Burlap & Satin

Dolly Parton released Burlap & Satin on May 2, 1983, as her twenty-fifth solo studio album through RCA Victor. The project marked a deliberate pivot away from the pop-oriented productions of the late 1970s and early 1980s toward a traditional country sound featuring rootsy instrumentation. Parton co-produced the record with Porter Wagoner, continuing their long-standing creative partnership while writing six of the ten songs herself.

The track list blends original compositions with covers and recovered recordings. Linda Ronstadt provides backing vocals on "Ooo-eee," a cover of Nicolette Larson's song that opens the album. Willie Nelson joins Parton for a duet version of Eddy Arnold's "I Really Don't Want to Know." Two tracks originally recorded for the film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas but excluded from its soundtrack, "A Gamble Either Way" and "A Cowboy's Ways," found a permanent home here after years in storage.

Commercially, the lead single "Potential New Boyfriend" reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. This track holds historical significance as Parton's first official music video. While the album did not achieve platinum certification, it maintained her standing in the genre during the early 1980s. A 2007 reissue by BMG Germany paired this release with her 1985 album Real Love, reintroducing the collection to European audiences. [edit]