The Ballad of Sally Rose

The Ballad of Sally Rose
Studio album by Emmylou Harris
Released	February 25, 1985
Recorded	1984
Studio	Treasure Isle Recorders, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre	Country
Length	36:12
Label	Warner Bros. Nashville
Producer	Paul Kennerley
Emmylou Harris chronology
White Shoes (1983) The Ballad of Sally Rose (1985) Thirteen (1986)
Singles from The Ballad of Sally Rose
"White Line" Released: February 1985 "Rhythm Guitar"" Released: June 1985 "Timberline"" Released: October 1985

The Ballad of Sally Rose is the eleventh studio album by American singer Emmylou Harris released in February 1985. It marked a significant departure for Harris for two reasons. First, all the songs were written by her and her then-husband Paul Kennerley, while her previous albums had consisted mostly of others' material. Secondly, it is a concept album, loosely based on Harris' relationship with Gram Parsons. The album tells the story of a character named Sally Rose, a singer whose lover and mentor, a hard-living, hard-drinking musician, is killed while on the road.^[1] Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Gail Davies sing harmony on several of the songs. Many of the songs flow into one another to create a continuous momentum.

Prior to this album, only Harris' 1969 debut Gliding Bird had more than two of her own compositions, a feat she would not repeat until Red Dirt Girl in 2000. Harris has described the album as a "country opera".