The Golden Streets of Glory
Dolly Parton's gospel album nominated for a Grammy.
Dolly Parton’s sixth solo studio album, The Golden Streets of Glory, arrived on February 15, 1971, via RCA Victor. Bob Ferguson produced the record, which reached number 22 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Sacred Performance. Parton’s maternal grandfather, Rev. Jake Owens, wrote the liner notes.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Dolly Parton
- Released
- February 15, 1971
- Recorded
- May 11–13, 1970
- Studio
- RCA Studio B (Nashville)
- Genre
- Gospel, country
- Length
- 24:49
- Label
- RCA Victor
- Producer
- Bob Ferguson
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
Side one
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Believe | Ervin Drake, Jimmy Shirl, Irvin Graham, Al Stillman | 2:17 |
| 2 | Yes, I See God | Dorothy Jo Hope | 2:15 |
| 3 | The Master's Hand | Dolly Parton | 2:41 |
| 4 | Heaven's Just a Prayer Away | Tommy Tomlinson | 2:45 |
| 5 | The Golden Streets of Glory | Parton | 2:54 |
Side two
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | How Great Thou Art | Stuart K. Hine | 3:34 |
| 2 | I'll Keep Climbing | Dorothy Jo Hope | 2:41 |
| 3 | Book of Life | Jake Robert Owens | 1:44 |
| 4 | Wings of a Dove | Bob Ferguson | 2:35 |
| 5 | Lord, Hold My Hand | Parton, Ginny Dean | 2:03 |
Track listing from the source article.
Critical reception
A review in the February 27, 1971 issue of Billboard stated that sacred music is essential to country music and that Parton demonstrates her knowledge of the material, with vocals full of sincerity on standards such as "How Great Thou Art", "Wings of a Dove", and "I Believe". Cashbox, in its February 13 issue, noted the similarity between country and gospel music and said the album closes that gap. The review predicted the LP would immortalize Parton and become an all-time best seller, citing selections including "I Believe", "Yes, I See God", "Heaven's Just a Prayer Away", "Book of Life", "Lord, Hold My Hand", and "Wings of a Dove".
Reissues
The album was first reissued on CD in 1993 as Golden Streets of Glory with a rearranged track listing, and again in 1997 under the title I Believe using the 1993 order. A 2010 reissue titled Letter to Heaven: Songs of Faith and Inspiration added seven bonus tracks, including the 1971 single "Comin' for to Carry Me Home" and the previously unreleased "Would You Know Him (If You Saw Him)" from the original sessions. The album became available as a digital download on August 19, 2016.
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