The Ballad of Sally Rose

Infobox Album |
Name = The Ballad of Sally Rose
Type = Album
Artist = Emmylou Harris


Released = 1985
Recorded =
Genre = country
Length = ?:?
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Producer = Paul Kennerley
Reviews = Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:006jtr39kl4x]
Last album = "White Shoes" (1983)
This album = "The Ballad of Sally Rose" (1985)
Next album = "Thirteen" (1986)

"The Ballad of Sally Rose" was an album by Emmylou Harris, originally released in 1985. It marked a significant departure for Harris, as all the songs were written by herself and husband Paul Kennerley. Additionally, it is a concept album, loosely based on Harris's relationship with the late 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 tragically killed while on the road. Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Gail Davies provided harmony on several of the songs. Many of the songs flowed into one another to create a continuous momentum.

Prior to this album, only her 1970 debut "Gliding Bird" had more than two of her own compositions; a feat she would not repeat until "Red Dirt Girl" in 2000. Harris herself has described the album as a "country opera"; in a BBC Radio 2 programme recounting her career in 2006, she 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's standards, although the single "White Line" was a reasonable success, reaching # 14 on the country charts.

Track listing

# "The Ballad of Sally Rose" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 2:48
# "Rhythm Guitar " (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 3:18
# "I Think I Love Him/Instrumental: You Are My Flower" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley/A.P. Carter) – 1:07
# "Heart to Heart" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 2:31
# "Woman Walk the Line" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 4:08
# "Bad News" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 1:46
# "Timberline" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 2:51
# "Long Tall Sally Rose" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 1:32
# "White Line" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 3:46
# "Diamond in My Crown" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 2:55
# "The Sweetheart of the Rodeo" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 3:41
# "K-S-O-S/Instrumental Medley: Ring of Fire/Wildwood Flower/Six Days on the Road" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley/June Carter/Merle Kilgore/A.P. Carter/Earl Greene/Carl Montgomery) – 2:50
# "Sweet Chariot" (Emmylou Harris/Paul Kennerley) – 2:58

Personnel

*Emmylou Harris - vocals
*Russ Kunkel - drums
*Larrie Londin - drums, percussion
*Emory Gordy, Jr. - bass, acoustic guitar
*Shane Keister - keyboards
*John Jarvis - keyboards
*Albert Lee - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin
*Hank DeVito - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, petal steel, dobro
*Barry Tashian - acoustic guitar
*Bobby Thompson - acoustic guitar, banjo
*Paul Kennerley - acoustic guitar, electric guitar
*Ray Flacke - electric guitar
*Vince Gill - electric guitar, background vocals
*Waylon Jennings - electric guitar
*Philip Donelly - electric slide guitar
*Buddy Spicher - fiddle
*Steve Cash - harmonica
*Gary Scruggs - harmonica
*Bessyl Duhon - accordion
*Tom Roady - percussion
*Dolly Parton - background vocals
*Linda Ronstadt - background vocals
*Gail Davies - background vocals
*Barbara Cowart - background vocals