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Trio II

Trio II is the second collaborative studio album by Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. It was released on February 9, 1999, by Asylum Records.[1]

Trio II

February 9, 1999

1994

The Site (Marin County)

41:13

Background[edit]

A dozen years after the release of their Platinum, Grammy-winning Trio album, the country music supergroup returned with another in the same vein. The songs were recorded in 1994 by Parton, Harris and Ronstadt, but label disputes and conflicting schedules prevented their release at the time. Eventually, Ronstadt remixed five of the album's ten tracks (sans Parton's vocals) to include on her 1995 album, Feels Like Home; "Lover's Return", "High Sierra", "After the Gold Rush", "The Blue Train", and "Feels Like Home".


In 1998, after Parton and Harris had parted ways with their respective labels, they decided to release the album as originally recorded. Childhood photos of Parton, Harris and Ronstadt were used for the album's cover when a photo shoot proved impossible due to their busy schedules.

Release and promotion[edit]

The album was released on February 9, 1999, and though scheduling conflicts would not allow for an extended concert tour, Parton, Harris and Ronstadt did a short promotional tour to support the album. The trio made appearances on CBS This Morning, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Rosie O'Donnell Show.[2]


Initially, there were no plans to release a single to country radio. "High Sierra" was issued to adult contemporary stations in January 1999 prior to the album's release and was also sent to country stations by mistake[3][4] where it received some airplay. In April 1999, following strong sales of the album, three singles were released to country radio simultaneously; "After the Gold Rush", "Feels Like Home" and "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind".[5][6] A music video was filmed for "After the Gold Rush" at a synagogue in New York City on March 25 and premiered April 13 on Great American Country.[6]

Commercial performance[edit]

The album peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums chart and No. 62 on the U.S. Billboard 200. The album also peaked at No. 4 in Canada on the RPM Country Albums chart.


The album's first single, "High Sierra", was sent to adult contemporary stations in January 1999 and peaked at No. 90 on the RPM Country 100 chart. Following the album's strong sales, three singles were issued simultaneously to country stations in April 1999; "After the Gold Rush", "Feels Like Home" and "Do I Ever Cross Your Mind"; none of which received enough airplay to chart.