Trio is a collaborative studio album by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris. It was released on March 2, 1987, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was produced by George Massenburg and recorded primarily in Los Angeles. It was Dolly's first album to be released following her departure from her longtime record label RCA Victor. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart number six on the all-genre Billboard 200. The album's four singles, "To Know Him Is to Love Him," "Telling Me Lies," "Those Memories of You," and "Wildflowers," all peaked in the top ten of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The album won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards. It has been certified Platinum by the Recoding Industry Association of America.
Longtime friends and admirers of one another, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt first attempted to record an album together in January 1978. The sessions were abandoned after Dolly brought it to Linda's attention that the project should be more acoustic and less pop.
Some of the fruits of those shelved recording sessions did make it onto the women's respective solo albums. "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" was included on Emmylou's 1979 album, Blue Kentucky Girl. "Mr. Sandman" and "Evangeline" appeared on Emmylou's 1981 album, Evangeline, and "My Blue Tears" was included on Linda's 1982 album, Get Closer. "Palms of Victory," another track from the aborted 1970s sessions, was included on the Emmylou's 2007 box set, Songbird: Rare Tracks and Forgotten Gems. During the mid-to-late 1970s, the ladies made several other musical collaborations together. Dolly, Linda, and Neil Young provided backing vocals on Emmylou's 1975 single, "Light of the Stable." It was later included on Emmylou's 1979 (UK) /1980 (US) album of the same name. Dolly and Fayssoux Starling joined Emmylou on "When I Stop Dreaming," which appeared on Emmylou's 1976 album, Luxury Liner. ? Dolly and Linda also recorded a version of the traditional ballad "I Never Will Marry," which appeared on Linda's 1977 album, Simple Dreams. Linda was joined by Emmylou on a cover of "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love with You)" for Linda's Heart Like a Wheel album. During this time, Linda and Emmylou also covered a number of Dolly's compositions — Emmylou covered "Coat of Many Colors" and "To Daddy," and Linda recorded "I Will Always Love You" — for inclusion on their various solo albums during the mid-to-late-1970s. Dolly, in turn, covered Emmylou's "Boulder to Birmingham," including it on her 1976 album, All I Can Do. Dolly and Ricky Skaggs joined Emmylou on "Green Pastures" from her 1980 album, Roses in the Snow.
For Emmylou's 1985 album, The Ballad of Sally Rose, Dolly and Linda contributed backing vocals for five tracks: the title track, "Timberline," "Diamond in My Crown," "The Sweetheart of the Rodeo," and "Sweet Chariot."
Finally, a full collaboration album came to fruition in 1986, being produced by George Massenburg.
Recording The album was recorded from January to November 1986 at The Complex in West Los Angeles. Additional recording took place at Woodland Studios in Nashville and Ocean Way Recording in Hollywood.
Dolly had previously recorded "The Pain of Loving You" with Porter Wagoner for their 1971 album, Two of a Kind. She recored the song again with The Grascals for their 2011 album Country Classics with a Bluegrass Spin. Dolly had previously recorded "Making Plans" with Porter Wagoner for their 1980 album, Porter & Dolly. She record it again in 2000 with Johnny Russell (one of its writers) for his Actin' Naturally album. Dolly recorded "Rosewood Casket" again for the 2016 compilation, On Top of Old Smoky: New Old-Time Smoky Mountain Music. She recorded "Father Along" for her 1999 album, Precious Memories.
?The album was released March 2, 1987, on CD, LP, cassette, and 8-track.
The album debuted at number 16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated March 28, 1987. It peaked at number one on the chart dated May 2, its sixth week on the chart, where it remained for four additional weeks. The album charted for 84 weeks. It also peaked at number six on the Billboard 200. The album peaked at number four in Canada on the RPM Top Albums chart. It also peaked at number four in Australia on the Kent Music Report. The album saw success in Sweden also, where it peaked at number 29 on the Sverigetopplistan Swedish Albums chart. It peaked at number 60 on the UK Albums chart.
The album charted at number 10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums year-end chart for 1987, and number 20 on the chart for 1988. It also charted at number 62 on the Billboard 200 year-end chart for 1987.
The album won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 30th Annual Grammy Awards in 1988 and was also nominated for Album of the Year. It won Album of the Year at the 23rd Academy of Country Music Awards in 1988. The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 21st Annual Country Music Association Awards in 1987 and won Vocal Event of the Year at the 22nd Annual Country Music Association in 1988. The album won Vocal Collaboration of the Year and Album of the Year at the 1988 CMT Music Awards (known as the Music City News Awards at the time). In December 2020, Trio was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
The album was simultaneously certified Gold and Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of American on July 14, 1987, for shipment of 1,000,000 copies. The album was certified Gold by Recorded Music New Zealand on August 9, 1987, for shipment of 7,500 copies.
Personnel
Jodi Burnett – cello Ry Cooder – tremolo guitar Kenny Edwards – Ferrington acoustic bass Steve Fishell – pedal steel, dobro, Kona Hawaiian guitar Emmylou Harris – lead vocals, harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, electric bass Dennis Karmazyn – cello Marty Krystall – clarinet Russ Kunkel – drums ?Albert Lee – acoustic guitar, high-strung guitar, mandolin David Lindley – mandolin, Kona Hawaiian guitar, autoharp, harpolek, acoustic guitar, dulcimer Brice Martin – flute Ilene "Novi" Novog – viola Mark O'Connor – viola, fiddle, acoustic guitar, acoustic lead guitar, mandolin ?Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, harmony vocals Dolly Parton – lead vocals, harmony vocals Bill Payne – acoustic piano, electric piano, harmonium, Hammond organ Herb Pedersen – banjo Leland Sklar – Ferrington acoustic bass John Starling – acoustic guitar, acoustic rhythm guitar
Production Robert Blakeman – photography David Campbell – orchestration, conducting Liza Edwards – production consultant George Massenburg – producer, recording Herb Pedersen – vocal arrangements Sharon Rice – engineering assistant ?Doug Sax – analog mastering, digital mastering John Starling – musical consultant ?Charles Veal – concertmaster
Other personnel Andy Engal – illustration Kosh – art direction, design ?Ron Larson – art direction, design Manuel – costume design
