AMG Review of Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2

Stephen Thomas Erlewine
All Music Guide

The Essential Dolly Parton, Vol. 2 doesn't cover the late-'60s and early-'70s pure country hits that were also ignored by its predecessor, choosing to concentrate on her '70s crossover hits. Although that still leaves a large portion of her best work unanthologized, Vol. 2 is still a very good compilation. It's true that including the original version of "I Will Always Love You" -- which was presented in a re-recorded take from 1982 on Vol. 1 -- is a bit redundant, but the remainder of the disc is filled with hits, from her faithful cover of Jimmie Rodgers' "Mule Skinner Blues" to the soft-rock of "Here You Come Again." Such diversity doesn't make for a coherent collection, but it does illustrate exactly why Dolly had such a large fan base.