Live and Well

• Artist: Dolly Parton
• Rating:
• Release Date: September 14, 2004
• Type: Live
• Genre: Country

Review

Released simultaneously on CD and DVD (both feature the same program), Dolly Parton's 2002 tour, her first in a decade, is captured for posterity for the majority of her fans who couldn't make it to one of the only 13 shows she did. Riding high from a well-received trilogy of late-'90s/early-'00 albums that found the singer/songwriter reinvigorated both artistically and commercially by a return to her hillbilly origins, the show is an especially exuberant performance. Backed by a predominantly acoustic group only identified as Gary Davis and the Blueniques (individual members are anonymous), Parton runs through two hours of faithfully reproduced but agreeably stripped down, bluegrassy versions of hits such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors" and "9 to 5" with a healthy dose of more recent rootsy fare. Dolly is in fine fettle throughout, chatting with the rapturous audience, making jokes and generally hamming it up with her good-natured but obviously rehearsed between-song patter. While some of this is fine and captures the joyous mood, more judicious pruning would make this a better listening experience, especially after the first time around when the jokes and asides are no longer fresh. Having to endure hearing the audience stumble through a "9 to 5" singalong is no fun and should have been cut from the running time. Ditto for a quick run-through of songs that didn't make it, which was probably amusing at the time but not something you'd want to relive. A sprightly a cappella medley of once-slick hits, a terrific version of Collective Soul's "Shine," and an ebullient set closing cover of Zepp's "Stairway to Heaven" -- all of which tap into Parton's spiritual and gospel roots -- best show her and the band's talents. Although this effectively documents the gig and the star's irrepressible personality, better editing could have reduced the album to a stunning single disc instead of a bloated and occasionally inconsistent double. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide

Tracks

CD 1

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Orange Blossom Special	Ervin T. Rouse	Dolly Parton	(1:42)
Train, Train	Shorty Medlocke	Dolly Parton	(2:34)
The Grass Is Blue	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(2:32)
Mountain Angel	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(8:23)
Shine	Ed Roland	Dolly Parton	(5:17)
Little Sparrow	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(4:43)
Rocky Top	Felice Bryant, Boudleaux Bryant	Dolly Parton	(2:55)
My Tennessee Mountain Home	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(3:25)
Coat of Many Colors	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(5:18)
Smokey Mountain Memories	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(5:36)
Applejack	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(4:33)
Marry Me	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(3:23)

CD 2

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Halos and Horns	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(5:06)
I'm Gone	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(4:17)
Dagger Through the Heart	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(3:56)
If	David Gates	Dolly Parton	(4:08)
After the Gold Rush	Neil Young	Dolly Parton	(3:38)
9 to 5	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(3:21)
Jolene	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(3:49)
A Cappella Medley: Islands in the Stream/Here You Come Again/Why'd ...	Dolly Parton, Robin Gibb, Barry Mann, Barry Gibb, Bob Carlisle, Maurice Gibb, Cynthia Weil, Randy Thomas	Dolly Parton	(6:08)
We Irish	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(4:45)
Stairway to Heaven	Jimmy Page, Robert Plant	Dolly Parton	(7:37)
I Will Always Love You	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	(5:32)

Credits

Dolly Parton (Producer), Danny Joe Brown Band (Mixing), Dennis Carney (Photography), Sue Meyer (Design), Seva (Mastering), Blueniques (Producer), Gary Davis (Producer)