Blue Kentucky Girl (Emmylou Harris album): Difference between revisions

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1979 studio album by Emmylou Harris

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 (they succeeded in doing so nearly a decade later with their 1987 album Trio).

Critical reception

Jason Ankeny of AllMusic found “In response to criticism that her records weren’t “country” enough, Harris recorded Blue Kentucky Girl, one of her most traditional outings. Relying on a more acoustic sound, the album largely forsakes contemporary pop songs in favor of standard country fare.”^[1]

Bruce Smith of the New York Daily News remarked in his review, “Alabama born Emmylou Harris has abandoned her Malibu blue jeans for Nashville black velvet and white ruffles on this oddly formal country album…Those with an affection for Harris’ singing style won’t be disappointed by “Blue Kentucky Girl” although her soft rock fans with no taste for straight country might be disappointed.”^[4]

Adam Sweeting of The Guardian in a 3/5 stars review claimed, “There are many brilliant songs…and this bunch showcases Emmy’s inherent strengths: her clean, pure voice, impeccable choice of material and gift for picking the right musicians.”^[2]

Accolades

Blue Kentucky Girl won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.^[5]
In 2006, the album ranked No. 20 on CMT‘s “40 Greatest Albums in Country Music”.

Singles

“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.

Track listing

Personnel

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

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Release history

References

^ ^a ^b Ankeny, Jason. “Emmylou Harris – Blue Kentucky Girl”. Allmusic.
^ ^a ^b 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.
^ Smith, Bruce (May 7, 1979). “Jacksons Cut Loose”. New York Daily News. p. 106. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via newspapers.com.
^ “Emmylou Harris”. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
^ “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.

[Allmusic-1] Ankeny, Jason. “Emmylou Harris – Blue Kentucky Girl”. Allmusic.

[TheGuardian-2] Sweeting, Adam (April 9, 2004). “Emmylou Harris, Blue Kentucky Girl”. The Guardian. Retrieved January 24, 2016.

[3] The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 307, 308.

[4] Smith, Bruce (May 7, 1979). “Jacksons Cut Loose”. New York Daily News. p. 106. Retrieved April 27, 2025 – via newspapers.com.

[Grammy-5] “Emmylou Harris”. The Recording Academy. Retrieved April 27, 2025.

[ac_Billboard200_Emmylou_Harris-6] “Emmylou Harris Chart History (Billboard 200)”. Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[ac_BillboardCountry_Emmylou_Harris-7] “Emmylou Harris Chart History (Top Country Albums)”. Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[8] “Top Country Albums – Year-End 1979”. Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

[9] “Top Country Albums – Year-End 1980”. Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2021.

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 ==Critical reception==
-Jason Ankeny of [[Allmusic]] in a 3.5/5 stars review, found “In response to criticism that her records weren’t “country” enough, Harris recorded Blue Kentucky Girl, one of her most traditional outings. Relying on a more acoustic sound, the album largely forsakes contemporary pop songs in favor of standard country fare.”<ref name=Allmusic />
+Jason Ankeny of [[]] found “In response to criticism that her records weren’t “country” enough, Harris recorded Blue Kentucky Girl, one of her most traditional outings. Relying on a more acoustic sound, the album largely forsakes contemporary pop songs in favor of standard country fare.”<ref name=Allmusic />
 Bruce Smith of the [[New York Daily News]] remarked in his review, “Alabama born Emmylou Harris has abandoned her Malibu blue jeans for Nashville black velvet and white ruffles on this oddly formal country album…Those with an affection for Harris’ singing style won’t be disappointed by “Blue Kentucky Girl” although her soft rock fans with no taste for straight country might be disappointed.”<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news/59597262/|title=Jacksons Cut Loose|author=Smith, Bruce|date=May 7, 1979|page=106|publisher=[[New York Daily News]]|via=newspapers.com|access-date=April 27, 2025}}</ref>
 Adam Sweeting of [[The Guardian]] in a 3/5 stars review claimed, “There are many brilliant songs…and this bunch showcases Emmy’s inherent strengths: her clean, pure voice, impeccable choice of material and gift for picking the right musicians.”<ref name=TheGuardian />
 ===Accolades===