Maps of Music

D-I-V-O-R-C-E (1968)

Where the lyrics of D-I-V-O-R-C-E take you, and where it was really made.

Tammy Wynette's fourth studio album took its name from a song she had not written, and the album itself went on to top the American country LP chart.

Key places

Recorded at Columbia Studio B, Nashville (1968)

Recording site Nashville — The album was recorded at Columbia Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee, with sessions in March 1968. The pin sits at city-center level, not at the building itself. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• D-I-V-O-R-C-E is a studio album by American country artist Tammy Wynette
• Fourth studio album of her career
• Released in July 1968 on Epic Records
• Contains 11 tracks
• The title track was the album's only single
• Five new recordings, including the title track; the remaining songs are covers of pop and country singles
• The album is named after its title track

Background

• Wynette signed with Epic Records in 1966, and her success grew over the next several years
• By 1968 she was having a series of number one country singles, including "My Elusive Dreams", "I Don't Wanna Play House" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E"
• The title track was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman
• Producer Billy Sherrill brought the song to Wynette's attention

Recording

• The project was recorded at Columbia Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee
• Sessions took place between March 22 and March 25, 1968, all produced by Billy Sherrill
• New songs include "All Night Long", "Come on Home", "When There's a Fire in Your Heart" and an answer song to Bobby Goldsboro's "Honey"
• Covers include The Beatles' "Yesterday", Ronnie Dove's "Kiss Away", Patsy Cline's "Sweet Dreams", Glen Campbell's "Gentle on My Mind" and Andy Williams's "Lonely Street"
• The vinyl LP had six songs on side A and five songs on side B

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born Virginia Wynette Pugh on May 5, 1942, in Itawamba County, Mississippi.
• Raised by her mother, stepfather and maternal grandparents; picked cotton on the family farm as a child.
• Married Euple Byrd at age 17; divorced in 1965.

Formation

• Moved to Nashville in 1966 and signed with Epic Records, produced by Billy Sherrill.
• Debut single "Apartment No. 9" (1966) reached number 44 on the US country chart.

Career

• Twenty singles topped the US country chart, including "Stand by Your Man" and "D-I-V-O-R-C-E".
• Joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1969 and won two Grammy Awards.
• Recorded numerous duets with George Jones before their divorce in 1975.
• Returned as a solo headliner and continued charting into the 1980s.
• Collaborated with KLF on "Justified and Ancient" (1991) and with Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton on Honky Tonk Angels (1993).
• Died April 6, 1998, in Nashville at age 55.

Legacy

• Estimated 30 million records sold worldwide; inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Billboard magazine gave the album a positive review in 1968
• The review praised Wynette's vocal delivery, saying she sings with feeling and power like no other
• The review expected the LP to be in demand among her many fans

Reappraisal

• Years later, Greg Adams of AllMusic gave the album a 4.5 star rating
• Adams said the vocal performances are excellent even on the more disposable material
• He wrote that although nothing here approaches the level of the title track, the album is ultimately rewarding for listeners whose interest in Wynette goes beyond her greatest hits

Records

• Three months after release, the album reached number one on the Billboard Country LP chart
• It was Wynette's first album to top that chart
• The title track was issued as a single in April 1968
• Two months later the single topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, her fourth country number one single
• The single reached number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100
• The single topped Canada's RPM Country chart
• Eleven tracks and a 1968 release on Epic Records were the basis of the later 1998 CD reissue by eOne and Koch Records
• The album was later released digitally

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Wynette said she hated herself for not writing the title song, because it fit her life completely.
• Billy Sherrill brought the title song to Wynette, and it was written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman.
• The 1998 CD reissue credits Barry Feldman as executive producer and Dave Nives for the reissue inspiration.
• Don Richardson, Sr. wrote the liner notes, and Michael Mendel handled the original design.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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