Together Always
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Together Always
| type = studio
| artist = Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton
| cover = Pdtogetheralways.jpg
| released = September 11, 1972
| recorded = April 7, 1971–May 2, 1972
| studio = RCA Studio B (Nashville)
| genre = Country
| length = 27:25
| label = RCA Victor
| producer = Bob Ferguson
| prev_title = The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil
| prev_year = 1972
| next_title = We Found It
| next_year = 1973
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Dolly Parton
| type = studio
| prev_title = Touch Your Woman
| prev_year = 1972
| title = Together Always
| year = 1972
| next_title = Just the Way I Am
| next_year = 1972
}}{{Singles
| name = Together Always
| type = studio
| single1 = Lost Forever in Your Kiss
| single1date = March 6, 1972
| single2 = Together Always
| single2date = July 31, 1972
}}
}}
Together Always is the eighth collaborative studio album by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. It was released on September 11, 1972, by RCA Victor.{{cite web |title=Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton* - Together Always |url=https://www.discogs.com/Porter-Wagoner-Dolly-Parton-Together-Always/master/924064 |website=Discogs |date=1972 |accessdate=31 May 2019 |language=en}}
The album was released as a digital download on January 4, 2019.{{cite web |title=Together Always by Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton on Amazon Music - Amazon.com |url=https://www.amazon.com/Together-Always-Porter-Wagoner-Parton/dp/B07L8B43RH |website=www.amazon.com |accessdate=31 May 2019}}
Content
The album consists entirely of songs composed by either Parton or Wagoner. It contains their hit "Lost Forever in Your Kiss", in addition to the humorous "Ten Four — Over and Out", which exploited the C.B. radio craze a few years before it became a major phenomenon in the US. "Poor Folks Town" was later recorded as a solo by Parton on her 1980 album, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs. The album features liner notes written by both Wagoner and Parton in their own handwriting.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
|rev1=AllMusic|rev1Score={{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000900189}}
| rev2 = The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
| rev2score = {{rating|3|5}}{{r|larkin}}
}}
The review published in the September 23, 1972 issue of Billboard said, "Two of the most consistent chart winners join forces once again for another top package loaded with programming and sales potency. Duo wrote all the material
with highlights that include "Lost Forever in Your Kiss," "Love's All Over", "Ten Four – Over and Out", and of course the current
hit single, "Together Always"."{{cite web |title=Billboard - September 23, 1972 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-09-23.pdf |website=American Radio History |publisher=Billboard |accessdate=31 May 2019 |page=20}}
Cashbox published a review in the September 9, 1972 issue, which said, "The time is September, 1982, and the scene is an anniversary party. Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton are celebrating the tenth anniversary of their "Together Always" album; they are celebrating as proof that the album title was accurate and that they would truly remain a team forever. Maybe this fantasy is projecting too far into the future, but if you hear the closeness of Porter and Dolly's music on their new album, then you would not only agree with me, you would make advance reservations for the 1992 anniversary party! Includes "Lost Forever in Your Kiss", "Poor Folks Town", and "Christina"."{{cite web |title=Cashbox - September 9, 1972 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Cash-Box/70s/1972/Cash-Box-1972-09-09.pdf |website=American Radio History |publisher=Cashbox |accessdate=31 May 2019 |page=38}}
Commercial performance
The album peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot Country LP's chart.
The album's first single, "Lost Forever in Your Kiss", was released in March 1972{{cite web |title=Billboard - March 18, 1972 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-03-18.pdf |website=American Radio History |publisher=Billboard |accessdate=31 May 2019 |page=58}} and peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The second single, "Together Always", was released in July 1972{{cite web |title=Billboard - August 12, 1972 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1972/BB-1972-08-12.pdf |website=American Radio History |publisher=Billboard |accessdate=31 May 2019 |page=59}} and peaked at No. 14 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Recording
Recording sessions for the album took place on April 28, May 1 and 2, 1972, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Six of the album's ten tracks were recorded during sessions for 1972's The Right Combination • Burning the Midnight Oil. "Love's All Over", "Take Away" and "You and Me – Her and Him" were recorded on April 7, 1971. "Anyplace You Want to Go", "Looking Down" and "Lost Forever in Your Kiss" were recorded on September 28, 29 and 30, 1971, respectively.
Track listing
All tracks written by Porter Wagoner, except where noted.
{{track listing
| headline = Side one
| extra_column = Recording date
| title1 = Together Always
| writer1 = Dolly Parton
| extra1 = May 1, 1972
| length1 = 2:17
| title2 = Love's All Over
| writer2 =
| extra2 = April 7, 1971
| length2 = 3:06
| title3 = Christina
| writer3 = Parton
| extra3 = May 1, 1972
| length3 = 2:59
| title4 = Poor Folks Town
| writer4 = Parton
| extra4 = April 28, 1972
| length4 = 2:41
| title5 = Take Away
| writer5 =
| extra5 = April 7, 1971
| length5 = 2:24
}}
{{track listing
| headline = Side two
| extra_column = Recording date
| title1 = Ten Four – Over and Out
| writer1 =
| extra1 = May 2, 1972
| length1 = 3:29
| title2 = Lost Forever in Your Kiss
| writer2 = Parton
| extra2 = September 30, 1971
| length2 = 3:20
| title3 = Anyplace You Want to Go
| writer3 =
| extra3 = September 28, 1971
| length3 = 2:15
| title4 = Looking Down
| writer4 =
| extra4 = September 29, 1971
| length4 = 2:33
| title5 = You and Me – Her and Him
| writer5 =
| extra5 = April 7, 1971
| length5 = 2:21
}}
Personnel
Adapted from the album liner notes and RCA recording session records.
{{div col|colwidth=35em}}
- Joseph Babcock – backing vocals
- Jerry Carrigan – drums
- Pete Drake – steel
- Bobby Dyson – bass
- Dolores Edgin – backing vocals
- Johnny Gimble – fiddle
- Dave Kirby – guitar
- Les Leverett – cover photo
- Mack Magaha – fiddle
- George McCormick – rhythm guitar
- June Evelyn Page – backing vocals
- Dolly Parton – lead vocals, liner notes
- Tom Pick – recording engineer
- Hargus Robbins – piano
- Billy Sanford – guitar
- Dale Sellers – guitar
- Roy Shockley – recording technician
- Jerry Shook – guitar
- Buddy Spicher – fiddle
- Jerry Stembridge – guitar
- Robert Thompson – guitar
- Buck Trent – electric banjo
- Porter Wagoner – lead vocals, liner notes
{{end div col}}
Charts
Album
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
scope="col" | Chart (1972)
! scope="col" | Peak |
---|
scope = "row" | US Hot Country LP's (Billboard){{cite magazine |title=Dolly Parton Chart History - Top Country Albums |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dolly-parton/chart-history/clp/ |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=8 July 2018}}
| 3 |
Singles
class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" rowspan = "2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan = "2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak |
US Country {{cite magazine |title=Dolly Parton Chart History - Hot Country Songs | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/dolly-parton/chart-history/csi/ |magazine=Billboard |accessdate=8 July 2018}} |
---|
scope = "row" | "Lost Forever in Your Kiss"
| rowspan = "2" | 1972 | 9 |
scope = "row" | "Together Always"
| 14 |
Release history
class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|References}} |
rowspan = "2" | Various
| September 11, 1972 |
January 4, 2019 |
References
{{Reflist | refs =
{{cite book|author=Colin Larkin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|edition=4th|volume=6|date=2006|publisher=Muze, Oxford University Press|page=435{{ndash}}6|isbn=978-0-19-531373-4|chapter=Parton, Dolly|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo0006unse/page/435/}}
}}
{{Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Porter Wagoner albums
Category:1972 collaborative albums