0033. Dolly Parton
Coat Of Many Colors

The first pure country album on the list and it's a Dolly one. That trumps up expectations of storytelling mixed with sad and upbeat and humorous songs. And of course Coat Of Many Colors isn't an exception. From the title track's narration of a poor in wealth but wealthy in joy-childhood via the (kind of obvous) twist in the tale-ending of Travelling Man to the pretty horriffic abused wife-tellings of If I Lost My Mind.

Since the genre has some rigid borders and Dolly isn't the kind of revolutionary that breaks stuff the music on Coat Of Many Colors is standard 60-70's country with all that it entails.

Thematically it's a prime example of why country and western's been called the white mans blues. And well, Dolly's always Dolly, with a voice that gives a special shine to most songs.