The Ballad of Sally Rose
| The Ballad of Sally Rose | ||||
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| Studio album by Emmylou Harris | ||||
| Released | February 1985 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 36:12 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Paul Kennerley | |||
| Emmylou Harris chronology | ||||
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| Allmusic |   |
The Ballad of Sally Rose is an album by Emmylou Harris released in February 1985. It marked a significant departure for Harris (whose previous albums had consisted mostly of others' material), as all the songs were written by her and her then-husband Paul Kennerley. Additionally, it is a concept album, loosely based on Harris's relationship with Gram Parsons. The album tells the story of a character named Sally Rose, a singer whose lover and mentor, a hard-living, hard-drinking musician, is killed while on the road.Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Gail Davies sing harmony on several of the songs. Many of the songs flow into one another to create a continuous momentum.
Prior to this album, only Harris' 1969 debut Gliding Bird had more than two of her own compositions, a feat she would not repeat until Red Dirt Girl in 2000. Harris has described the album as a "country opera".
In a BBC Radio 2 programme recounting her career in 2006, Harris related how the album was a commercial "disaster" upon its release, its relative failure meaning she had to work "for money" again. Two singles from the album performed disappointingly by Harris' standards, although the single "White Line" was a reasonable success, reaching No. 14 on the country charts.
The Ballad of Sally Rose was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
All tracks composed by Emmylou Harris and Paul Kennerley; except where indicated
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