Most of Dolly Parton's RCA catalog of hits has long been available and in a mind boggling variety of combinations. A lot of these collections are of the nine and ten track assortment that RCA was notorious for thrusting upon the public. Before the Essential series came along, the best Parton retrospective was 1993's two-disc, thirty track The RCA Years (1967-86). The RCA Years skimped on Parton's second decade with RCA and that may be why they choose to put out her later hits as the first Essential Parton volume. The Essential Dolly Parton, Volume 2 captures all of the early hits that deservedly made Parton a country MUSIC legend such as "Jolene," "Coat Of Many Colors" and "I Will Always Love You." Some of them, like her first number one, the rousing "Joshua" and the reflective "We Used To" had been left off previous Parton CD sets (until now). With a pair of moving gospel performances, "The Seeker" and "Wings Of A Dove," to end the disc, country fans finally have a truly special Parton set.

The Essential Series celebrates an artist's biggest hits. Since Dolly has so many hits, this is Volume II. While Volume I was like any other Dolly greatest hits collection, filled with the pop gems and crossover hits, this one concentrates on her country roots and country hits from her lenghtly career. Everything from The Bargain Store to Light of a Clear Blue Morning, Touch Your Woman to Me & Little Andy, Coat of Many Colors to My Tennessee Mountain Home, Joshua to Heartbreaker, and so much more, many of her hits are covered here. This is probably one of her more complete collections, so if you are tired of the collections that only feature her pop hits, this is your cd. Might I reccomend Legendary, a 3 cd set that has 50 of her biggest hits, probably the closest we will get to a complete Dolly collection for now.

For most of my youth, I was a closet Dolly fan. My brother and I once put this very album under my mom's back tire so we wouldn't have to listen to it...ever. Since then, I have come out and admitted it: I LOVE DOLLY PARTON. This is a great CD because it has all of her big hits on it, together with Vol. 1 you have the complete Parton starter kit. Sure, she's the biggest hick ever, sure, her breasts are amazingly disporportionate to the rest of her body, and yes, she does have a company that makes wigs, but that is all part of charm. This CD is totally Dolly.FABULOUS.

Dolly Parton's lyrical ways are a gift to the Nation and the World. She is an amazingly gifted songwriter and entertainer. This beautiful collection of work has a little rebellious streak running throughout. I listen to it often.

If you still wonder why all the fuss about Dolly Parton during the seventies, you really have to listen to THE ESSENTIAL DOLLY PARTON, VOLUME II. From " Just Because I'm a Woman " recorded in december 1967 to " I Really Got The Feeling " recorded in March 1978, the CD offers 20 songs that are, for most of them, already considered as country music standards.

Unlike the majority of her fellow female country singers, Dolly Parton is a full-time author/composer and this compilation does justice to her skills as a songwriter by presenting 15 of Dolly's own compositions. If you are not particularly fond of country music, just listen to " The Light of a Clear Blue Morning " a song that begins like a gospel and ends up with a furious rock'n roll rhythm. Lend a careful ear to " Jolene " and " I Will Always Love You ", two of the most known songs of Dolly Parton which are now classics.

Dolly Parton has a 35 years career behind her now and she must be proud of the legacy she leaves to music fans, she deserves to stay as an important figure of the History of american Popular Music.

A CD for your library.