Studio Album · No. 29
The Grass Is Blue Songwriting Credits by Dolly Parton
Holds writing credit on 4 of 13 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 4 / 13 documented
Scored across the 13 tracks with documented writers, by whether Dolly Parton carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 13 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Awards & Recognition 2
Parton built her first all-acoustic bluegrass record around an unusual split of material, pairing covers drawn from across genres with her own writing. She reframes Billy Joel's "Travelin' Prayer," the Louvin Brothers' "Cash on the Barrelhead," Johnny Cash's "I Still Miss Someone," and Blackfoot's southern-rock "Train, Train" as high-lonesome bluegrass, while contributing four originals including the title track, "Steady as the Rain," "Endless Stream of Tears," and "Will He Be Waiting for Me." Backed by players such as Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, and Stuart Duncan, the album won the Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album and is widely credited, alongside Krauss and the O Brother soundtrack, with the bluegrass revival of the early 2000s.
Released October 26, 1999, on Sugar Hill Records and Blue Eye Records, The Grass Is Blue was Parton's first full bluegrass record, produced by Steve Buckingham and recorded in August 1999 at The Sound Kitchen and The Doghouse in Nashville after Decca Records closed its Nashville office. The album featured an all-star roster of bluegrass instrumentalists (including Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, Stuart Duncan on fiddle, Alison Krauss, and Rhonda Vincent as harmony vocalists), giving the project deep genre authenticity. Parton drew on material she had been singing throughout her life for the track selection, blending originals with traditional folk and bluegrass standards, a Billy Joel cover, Joan Baez's interpretation of 'Silver Dagger,' and a Blackfoot song. Critically the album was a triumph: AllMusic awarded 4.5 of 5 stars calling it one of the important bluegrass releases of 1999, and the record won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Commercially it peaked at number 24 on Billboard's Top Country Albums, selling approximately 195,000 copies in the US by December 2003.
Track Listing & Credits 13 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Travelin’ Prayer
|
Billy Joel | Billy Joel | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
Cash on the Barrelhead
|
Ira LouvinCharlie Louvin | Ira LouvinCharlie Louvin | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
A Few Old Memories
|
Hazel Dickens | Hazel Dickens | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
I’m Gonna Sleep with One Eye Open
|
Lester Flatt | Lester Flatt | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Steady as the Rain
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 6 |
I Still Miss Someone
|
Roy Cash Jr.Johnny Cash | Roy Cash Jr.Johnny Cash | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Endless Stream of Tears
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Silver Dagger
|
Traditional | Traditional | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Train, Train
|
Shorty Medlocke | Shorty Medlocke | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
I Wonder Where You Are Tonight
|
Johnny Bond | Johnny Bond | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 11 |
Will He Be Waiting for Me
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
The Grass Is Blue
|
Dolly Rebecca Parton | Dolly Rebecca Parton | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
I Am Ready
|
Rachel Parton Dennison | Rachel Parton Dennison | Steve Buckingham | Dolly Parton (Lead Vocals) |