um genau dieses Album zu machen. Trio ist ein zeitloses Zeugnis dafür, wie viel Tiefe in scheinbar einfacher Dreistimmigkeit liegen kann.

gonna tell my kids this is boygenius. 3.5

I prefer my country more clippy-cloppy. Beautiful singing, I guess, but a bit boring.

a bit boring 4 me

Excellent and a long time coming. They mix well and each showed off strengths. Not my favorite genre of music, but I thrive off of listening to artists who are passionate and talented. Would certainly listen again. 3+

Country.

This is alright...Not nearly as good as I thought Coat of Many Colors was, though

I enjoyed this from start to finish and shall be listening again.

My only complaint is that I wish it were a double album. Or that they formed a super group and made a dozen albums.

A nice wee album that I already know quite well. I rather enjoy the fact that these 3 heavyweights come together and made something to melancholic, how bizarre but such a good move rather. Linda Ronstadt has one of my favourite voices, but the combination of the trio is also fabulous of course. Debated giving it a 5 x

(Decent 7/10) As with most records like this that have 3 or more major songwriters and singers all sharing a spotlight together, you're gonna have a rather unbalanced effort that feels like some members are gonna have less time up front than others. Then there's the issue of sometimes the songs that your favorite of the 3 sings are just not the best ones. That was overall my experience with Trio. I love all the vocalists here but Ronstadt was my all time favorite as I grew up with her music, and just hearing her sometimes and on some of the more underwhelming tracks was a bit sad for me lol. All that being said though, this is a very nice record and when all three of these amazing ladies come together for the harmonies, it's golden country magic. The songs are for the most part all really nice too. Dolly is the clear standout here by far, all the best songs have her front and center. It's a great little LP that really only made sense for a collaboration like this to occur. For the outlaws we have The Highwomen, and for the softer country souls we have Trio.

Good but not memorable

Slow, down, boring. Well, country music I guess? Singing is ok 4/10

The female country version of the Traveling Wilburys I was not aware existed until this album was generated for me. This is not my genre so this is not something I'd normally listen to voluntarily. All three of their voices blend beautifully, but Dolly's does really stand out the most prominently on basically every track. I don't really know how to rate this. It's beautiful but it's also Not For Me so I can't really say I enjoyed listening to it. 3.5 rounded up (the .5 is for the pleasant sounds of the resonator guitar that I first thought were produced by a balalaika before googling)

2 out of 5. Certainly a trio of lovely singing voices doing what they do best and in a reasonable amount of time.

7/10

Decent sounding album, but it seems like a waste to get three different acclaimed artists together just to sing cover songs. The song compositions are so basic. It feels like the artists had no creative input in making them (aside from Parton who wrote a couple of the tracks). My favorite track was "Farther Along". Also shout-out to Jean Ritchie, the writer of the track "My Dear Companion" and a great traditional folk singer. 2.5 stars.

Very famous and acclaimed musicians, but it’s very boring country music.

Beautiful voices, wonderful harmonies

Thought that this being a collaboration of three artists would make this country record way more interesting than any other, but apart from the harmonization and a track that feels more pop than country ("Telling Me Lies"), most of it came to me as just traditional country. I'll add that these ladies do sing well and the record sounds quite smooth, but other than that, I do not have anything truly positive to say about it, as always, country is a genre with a very boring sound to me.

What a pleasant surprise this was. I expected to enjoy this, but not to this extent. Wildflowers and Telling Me Lies were absolutely outstanding.

Country isn’t my thing. A little shrill and twangy for me. I’m not really into the sad sappy storytelling that is so obvious and surface level. It’s like some songs were made up about a dog and they’re singing them to that dog. Naughty doggo. One star.

- Well... I seem to be the minority, but I don't like the voices together - the soprano is screechy/out of tune on the highest notes (which drives me nuts), and I don't feel like it melds will with the other, smoother/silkier voices (especially on The Pain of Loving You & Those Memories of You). - I don't actively dislike the album - it has its moments where it's pretty, like Wildflowers and Telling Me Lies, but I expected more of those moments - it all felt very samey throughout. - I also just dislike walking basslines and screechy violin. Classical twangy country really doesn't hit for me. - The fact that there are so many covers is disappointing because the songs don't feel authentic or vulnerable, so I feel almost nothing listening to these songs. There's a place for covers, sure, but on a list of 1001 albums you need to hear? Also, I'm so over hearing women sing about centring men, and it's even more annoying in super patriarchal country music. - And that Hobo's Meditation song? That's pretty tone deaf for a bunch of rich people to be singing...

piękny, więcej kobiecej akustycznej muzyki, świat byłby lepszym miejscem

I love country music. I can listen all day and night. Great singers, great harmonies, great hooks, but my gold it’s all the same. I get why they’ve done this album and what it has to offer, just needs a few upbeat ones. But again, I love country music and legends are involved. That paved the way. Made it more accessible. And look still great songs and great album.

I'm not a fan of country music at all, I don't think this is bad per-se but not my cup of tea.

Pretty average not Dolly standard

Dolly and 3 part harmonies, win win

Good old school country. Pretty voices

Wonderful album filled with three beautiful voices. I love this style of country and this was just a very pleasant, refreshing listen after the last few albums on the list

Three superstores in one place! How can you go wrong?

Those harmonies!

Their voices together are magic

Three phenomenal voices, nothing interesting done with them harmonically. Country music is so awful man.

Mittelmäßig

Liked the straight forward country sound

On paper, this should be an easy winner. You get three of the biggest and most respected voices in country and folk music, and all of them sound great throughout the album. The harmonies are beautiful, the performances are professional, and there’s never any doubt about the talent involved. The strange thing is that the album itself feels less special than the lineup suggests. Everything is pleasant and well executed, but very little sticks with me once it’s over. I enjoyed listening to it, yet I kept feeling like a collaboration between artists of this caliber should have left a stronger impression.

For some reason, this album (as well as the Trio's 1999 follow-up) just never quite hit for me. I can't really explain it other than to say that it's a case of the whole never quite living up to the sum of its parts. The songs are gorgeous (though selections have always seemed rather on the safe, unchallenging side to me), as are the voices, of course. But each of these artists has produced equally gorgeous, far more memorable songs on her own. I can't imagine anyone would actively DISlike listening to this album. But don't raise your expectations too high. Pretty much any solo album by any of these three national treasures is likely to be more satisfying.

Rarely been that repulsed to listen to an album just by seing the artist that made it. This look so fucking ass. For some reason, apple music doesnt want me to listen to track number 5, great. Country gotta be the worst music genre of music ever. Absolutely nothing interesting. After you have heard the first song, you have basicaly listened to all the album. I find it crazy that shity souless album like these can sell fucking millions of copies. Theres even a song called "Ive had enough" near at the end of the album. Yeah thats tracks.

Nice, but not brilliant. Many of the themes might have been progressive at the time but haven't aged well

+1 because Dolly is a goddamn national treasure. 4/5

I don't consider myself a country fan but this shit undeniably slaps. I see why people glorify "old country". It's way better than the garbage country has evolved into today.

Fun country record. Quite nostalgic as well

Incredibly chill! Organisk lyd, som overrasket meg ettersom dette er fra åttitallet. Nydelig samklang i vokalen. En god påminnelse om å gjøre det enkelt når det gjelder å skrive sang og melodi

Trio by Dolly Parton - love this, old school country vibes with almost a mamma Mia element to it? Easy listening, great storytelling. Would listen again 9/10

boring

They got Linda and Emmylou in my Dolly! Just really not that much of a fan of three-part harmonizing, I guess. Give me undiluted Dolly, stupid book.

-Not my piece of cake but dolly parton is amazing

Great harmonies, and you can't go wrong with Dolly. Dolly is one of a few country artists I like, but I still don't particularly want to listen to an entire album of it. 3.5

The Pain of Loving You - 3/5 Making Plans - 3/5 To Know Him Is to Love Him - 2/5 Hobo's Meditation - 3/5 Wildflowers - 3/5 Telling Me Lies - 2/5 My Dear Companion - 2/5 Those Memories of You - 3/5 I've Had Enough - 2/5 Rosewood Casket - 2/5 Farther Along - 3/5 Average score: 2.6/5 ⭐️⭐️ meh, not crazy about this album. i don't care for country all that much in general (with the exception of a few artists), and while i like the three vocalist's performance just fine, some of these songs were just plain boring unfortunately

This feels like it should have been an earth shattering event, like has there ever been a collaborative album between three titans at the heights of their career in any genre? The Traveling Wilbury’s I guess. CSNY in the sort of obscure. But this feels monumental because It’s also good.

Beautiful voices but not a lot to excite me here

Delightful harmony singing, 4.5 stars

3/5

3/5. With the two albums I’ve had of hers so far on this generator I’m realizing that I love a ton of Dolly Parton songs, but never really completely click with her full albums. Though Dolly is only 1/3 of the equation on this album which also features Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, both of whom I am admittedly not familiar with. And though as I mentioned I didn’t love the full album there’s still a good amount of highlights like “to know him is to love him” or “rosewood casket.”

No real standouts on this one for me. Certainly nothing to break the stereotype of country song women as helpless, man-obsessed victims of their lover who done them wrong. The harmonies are nice. Linda clearly has the stronger lead voice, but they too sparingly make use of it for that.

Another surprising sorta-country album. The three singers’ voices work together well and most of the songs are pretty solid.

Harmony was ok. Love the trio as separate but this wasn't my fave sounds. Dolly though is amazing in all things

Dolly Parton is a national treasure! I've been waiting 287 days but finally got assigned one of her albums. With bonus Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris. I don't even care if the songs are slow. The vocals are outstanding, lots of lovely strings, and I am here for this.

Tres damas del country unidas en un trio que amplifica y no mengua su talento. Algo realmente dificíl de ver. De hecho tuvo su continuación en Tris 2. Aquí poco más que añadir, la reseña del libro es perfecta.

Kinda boring at parts but I admit there's some really good singing here and enough songs i liked for it to be like a 3 star

As someone who grew up on late 90’s early 2000’s country, this was refreshing. The harmonies and the instrumentals work well together and embody the spirit of country way more than some of the more modern country. That being said, about halfway through the sounds blend together and all begins to sound the same. Likes: The Pain of Loving You; To Know Him is to Love Him; Wildflowers

Fucking delightful!

very cool, i got a glimpse of her music beautiful gowns hahah jk is sweet music

Getting me to like a country album is an uphill battle, and it's one this album never wins The vocal performances are the best thing about this album, but they're let down by pretty underwhelming backing tracks for the most part My favourite song was probably "Telling Me Lies", in no small part because the backing instrumentation is comparably much more varied I've a strong feeling that this album is better than I think it is, but it's pretty underwhelming to me

Honestly enjoyed more than I though i was going to. I really liked the instrumentation and harmonies, however it did all blend into one or two after the whole album was done. Not good enough that id relisten per say but I liked listening to it.

Yeah this is probably nice if you like this kind of stuff. It's well-done and they're good singers and all but this type of corny ass music makes me roll my eyes into the back of my head. "To know him is to love him" oh my god shut up sorry

Loved this. So Allison Krauss.

This is lovely and I'm glad to know there's a second one I'll get to check out.

I almost made it through a year of choking down my fears But they're gone for now, all thanks to Linda Ronstadt

Nans approval so gotta shoot higher

Excellent if you are in the mood for country

Pleasant singing voice, but really for me.

A country album, oh jeez! Oh well, I’ll give it a go…. Oh! This is great! What a lovely, easy to listen to album. Voices are great, enjoyed it!

The eponymous trio of Dolly, Linda and Emmylou had often worked together and shared songs since the early 70s, but it took until 1987 for them to get together to work on a full album. This is a stunningly beautiful album, with the different voices complementing each other perfectly whether taking the lead or harmonising. Each of them gets the chance to shine, with a mix of original songs, traditional numbers and covers in genres from country, to bluegrass to pop. It’s almost impossible to pick out a highlight from this collection, but if pushed I’d choose Dolly’s song Wildflowers which is simply perfect. Ramblin’-rose-tastic!

Fantastic collection of songs performed by some of the most talented women in the business.

Genuinely one of the most boring things i’ve ever heard, even the harmonies were underwhelming. Sounds like a worse version of what the nitty gritty dirt band did

Solid. Just great hometown vibes and beautiful harmonies for 39 straight minutes. It does get a bit repetitive, but for making country music this enjoyable to me, I gotta at least give it a 4. Dolly don't miss!

The only thing I didn’t like about this record is that it made me feel stupid for not knowing that it existed.

Trio is a pretty solid album but admittedly some very basic country music. I have varying degrees of knowledge involving all three of the singers involved on this record. Dolly Parton i know the most about of these due to not only listening to one of her albums for this project but also listening to the podcast about her, Emmylou Harris i don't know as much about but i have also heard one of her albums and Linda Ronstadt, i don't know much about her and i also never heard much of her work. The album itself really does bring out their great vocals but everything else about this album really isn't that special. Good album but not enough reasons for me to really recommend it. Best Song: Farther Along Worst Song: Wildflowers

Three great singers singing greatly

YES PLEASE!! These vocal close harmonies are actual joy itself - I'm in! 🙌 listened on repeat for a good few hours, recommended to my mates - LOVE.

Im not into country but the folksy vibe and dollys voice were nice

Im not sure if its because I just finished new 3 Drake albums back to back but I liked this. This has squashed my beef with Emmylou for her participation in the crimes against my ears on Grievous Angel. Dolly is just too charming to dislike and these gals work well. Favorite Song: Those Memories of You

The album mostly sounds like one 38 minute song. Not a whole lot of variety or dynamic changes. But it is one extremely pleasant 38 minute song. Excellent vocals and harmonies, and very clean production. Won’t be everyone’s favorite, but I don’t know how you could hate this either. An extremely pleasant 3.4/5.

The voices and harmonies are breathtaking at times....the songs themselves, not so much unfortunately.

Trio is an album created by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris. The three had collaborated for years; there are several singles from pairs on various individual solo albums. This album was their first extensive collaborative effort. Trio was remarkably successful, both critically and commercially. The album is filled with "traditionalist country" songs, showcasing the vocals of these three incredible voices, in stirring solos and rich harmonies.

So putting three of the biggest female vocalists from the 20th century together is seriously magical. With Dolly, Linda, and Emmylou its easy because their styles blend so well, it's a beautiful take on traditional country folk harmonies. Their voices are just perfect, no one's trying to outshine each other, it's all about the music. It's easy to listen to, cozy, and really pleasing, pure, timeless country at its finest.

Country, 42 eme album =>1/5

Not sure if it was deliberate or coincidence I got this on the exact anniversary of this album! I enjoyed this listen although it did get a bit monotonous by the end. Great vocals, nice production.. not sure I’d be a regular listener but this is perfect for inoffensive background music. Overall 3.5/5

Decent

the ai background for this on apple music is horrifying

I recognized the name Dolly Parton, but I had no idea she made music like this. I realized more than halfway through the album, because the history page on this website only had her name listed, that the title of the album is referring to the fact that it's her and two other massively talented female vocalist singing in a trio. My modern sensibilities had me thinking that she was harmonizing with herself through post production, and that says something about how well these three vocalists meshed together, creating seamlessly beautiful, three part harmonies. I am also very partial to Bluegrass adjacent music so my bias will surely show in my review of this album. Violins, mandolins, acoustic guitars, and slide guitars; what's not to like? Strong four to a light five

This album makes me think of Granddad; he was a fan of Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris (and Dolly, too, I think, though perhaps not as much), and I think he had this album, or at least albums by the 3 artists. At the time (later 1980s), I was still dismissive of country music, but it wasn't long before I started to reconsider, and I think some of these traditional (retro?) country albums that came out starting in the 80s might have helped me to appreciate (traditional) country music more. Certainly can't fault the singing and harmonizing. Well, except that I don't *love* Dolly Parton's singing, but it's good, and the other 2 are great. As for rating it, I guess it's between a 3 and a 4, but I think I'm going to go with a (high) 3 because, while it's nice enough (indeed, very nice), it doesn't really stand out to me as exceptional or particularly memorable or notable. Except maybe in helping to extend/expand a broader appreciation for country music to people like me. ;)

nice voices, uninspired lyrics, very predictable arrangements I kinda feel like I'm losing braincells while listening

This is like Temple of the Dog for ‘70s country ladies (they forgot to invite Loretta Lynn, I guess), only it’s like if Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Mother Love Bone collabed in like 2009. Putting this out in the late 80s is so strange, all this music is very 70s-coded. No disrespect to Dolly and Emmylou, but Linda Ronstadt’s voice blows them both out of the water, she was the clear star here. The music is alright, just pretty standard country ballads done well; the harmonies are pretty good. Can’t give this more than a 3/5, though.

Good album good voices has some spiritual touch and some old school love song and old vibes but in a good way great album a solid 6.1/10

I feel like Country music has let Dolly Parton down. Bigtime. Here we have all the idiom we need to localize this music and glean its milieu. Vocal stylings, banjo, lap steel, vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, all the elements are there. And despite the "redneck" stereotype that many of us apply to Country music, this oozes class, thus defying [my] expectations. How tragic, then, that Country music has largely become a caricature. Those of us who haven't spent deliberate time with its catalogue could (sorely) miss gemstones like this out of reflex alone, and therein lies the misfortune for Dolly Parton, from my perspective. I had lumped her offerings in with the Tim McGraws, the Luke Bryans, the Toby Keiths, but her music transcends the broken-down trucks and Confederate symapthies of her locale. I needed to hear this, but I'm sure some of us already had the awareness this helped me develop, so 4/5.

This is wonderful. Long a favourite of mine - those harmonies. No notes.

Dimery, all is forgiven. The first thing to note here deadbeats is the song selection. Heartaches by the number, how do I count the ways. Their voices are exquisite and are perfectly applied to these wonderful tunes. A bit of Bill Monroe heartache, the pain of Porter and their affairs, Kate's I've Had Enough (I wonder who that was directed at!) it is the perfect collection. It reminded me of some sit com, cant think which, where a character says now I understanding Hey Won't You Play Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. That's what' going on here, those three brilliant country voices taking us to the place where your dog doesn't come back. Love it.

Three of the greatest singers of all time collaborating on some extremely well-chosen repertoire, tastefully accompanied and perfectly blended. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris had collaborated and covered each other's material for years and clearly had significant mutual admiration, respect and friendship, so it was unsurprising and yet also amazing that they put together this flawless album. I could listen to it all day. The thing I love best is the lack of showboating; they are singing together to serve the songs, and it is beautiful. Absolutely wonderful harmony singing throughout -- Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt have lots of credits singing harmony on other people's records, and they really know what they are doing. You know the other thing I like about this record? There have been too many reviews where I have had to trade off "music's great, but I am uncomfortable with the awful behaviour of the artist". Here is a record by three major artists who are incredibly talented _and_ well regarded as good and pleasant people. Dolly, Linda and Emmylou are widely loved and admired, for good reason. I am now speaking to all the poorly behaved male artists out there; see gentlemen, it _is_ possible to create great art while still behaving like a decent human being. Pull your socks up! My only criticism of this album is the terrible cover. But apart from that *mwah, chef's kiss*, fifty bazillion stars.

Lovely harmonies. Some fun songs and some great ballads.

They are pretty amazing singers, but distinctly unimpressive tunes. A bit morose, this should have been the precursor album to some Spice Girls girl power vibes with a lot more energy and less hobo.

Beauty redefined through a trio of heavenly voices.

Lovely but a few too many slow songs. 3.5

I love each of these artists individually but this felt lackluster. Boring.

Dull and forgettable country.

Really great. I wish it was a little more up tempo, but the harmonies were awesome.

Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

This was lovely. Pleasant harmonies and nice songs. No complaints.

Not a country fan, but they've got some nice vocals. It's a shame what modern country has devolved into.

What's there to elaborate here? As the title makes clear, this record boasts the talents of three of the most beloved country gals of the 20th century, & it's a quiet, slamming perfection. 'I'm making plans to be lonesome.' Like a soundtrack to a soundtrack, in other words, like music that tells the story of itself, the album flows from track to track, making a world w/o cracks or any wrong note, tho the songs, being true to their country-folk origins, manifest our cracking, troubled humanities. I guess what I love about music like this is its Beckettian sensibility: when you feel you've given up, all you have to do is look around & you see that you haven't. 'I just never belonged, I just longed to be gone / So the garden one day set me free.' Life in a nutshell.

They have nice voices but honestly can't get into the genre - the subject and the music itself aren't my thing. It was a nice, quick listen though

Very competent but a little too easy listening to get me excited.

Gorgeous, gorgeous stuff

Perfectly performed old-school Nashville music that is way too predictable and one-tempo to engage with:

Overall, not a bad album. It is pretty chill just leaving it in the background, but not necessarily full of party songs. Dolly Parton is great, though, so it was nice while the album was playing.

This was a good album just not my cup of tea but cool to get them all on one album

Las amo. Sus voces se complementan tan bien.

My mom would have loved this one

Þær eru allar fínar og hljóma vel saman, en ég næ samt engri sérstakri tengingu við þessa plötu. Þristur eftir tvær hlustanir og áfram hlust!

The harmonies are top notch, but many of the songs are incredibly sappy. Not a huge fan of those songs but the harmonies save this one.

I enjoyed this one more than I expected. All songs are pretty good and the voices are great. I also found some of the lyrics were pretty good. I'm between 3 and 4 but I'm leaning towards 4.

Just ok

Fun stuff

Álbum excelente de Country clássico. Vozes e instrumentos excelentes! CVJ Neko.

Album #132 Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris: Trio So I guess this is like The Highwaymen but for women? What is it about country that attracts the genre to super-groups, whereas in other mediums of music, the concept is so novel? Is it perhaps because country is the sonic manifestation of American patriotism, and there is nothing America loves more than to market and sell, and nothing sells more than a big collaboration of names that you recognize? The NBA All-Star Game, Avengers: Endgame, Woodstock, etc., there is nothing that America loves more than to be able to say “oh, hey, I know that guy!”. Personally, though I am selective about what country music I consume, I do enjoy it in theory. It is essentially just folk music with a twang, and folk music is perhaps the greatest medium for storytelling. But sometimes with country, the storytelling is lost, and the twang is all that remains. There is a world of difference between Townes Van Zandt's self-titled and Trio. I am not too familiar with any of the women here, other than Dolly Parton, whom I’m only familiar with because Reddit loves to bring her up at any given moment. I can’t say that I was really able to distinguish any distinct voices, seeing how almost every song sounded exactly the same. Also, Emmylou has to be the most Appalachian Hills Have Eyes name that I’ve ever heard. Overall, this album dragged and was quite boring. Pretty much anyone who says that they will listen to anything but country has this exact sound in mind when they say that. The kind of music that plays on repeat at the truck stop you pass through in the middle of nowhere. Best Songs: Wildflowers, Those Memories of You, To Know Him Is to Love Him Worst Song: Hobo’s Meditation Score out of 10: 5

fun loving Dolly

Curto muito esse estilo de música country com essas harmonias de vozes. Álbum foi gostosinho de ouvir do início ao fim, mas nada se destacou.

Its a country album, which is always a problem for me So I'm in no real position to comment on supposedly fine the qualities of this collection It all sounds like small animals being slowly tourtured to me When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut, never a cowboy

Old grandmas are pretty cool

Song after song turns the listener more and more sleepy. Not for me 2/5

The knock on this might be that it's sort of fluffy and innocuous, but I actually really liked it. The vocal harmonies are just great and I like the sort of subtle bluegrass flourishes. Have to feel like people like Alison Krauss took some notes from this. Some of the songs are actually pretty sad (Rosewood Casket?!) but found this a pretty enjoyable overall listen.

I love the music of all three of these women, but the songs on this album just aren't my favorite style.

Good songs

What’s better than one amazing country voice? Three!

Lindas voces pero me sentí en una iglesia de eeuu

I love the bluegrass-style harmonies. But the songs are just OK for me - nothing really grabs me.

Tons of talent here, but I'm not sure that putting them together is additive. Also, the selection of songs didn't grab me, I wish this was more fun and allowed them to cut lose more.

The vocals here really elevate sometimes saccharine ballads that typically aren't my thing. Dolly's voice is, as always, tremendously sweet, and Linda & Emmy's pipes are nothing to sneeze at. Definitely appreciated when songs had a smidge more energy - like Wildflowers - over the pure ballads...which was honestly most of this. Might be a high 3 low 4 kind of situation, but grading up because these 3 are straight legends.

This is a perfectly fine album, but for 1987 it feels years late. Nothing game changing here. Telling Me Lies is amazing vocally. Favorites were Wildflowers and Telling Me Lies.

80s country. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris. Close friends. Beautiful country harmonies.

I love Dolly Parton

3.8

Boygenius before boygenius etc etc... It was a fun listen! Though I am rarely in a country mood but I'll keep it in the backlog.

Not for me.

This album is such an amazing one, so playful and joyful, and sometimes so sweet that it feels like a great listening experience. It's a beautiful record, and the three women here match really well together; their vocies complement each other so nicely. Also, the songs are almost all so enjoyable and lively that they make this album sound so fantastically. It's such a great one!

Somebody love these women! So many sad songs! But soooo good. Sometimes 'supergroups' really miss the mark (often due to our own expectations). This does not. Banger of an album with some great talent on show, but no showing off.

Just kinda washed over me this one. 2.5 stars

Love dolly, but not my thing

I'm not a Country fan, so not much in it for me here. Beautiful harmonies, but it all sounded a bit uninspired, but that's most Country music for me.

No disrespect to these three legendes but this really didn't do too much for me. A few good songs here and there for sure but overall it felt quite bland you could tell none of them were trying to hit it out of the park. There is a reason why 80's country is usually not talked about that much. 4/10

Gorgeous harmonies, of course, and those voices carry this a long way. But the songwriting and 80's production is pretty pedestrian. Doesn't come close to any of their individual solo work. I'll take the Neko Case/KD Lang/Laura Veirs project over this one any day. A similar alt country/folk trio but done with a lot more passion and collective vision.

I've listened to this a few times, and listening again, my thoughts haven't changed that this should be better than it is. Three fantastic songwriters and singers, but I'm not sure the chemistry is there. My favorites are the Dolly-led tracks, especially the beautiful song Wildflowers. But a lot of this just feels sterile and uninspired, like they got together and made it for contractual obligations or something. Not a lot to cling to here.

2.7 2x catch up 4/13

1.9 It was simultaneously pleasant but detestful. I think if I was into it I could find the beauty in it, but I am absolutely not and I absolutely did not. Not one track saved down.

fave is to know him is to love hiim

C’est joli mais sans intérêt…

Hell yeah, it's the ladies.

No lo escuche mucho sinceramente, pero tenia potencial, proxima escucha quizas

Three legends of country music teamed up for this album. I'd say there were some genuinely great songs in the middle ("Wildflowers" and "Telling Me Lies" are the highlights), but the album as a whole did not elevate beyond -- admittedly -- beautiful singing.

Smatram da je nepravedno što me generator zasipa ovolikim country albumima s obzirom na to da sam izbjegla veliki egzistencijalni metak i nit sam amerikanka nit imam ikakve povezanosti s amerikom. Samo bi se amerikanci mogli zapitati hoćemo li imati keš u raju.

An album full of good songs and great singing. It may have been a more important album for these artists to make than it was a grand musical statement, but out of the context of its time it still holds up well.

i wouldn't say i was excited to dive in this morning, but they harmonize so nicely.

Over my heaaaad

Dolly and Linda have some of the best vocals of all time. While I’m not much of a country fan overall, or a female, can’t deny the power of the harmonies and it is quite folksy. A few great ballads on this album

It's not my tipe

442/1089 - This was a slog and a half.

Good grief, that's a lot of rouge they're wearing. The music itself isn't bad, but I didn't particularly enjoy it and am perfectly content with hearing it precisely once before I die.

Favorite Track: Farther Along

I thought this album was pretty chill. Dolly Parton has alway been pretty great in her musical and acting career. I love the 9 to 5 movie and Album. But this "Trio" really blends well with each other. Giving this a 4/5

how could you hate this cover art? garish bright colors, stupid big hairdos, and horrendously tacky makeup. it’s so 80s it hurts, in a good way. on paper i shouldn’t really like this. supergroups smother out the idiosyncrasies of great artists, and none of the three stars are much of a presence here. but. i listened to this on a bus ride through west virginia on a sticky spring afternoon to meet my loved one. and that might just be the optimal way to experience something with this amount of yearning and passion. deserves to be one of the 1001? i dont know enough about this era of country to accurately weigh this album's importance tbh. but i do think that all three of these artists have more important projects than this

Fine. Nothing extra. Loooow 3

Heard Before? Yes. Notes: - obviously a vocal showcase and the vocals are uniformly stunning, even if they can't really sell the lyrics of "Hobo's Meditation". - song selection could have been a little more daring, but these safe bets are still great. - the arrangements strive for variety but end up a little bland and formulaic. never truly awful though, and the performances are note perfect. - production is clear and lovely, only venturing too far into cheeseball adult contemporary on "Telling Me Lies". - for a vocal-focused album, they actually give the instrumentals a surprising amount of space to work in. - I'm always happy to leave rock music behind for any genre where triplet time signatures are normal. Verdict: One of the very few supergroup albums in any genre that's worth a serious listen. Listen Again? I'm not opposed. It's a highlight in each of their catalogues.

My Pops would’ve loved this. Me, not so much.

Amazing

The gals cover a wide range of genres on this album. Country, to Country and Wester, to Country Pop, to Country Folk, to Country Waltzes. If you like Country music performed by a trio of dames, where one voice dominates...this is an album for you. Alas, I don't. After a couple of tracks, it became a chore to continue.

An album made by 3 icons? 15 stars.

The pain of loving you - 4 Making plans - 3 To know him is to love him - 3 Hobo's meditation - 3 Wildflowers - 3 Telling me lies - 4 My dear companion - 3 Those memories of you - 4 I've had enough - 3 Rosewood casket - 3 Farther along - 3

Not my style, at all. ★

Good singing, nothing really stands out though

sorry dolly you're not my style

Dolly Parton. Always a welcome sound. Good album.

All three great singers but this album just bored me :(

Three beautiful voices but the old style country song choices were disappointing. It didn't hold my attention despite the talent involved.

Dolly is pulling this group, good album but not a country guy

Sometimes you know before you even listen to an album that you won’t like it. This is an example of that. As much as I respect all of these three ladies I know that individually I dislike the music they make so when it’s all three of them I have three times the reason for staying well clear of it. I did tentatively give it a listen hoping against hope it wasn’t what I feared it was - but it was! But at least I tried. 1/5 27/3/26

3 legends on one album. 3.5/5

It’s not that I don’t like country music, but I really don’t like this at all. Sorry...

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