Back in 1974 Olivia was topping the charts and winning all sorts of awards for her music. Winning Top Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association was just about the top accolade from the Nashville music scene, but it landed her in hot water with some of the old guard in the CMA membership. They were incensed - among the objections they cited were that Olivia wasn't born and bred in Nashville. Of course that fact that they might have missed out on an award had nothing to do with it ;-) They claimed that they lacked adequate representation in the CMA and said artists who were "non country" had been winning the CMA awards; Olivia was one of the artists they were referring to. The group of disaffected stars, which included George Jones, Minnie Pearl and Hank Snow, even went on to form a separate organization called the Association of Country Entertainers but this was short-lived. History has shown that Olivia's crossover chart success opened whole new markets to the appeal of country music.
Not everybody was grouchy about Olivia's triumph, and she was supported by many CMA members, including Stella Parton, Dolly Parton's sister who made this record as a tribute to Olivia. The lyrics have amusing references to some of Olivia's songs.
By Stella Parton, CS-333, Country Soul Records inc. 3 minutes and 20 seconds. This US promo single is now deleted.
A short piece in Billboard about this
The song is also featured on Stella Parton's LP I Want To Hold You in My Dreams Tonight, 1975 Soul, Country and Blues label, distributed by IRDA, Nashville ref: LPN-6006 Stereo.
Ode To Olivia
By Stella Parton
We ain't got the right to say
to say you're not country
You've just a country girl
It's so plain to see
If you're not a country girl
Neither are we
They don't treat us this way
When we sing in your country
Who said a country girl
Had to be from Tennessee
We ain't got the right
To say you're not country
Let Me Be There is really what they're wishin'
They've Never Been Mellow
That must be why they're kickin'
But we've all bought your records
And we're a hummin' your last tune
So we ain't got the right
To say you're not country
Instrumental
Nudie makes rhinestone suits
I guess he's made a million
But nobody can copy you
There's just one Olivia
But you've built the bridge
and crossed over into country
And we ain't got the right
To say you're not country
Let Me Be There is really what they're wishin'
They've Never Been Mellow
That must be why they're kickin'
But we've all bought your records, honey
And we're a hummin' your last tune
So we ain't got the right
To say you're not country
We ain't got the right
To say you're not country
We Honestly Love You
We ain't got the right to say
to say you're not country
You've just a country girl
It's so plain to see
We Honestly Love You
* A little snippet of history for the curious, Nudie Cohen (or Cohn) born in Kiev, Ukraine 1902, died 1981 ran a famous rodeo and western- wear tailor's shop in North Hollywood. Amongst many stars of country and rock and roll for whom he made clothes was Elvis Presley, for whom he made a $2500 gold lamé suit