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.
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]
The album received positive reviews from music critics.
Billboard reviewed the album in the February 6, 1999, issue and said, "Trio II reprises the 1987 joint effort by these three stellar voices. George Massenburg's production is crystal clear and on target. The eternal appeal of such ethereal singing is best epitomized in the Carter Family's "Lover's Return", with its silvery guitar chimes winding around the Trio's sweet harmony singing. Dolly Parton's pop-ish "Do I Ever Cross
Your Mind" is rendered forever country by Emmylou Harris' trilling lead vocal. Neil Young's "After The Gold Rush" takes on a
genuine fairy-tale quality in this shimmering version. Harris' lead vocal gives Donagh Long's "You'll Never Be the Sun" an
anthemic quality, as does Linda Ronstadt's lead on Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home". Album closer is the O'Kanes' lovely
"When We're Gone, Long Gone"."[13]
Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and said that it "comes about 75 percent of the way" and is "very fine nonetheless."[9] The Los Angeles Times gave the album 3.5 out of 4 stars, saying that the "inspired reading of the Neil Young stalwart "After the Gold Rush" brings harmonies of celestial loveliness to Young's elegy to a passing era. Harris' signature vocal purity is a perfect match for Donagh Long's stunningly pretty love song "You'll Never Be the Sun." Ronstadt taps her formidable country-rock heritage in Jennifer Kimball and Tom Kimmel's "Blue Train" and Randy Newman's "Feels Like Home"."[10]
Writing for AllMusic, Becky Byrkit gave the album 3 out of 5 stars, calling the album "a gem along the beautiful lines of cubic zirconium, from the most well-intended and loving of real-deal songbird girlfriends."[7] Patrick Carr of Rolling Stone gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and said that "at its best, this mutual-admiration society works with a vengeance approaching the heavenly."[12]
Commercial performance
The album peaked at No. 4 on the U.S. BillboardTop 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.
^Jessen, Wade (27 February 1999). "Country Corner"(PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. p. 36. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
^Verna, Paul, ed. (February 2, 1999). "Reviews & Previews: Albums"(PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. p. 24. Archived(PDF) from the original on January 21, 2021. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
^"Dolly Parton". GRAMMY.com. March 17, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
