New Harvest...First Gathering
Studio album by
Dolly Parton
ReleasedFebruary 14, 1977
RecordedAugust 19–December 17, 1976
Studio
  • Soundshop Studio (Nashville)
  • Creative Workshop (Nashville)
GenreCountry, disco
Length38:30
LabelRCA Victor
Producer
  • Dolly Parton
  • Gregg Perry
Dolly Parton chronology
All I Can Do
(1976) 		New Harvest...First Gathering
(1977) 		Here You Come Again
(1977)
Singles from New Harvest...First Gathering
  1. "Light of a Clear Blue Morning"
    Released: March 21, 1977
  2. "You Are"
    Released: March 25, 1977
  3. "Applejack"
    Released: August 27, 1977
  4. "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher"
    Released: 1977

New Harvest...First Gathering is the eighteenth solo studio album by American entertainer Dolly Parton. It was released on February 14, 1977, by RCA Victor. It is significant for being Parton's first self-produced album, as well as her first effort aimed specifically at the pop charts.

Content

In addition to her own compositions, Parton included the Temptations classic "My Girl" (sung as the gender-neutral "My Love"), and "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher", originally a Jackie Wilson hit. "Applejack" features an all-star lineup of country legends singing background vocals, including Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, Johnny Wright, Chet Atkins and Minnie Pearl.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Record GuideB−[2]
Record Mirror[3]

In the issue dated February 26, 1977, Billboard published a review calling the album "Parton's most progressive and individualistic LP ever. Changes in producer (Gregg Perry co-produces this with Dolly), studio, publisher and mental outlook are bound to have a significant effect on the ultimate product. The changes are dramatic and result in some of the most memorable work yet – in writing and singing – by Parton. She wrote most of the songs and vividly displays her stunning powers as a writer. This could be the album that shoves Parton from a country-only base to the category of across-the-board talents like Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt who emulate and admire her."[4]

Cashbox published a review in the February 26, 1977, issue, which said, "Breaking from her country roots, Dolly has put together this package of tailor-mades for the progressive rock listener. Her versatility and natural talents combined with her excellent production as well as arrangement comes crystal clear here."[5] The New York Times noted that "the inflated, bathetic rhetoric of the arrangements will appeal to the Barry Manilow crowd, and to reject them (or him) somehow brands one antidemocratic."[6]

Commercial performance

The album peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country LPs chart and No. 71 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

"You Are" was released as the first single from the album in March 1977 in Europe, but did not chart. However, in 1983 it reached the number 1 position in Dutch charts, at the time it was released from a complication album titled "The Love Album".

The first single in North America, "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" was released in March 1977 and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. It peaked at number one on the RPM Top County Singles chart.

"Applejack" had been issued as the B-side of "You Are" in Europe and would be re-promoted as the A-side later in 1977 and did not chart.

"(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" was released as a single in Germany, but did not chart; it was not released as a single in the US, due, in part, to Rita Coolidge's cover of the song, which had reached the US top ten earlier in 1977.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dolly Parton, except as noted

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."Light of a Clear Blue Morning" August 19, 19764:53
2."Applejack" December 10, 19763:20
3."My Girl (My Love)"William Robinson, Ronald WhiteDecember 3, 19763:44
4."Holdin' on to You" August 22, 19762:46
5."You Are" August 20, 19765:14
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Recording dateLength
1."How Does It Feel" November 21, 19763:13
2."Where Beauty Lives in Memory" December 10, 19763:50
3."(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher"Gary Jackson, Carl SmithDecember 16, 19762:52
4."Getting in My Way" August 21, 19762:40
5."There" December 17, 19765:32

Personnel

Adapted from the album liner notes.

Chart positions

Album

Year Chart Peak
Position
1977 US Hot Country Albums (Billboard)[7] 1
US Billboard 200[8] 71

Singles

Year Single Chart Peak
position
1977 "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" US Hot Country Singles (Billboard)[9] 11
US Hot 100 (Billboard)[10] 87
1977 "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" Canada Top Country Singles (RPM) 1

Accolades

20th Annual Grammy Awards

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1978 "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher" Best Country Vocal Performance, Female Nominated

References

  1. ^ Deming, Mark. New Harvest...First Gathering at AllMusic
  2. ^ Christgau, Robert (1981). "Consumer Guide '70s: P". Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies. Ticknor & Fields. ISBN 089919026X. Retrieved March 10, 2019 – via robertchristgau.com.
  3. ^ Russell, Rosalind (19 March 1977). "Albums: Dolly Parton – New Harvest...First Gathering" (PDF). Record Mirror. London: Spotlight Publications Ltd. p. 20. ISSN 0144-5804. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023 – via World Radio History.
  4. ^ "Billboard Magazine – February 26, 1977" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard Magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  5. ^ "Cashbox Magazine – February 26, 1977" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox Magazine. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  6. ^ Rockwell, John (25 Mar 1977). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C16.
  7. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Dolly Parton Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 7 December 2018.
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