Trio

If ever there was perfection in ensemble vocals, it is in the recording TRIO, which finds Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Linda Ronstadt throwing off the shackles of stardom and creating an overall sound that completely transcends their individual sounds. On this recording, decisions have been made more on the basis of vocal suitability rather than on star power, with the opening "The Pain of Loving You" a case in point. Originally written by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagner, this would seem an obvious selection for a Parton lead vocal--but here the lead is supplied by Emmylou Harris, with Parton and Ronstadt providing flawlessly blended backups that avoid overshadowing Harris' less authoritative singing style.

Throughout the recording, the artists play a sort of musical round robin, each taking the lead in turn and each serving the other vocalists with perfectly placed support--with no one artist overshadowing the other, all three speaking with the same musical intent...Read more

If you don't have a copy of this CD -- you should! Even if you think you don't like traditional Appalachian music and harmonies, give it a shot. I first heard these three singers had gotten together and planned to do an album together back in the 1970's. It took them 10 years to give us the finished product. By that time CDs had come along, and I bought it on CD. It was well worth the wait. Somehow the three voices blended together are uniquely right. The song selection here is much better than on Trio II. It starts with "The Pain of Loving You," a wonderful song Dolly first wrote and sang with Porter Wagoner in the 1970's. It sounds like the traditional mountain music the original Carter Family might have sung in the 1920's -- back when commercial Country Music was first born. Of course that is the kind of music Dolly, born in 1946, was raised on -- the music of the Carter Family and even older folk songs that brought to America by the first colonists from the British...Read more

This CD is just a great treat to listen to. Parton, Ronstadt and Harris were meant to sing together. Producer George Massenburg waved his magic wand in the studio and let these great vocalists produce superlative sounds. The harmonies are on par with anything the sisters of The Rankin Family sang. It helps that this trio had great material to work with. The opener "The Pain Of Loving You" (written by Parton and Porter Wagoner) sounds as fresh today as when it was first written in 1971 - the bluegrass feel to this one is just great. Parton's "Wildflowers" is wonderfully written, but could have been made a lot better by increasing the oomph of the percussion after the first verse and chorus. Ronstadt shows off her vocal chops to great effect on "Telling Me Lies" and "Those Memories Of You" perhaps showcases the trio's harmonies the best. This is a solid recording that has become and will stay timeless. First-rate.