| Treasures | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Dolly Parton | ||||
| Released | September 24, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | c. June 1996 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 41:53 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer | Steve Buckingham | |||
| Dolly Parton chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Treasures | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Billboard | (favorable)[2] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
Treasures is the thirty-fourth solo studio album by American singer-songwriterDolly Parton. It was released on September 24, 1996, byRising Tide Records and Blue Eye Records. TheSteve Buckingham-produced album is made up of covers of rock and country hits from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. It peaked at number 21 on theBillboardTop Country Albums chart and spawned three singles: "Just When I Needed You Most", which peaked at number 62 on theBillboard Hot Country Singles chart; a dance remix of "Peace Train", which peaked at number seven on theBillboardHot Dance Music chart; and a dance remix of "Walking on Sunshine". The album's release was accompanied by aCBS television special,Dolly Parton: Treasures.
When Parton's contract withColumbia Records expired in 1995, she decided to look for a new label at her own leisure. She initially decided onAtlantic Records because she saidDoug Morris was the one executive she met with who fully believed in her. Morris lost an executive battle leading to his departure from Atlantic in 1995. Morris began working withMCA Records in July 1995 by forming a joint venture record label with hisRising Tide Records, which becameUniversal Records when Morris was appointed chairman and CEO of MCA Music Entertainment Group in November 1995. Parton said she was in no hurry to find a new label, but when Morris began working at MCA she said yes, signing with Universal Records' Nashville branch which had retained the Rising Tide Records name.[4]
Among the selections are songs byMerle Haggard,Jeanne Pruett,Neil Young,Kris Kristofferson,Cat Stevens andMac Davis. Perhaps the most surprising choices were Young's "After the Gold Rush" (although Parton had previously recorded the song in 1994 withLinda Ronstadt andEmmylou Harris for the secondTrio album, though that version would not be released until 1999) and Stevens' "Peace Train", which featuresLadysmith Black Mambazo. While this initially seemed to be the oddest pairing, Parton says that for years, she wanted torecord "Peace Train" with a big chorus but couldn't find the sound she envisioned. She said, "I was watching TV and this Lifesavers commercial came on, and I heard these beautiful, rich voices. It was exactly the world sound that I wanted. I called [producerSteve Buckingham] and told him to find them, whoever it was. It turned out to be a perfect blend. I was going to record that song regardless of what album I did, because of the shape the world's in."[4]
Parton premiered the album's lead single, "Just When I Needed You Most", during a September 19, 1996, appearance onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno.[5] It was released to radio on September 23[6][7] and peaked at number 62 on theBillboardHot Country Singles chart and number 68 in Canada on theRPM Country Singles chart. The song's music video was directed byThe A.V. Squad and featuresAlison Krauss andDan Tyminski who provided harmony vocals on the track.
The album was released September 24, 1996, onCD andcassette.
Parton made an appearance onThe Rosie O'Donnell Show on November 27 and performed "Walking on Sunshine".[8]
The album's release was accompanied by aCBS television special,Dolly Parton: Treasures, which aired on November 30, 1996.[9] During the special Parton performed most of the songs from the album, accompanied by video footage of news stories and events from the year of each song's original release.
On July 1, 1997,[10] a danceremix "Peace Train" was released as a single and peaked at number 23 on theBillboardHot Dance Music chart and number 119 on theBillboardBubbling Under the Hot 100 chart. It also peaked at number 97 on theUK Singles Chart. A music video was filmed, but was never released. It was directed byChristopher Ciccone, brother ofMadonna. The unreleased music video was eventually leaked online.
Following the success of "Peace Train", a remix of "Walking on Sunshine" was released on August 10, 1999,[11] but did not chart.
The album peaked at number 21 on theBillboardTop Country Albums chart and number 122 on theBillboard 200. In Canada, the album peaked at number 24 on theRPM Country Albums chart. The album also peaked at number 10 on the UK Country Albums Chart and number 116 on theUK Albums Chart.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Peace Train / Isitimela Sokuthula" (withLadysmith Black Mambazo) | Cat Stevens | 4:40 | |
| 2. | "Today I Started Loving You Again" (withJohn Popper) | Merle Haggard | 3:57 | |
| 3. | "Just When I Needed You Most" (withAlison Krauss) | Randy VanWarmer | Randy VanWarmer | 4:36 |
| 4. | "Something's Burning" | Mac Davis | Kenny Rogers and The First Edition | 3:59 |
| 5. | "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" (withDavid Hidalgo) |
| Freddy Fender | 4:07 |
| 6. | "After the Goldrush" (with Alison Krauss) | Neil Young | Neil Young | 3:45 |
| 7. | "Walking on Sunshine" | Kimberley Rew | Katrina and the Waves | 3:11 |
| 8. | "Behind Closed Doors" | Kenny O'Dell | Charlie Rich | 2:59 |
| 9. | "Don't Let Me Cross Over" (withRaul Malo) | Penny Jay | Carl Butler and Pearl | 3:03 |
| 10. | "Satin Sheets" | John E. Volinkaty | Jeanne Pruett | 3:20 |
| 11. | "For the Good Times" | Kris Kristofferson | Ray Price | 4:16 |
| Total length: | 41:53 | |||
Adapted from the album liner notes.
Special guest performers
Musicians
Background vocals
Production
Other personnel
Album
| Chart (1996) | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top Country Albums/CDs (RPM)[12] | 24 |
| USBillboard 200[13] | 122 |
| USTop Country Albums (Billboard)[14] | 21 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC)[15] | 3 |
| USCashbox Country Albums[16] | 21 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Bubbling [17] | US Country [18] | US Dance [19] | CAN Country [20] | UK [21] | ||
| "Just When I Needed You Most" | 1996 | — | 62 | — | 68 | — |
| "Peace Train" | 1997 | 19 | — | 23 | — | 97 |
