To All the Girls...

To All the Girls... is the sixty-second studio album by country music singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, which was released on October 15, 2013, by Legacy Recordings. The tracks consist of duets recorded by Nelson with female singers, mostly from the country music genre. The album is named after the song "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", which had been a hit for Nelson and Julio Iglesias when they recorded it in 1985.

To All the Girls...
Studio album by Willie Nelson
Released	October 15, 2013
Genre	Country
Length	1:05:55
Label	Legacy Recordings
Producer	Buddy Cannon
Willie Nelson chronology
Let's Face the Music and Dance (2013) To All the Girls... (2013) Band of Brothers (2014)
Singles from For All the Girls...
"From Here to the Moon and Back" Released: August 6, 2013 "Grandma's Hands" Released: August 6, 2013 "It Won't Be Long" Released: September 24, 2013 "Somewhere Between" Released: October 1, 2013 "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" Released: July 24, 2019

The week of its release, the album entered Billboard's Top Country Albums chart at number two, marking Nelson's highest position on the chart since 1989. It also entered at number nine on the Billboard 200.

Recording

The album consists of a collection of duets featuring Nelson along with a variety of female singers, including prominent country singers (Dolly Parton, Miranda Lambert, Loretta Lynn, Carrie Underwood, Rosanne Cash, Wynonna Judd), Americana and alternative country singers (The Secret Sisters, Brandi Carlile, Alison Krauss, Shelby Lynne, Emmylou Harris), prominent singers mostly associated with other genres (Sheryl Crow, Mavis Staples, Norah Jones) singers mostly known for being the daughters of country artists (Melonie Cannon, daughter of Buddy Cannon; Tina Rose, daughter of Leon Russell; and Nelson's own daughter Paula Nelson), and Nelson protégée Lily Meola.[1]

Release and reception

The album was released on October 15, 2013 on Legacy Recordings.[1]

The first single "From Here to the Moon and Back", a duet with Dolly Parton that she wrote for the 2012 movie Joyful Noise, was released on August 2, 2013.[2] (The song also appeared on Parton's concurrent album Blue Smoke.) It was followed by the release of the single "Grandma's Hands", with Mavis Staples, on August 6.[3] "It Won't Be Long", featuring the Secret Sisters was released on September 24;[4] while "Somewhere Between" with Loretta Lynn was released on October 1.[5]

Upon its full release, on October 15, 2013;[6] the album entered Billboard's Top Country Albums at number two. It marked Nelson's highest position on the chart since the release of his 1989 album A Horse Called Music, and it extended his record to a total of forty-six top ten albums on the country charts. Nelson scored as well his second top ten album on the Billboard 200, with the release entering at number nine.[7]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(72/100)
Review scores
Source	Rating
Seattle Post-Intelligencer	Favorable
The Telegraph
Allmusic
Rolling Stone
Record Collector
Associated Press	Mixed.
Roughstock

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer called the release "a wonderful album" composed by "great material", performed with "style and grace".[8] The Telegraph rated it with four stars out of five, qualifying the diversity of music genres contained on the recordings as "impressive". The review described Nelson's guitar playing "sweet and distinctive as ever", and remarked that his voice was "holding up well".[9] Allmusic delivered a favorable review, rating the album with three-and-a-half stars out of five. The website defined the tracks as "assured, easy, impeccably tasteful work from (Nelson) and his partners", but stated that the seventy-minute length "make(s) the album feel a little samey".[10]

Rolling Stone offered a mixed review, rating the album with three stars out of five. The review noted that "several of the pairings [...] lament unions that couldn't work", while it remarked that Nelson "holds his unmistakable own throughout".[11] Record Collector rated the release with four stars, calling it a "fine addition" to Nelson's collection of duets.[12] Associated Press felt that the duets were "custom-made for the download age", alleging that Nelson's usual audience would not "connect with all 16 songs", calling the set "too eclectic and too inconsistent". It also remarked that "plenty of gold nuggets shine through for those willing to pick through the miscues and throwaways".[13] Roughstock rated it with four stars and called the album "a delight" with "18 tracks of fantastic duets".[14] The review aggregator website Metacritic gave the album a Metascore of 72/100, based on six reviews.[15]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Duet partner	Length
1.	"From Here to the Moon and Back"	Dolly Parton	Dolly Parton	4:01
2.	"She Was No Good for Me"	Waylon Jennings	Miranda Lambert	3:47
3.	"It Won't Be Very Long"	Willie Nelson; Buddy Cannon	The Secret Sisters	2:36
4.	"Please Don’t Tell Me How the Story Ends"	Kris Kristofferson	Rosanne Cash	4:18
5.	"Far Away Places"	Joan Whitney; Alex Kramer	Sheryl Crow	4:56
6.	"Bloody Mary Morning"	Willie Nelson	Wynonna Judd	3:05
7.	"Always on My Mind"	Wayne Carson; Johnny Christopher; Mark James	Carrie Underwood	3:55
8.	"Somewhere Between"	Merle Haggard	Loretta Lynn	3:13
9.	"No Mas Amor"	Keith Gattis; Sammy Barrett	Alison Krauss	4:12
10.	"Back To Earth"	Willie Nelson	Melonie Cannon	3:30
11.	"Grandma's Hands"	Bill Withers	Mavis Staples	3:10
12.	"Walkin'"	Willie Nelson	Norah Jones	3:39
13.	"'Til The End of the World"	Vaughn Horton	Shelby Lynne	2:01
14.	"Will You Remember Mine"	Willie Nelson	Lily Meola	4:34
15.	"Dry Lightning"	Bruce Springsteen	Emmylou Harris	4:21
16.	"Making Believe"	Jimmy Work	Brandi Carlile	3:16
17.	"Have You Ever Seen the Rain"	John Fogerty	Paula Nelson	4:38
18.	"After the Fire Is Gone"	L. E. White	Tina Rose	2:43
Total length:				1:05:55

Personnel

Wayne Benson – mandolin Jim "Moose" Brown – Hammond B-3 organ, percussion, piano, Wurlitzer Buddy Cannon – acoustic guitar, background vocals Melonie Cannon – duet vocals on "Back To Earth" Brandi Carlile – duet vocals on "Making Believe" Rosanne Cash – duet vocals on "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" Chad Cromwell – drums Dennis Crouch – upright bass Sheryl Crow – duet vocals on "Far Away Places" Fred Eltringham – drums Keith Gattis – electric guitar, gut string guitar Steve Gibson – electric guitar Kevin "Swine" Grantt – upright bass

Emmylou Harris – duet vocals on "Dry Lightning" Steve Herrmann – trumpet John Hobbs – Hammond B-3 organ, piano, string arrangements Mike Johnson – steel guitar Norah Jones – piano and duet vocals on "Walkin'" Wynonna Judd – duet vocals on "Bloody Mary Morning" Alison Krauss – duet vocals on "No Mas Amor" Miranda Lambert – duet vocals on "She Was No Good for Me" Loretta Lynn – duet vocals on "Somewhere Between" Shelby Lynne – duet vocals on "'Til the End of the World" Lily Meola – duet vocals on "Will You Remember Mine" The Nashville String Machine – strings Lukas Nelson – background vocals Paula Nelson – duet vocals on "Have You Ever Seen the Rain"

Willie Nelson – acoustic guitar, lead vocals Dolly Parton – duet vocals on "From Here to the Moon and Back" Mickey Raphael – bass harmonica, echo harp, harmonica Lyndel Rhodes – harmonica Laura Rogers – vocals on "It Won't Be Very Long" Lydia Rogers – vocals on "It Won't Be Very Long" Tina Rose – duet vocals on "After the Fire Is Gone" John Wesley Ryles – background vocals Mavis Staples – duet vocals on "Grandma's Hands" Bobby Terry – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, gut string guitar Dan Tyminski – acoustic guitar, mandolin, background vocals Carrie Underwood – duet vocals on "Always on My Mind" Tommy White – steel guitar Kris Wilkinson – string contractor Lonnie Wilson – drums Bobby Wood – synthesizer

Chart performance

The week of its release, the album entered Billboard's Top Country Albums chart at number two, marking Nelson's highest position on the chart since 1989, as well as his second top ten album on the Billboard 200, entering at number nine. It is Nelson's 46th top ten debut, the most of any country singers on that chart. It sold 43,000 in its first week.[16] As of January 2014, the album has sold 114,000 copies in the US.[17]

In the UK, the album debuted at No. 72 on the album chart, selling 1,452 copies for the week.[18]

Chart (2013)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19]	21
UK Albums (OCC)[20]	72
US Billboard 200[21]	9
US Top Country Albums (Billboard)[22]	2

References

1. Vinson, Christina (July 26, 2013). "Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn + More Duet With Willie Nelson on Upcoming 'To All the Girls' Album". Taste of Country. Townsquare Media, LLC. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
2. Blistein, Jon (August 2, 2013). "Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton Shoot for 'The Moon' – Song Premiere". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media, LLC. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
3. Eakin, Marah (August 6, 2013). "Listen to Willie Nelson and Mavis Staples duet on "Grandma's Hands"". The A.V. Club. Onion Inc. Retrieved August 8, 2013.
4. Martins, Chris (September 24, 2013). "Willie Nelson and the Secret Sisters Approach Transcendence on 'It Won't Be Long'". Spin. SpinMedia, Inc. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
5. Parton, Chris (October 1, 2013). "CMT Exclusive Song Premiere: Willie Nelson and Loretta Lynn's "Somewhere Between"". CMT.com. Country Music Television, Inc. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
6. Shelburne, Craig (September 6, 2013). "Willie Nelson's Duets Album Arriving Oct. 15". Country Music Television. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
7. Jessen, Wade (October 24, 2013). "Willie Nelson Extends Record For Most Top 10 Country Albums". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
8. Marcus, Richard (September 23, 2013). "Music Review: Willie Nelson - 'To All the Girls'". The Telegraph. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
9. Chilton, Martin (October 7, 2013). "Willie Nelson, To All The Girls, album review". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
10. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "To All the Girls... - Willie Nelson". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved October 11, 2013.
11. Eddy, Chuck (October 18, 2013). "Willie Nelson, 'To All the Girls" Album Review". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media LLC. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
12. Staunton, Terry. "Honky Tonk Women". Record Collector (420). Diamond Publishing Ltd. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
13. "Music Review: Willie Nelson's new 'To All the Girls ... ' an uneven mix of hits and misses". The Washington Post. Associated Press. October 21, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
14. Bjorke, Matt (October 16, 2013). "Album Review: Willie Nelson - To All The Girls". Roughstock. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
15. "To All the Girls... Review". Metacritic. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved October 29, 2013.
16. Wade Jessen (October 24, 2013). "Willie Nelson Extends Record For Most Top 10 Country Albums". Billboard.
17. Matt Bjorke (January 29, 2014). "Country Album Chart News: The Week of January 29, 2013: Jennifer Nettles Stays #1; Kacey Musgraves, Taylor Swift Return To Top 10". Roughstock. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014.
18. "Country Bites News snippets June 16 - June 22, 2014". Country Routes News Blog. July 1, 2014.
19. "Willie Nelson Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
20. "Willie Nelson | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
21. "Willie Nelson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
22. "Willie Nelson Chart History (Top Country Albums)". Billboard.