Blue Kentucky Girl is the sixth studio album by American country music artist Emmylou Harris , released in 1979. The album features Harris delving into more traditional country than the country-rock sound of her previous releases. Songs include work by Willie Nelson and Gram Parsons . Rodney Crowell 's "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" featured harmonies by Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt , and came out of the women's ill-fated 1978 recording sessions, where they first attempted to record a "trio" album (nearly a full decade before they actually succeeded in doing so).
The album won the 1980 Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance . "Beneath Still Waters " became Harris' fourth No. 1 hit; covers of the Drifters ' 1960 hit "Save the Last Dance for Me " and the album's title track (originally recorded by Loretta Lynn ) were top ten hits on the US country charts.
In 2006, the album ranked No. 20 on CMT 's "40 Greatest Albums in Country Music".
Track listing
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Personnel
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Brian Ahern – acoustic guitar, high-strung guitar, bass, percussion, 6-string banjo
Duke Bardwell – bass
Mike Bowden – bass
Tony Brown – piano
James Burton – electric guitar
Rodney Crowell – acoustic guitar, high-strung guitar
Lincoln Davis Jr. – accordion
Hank DeVito – pedal steel
Don Everly – duet vocals
Emory Gordy Jr. – bass
Glen Hardin – piano, string arrangements
Emmylou Harris – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Ben Keith – pedal steel
Albert Lee – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
Dolly Parton – backing vocals
Bill Payne – piano
Mickey Raphael – harmonica
Linda Ronstadt – backing vocals
Ricky Skaggs – fiddle, 5-string fiddle, mandolin, backing vocals
Fayssoux Starling – backing vocals
Tanya Tucker – duet vocals
Ron Tutt – drums
John Ware – drums
Cheryl White – duet vocals, backing vocals
Sharon White – duet vocals, backing vocals
Technical
Brian Ahern – producer, engineer
Donivan Cowart – engineer
Bradley Hartman – engineer
Stuart Taylor – engineer
Release history
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References
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^ Ankeny, Jason. Blue Kentucky Girl at AllMusic
^ Sweeting, Adam (April 9, 2004). "Emmylou Harris, Blue Kentucky Girl" . The Guardian . Retrieved January 24, 2016 .
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide . Random House. 1992. pp. 307, 308.
^ "Emmylou Harris Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Emmylou Harris Chart History (Top Country Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021.
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1979" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021 .
^ "Top Country Albums – Year-End 1980" . Billboard . Retrieved May 30, 2021 .
^ Harris, Emmylou (April 13, 1979). Blue Kentucky Girl (Media notes). Warner Bros. Records . BSK-3318 (LP); M5-3318 (Cassette).