| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
United Talent is the sixth collaborative studio album by Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. It was released on June 7, 1976, by MCA Records.[2]
Critical reception
The June 19, 1976 issue of Billboard carried a review which called the album "Another set of solid country songs from this favorite twosome, includes their latest single, "The Letter". Owen Bradley produces with his usual flair and a preference for unadulterated arrangements. Lynn and Twitty always seem to bring out the best in each other — and the cross-fertilization of talent sounds best on numbers such as "Just Lead the Way". It's doubtful if the Bellamy Brothers' hit "Let Your Love Flow" will ever sound more country than it does at the hands of Loretta and Conway. Lynn and Twitty make no concessions here for any pop audience — it's country to the core as typified by Wayne Kemp's "Barroom Habits" and Vic McAlpin's "I'm Gonna Roll You Like a Wheel". The review noted "The Letter", "Just Lead the Way", "Barroom Habits", "I'm Gonna Roll You Like a Wheel", and "We'll Finish Up Falling In Love" as the best cuts on the album, with a note to dealers saying that Twitty and Lynn are "an ever-popular duo with a loyal legion of fans."[3]
Cashbox published a review in the June 26, 1976 issue, which called the album "An excellent vehicle conveying the award-winning sound of two of country music’s greatest." The review also noted "Just Lead the Way" and "We’re Caught Between a Love and a Love Affair" as their favorites.[4]
Commercial performance
The album peaked at No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country LP's chart, the duo's fourth consecutive album to top the chart.
The album's only single, "The Letter", was released in May 1976[5] and peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, the duo's first single to not top the chart. However, in Canada, the single peaked at No. 1 on the RPM Country Singles chart, the duo's fourth chart-topping song in that country.
Recording
Recording sessions for the album took place on April 13–15, 1976, at Bradley's Barn in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. "I'm Gonna Roll You Like a Wheel" was recorded on April 5, 1973, during a session for 1973's Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man.[6]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Letter" |
| April 15, 1976 | 2:53 |
| 2. | "Just Lead the Way" |
| April 13, 1976 | 2:16 |
| 3. | "Let Your Love Flow" | Larry E. Williams | April 15, 1976 | 2:35 |
| 4. | "God Bless America Again" |
| April 15, 1976 | 3:14 |
| 5. | "Run Through the Wringer" |
| April 14, 1976 | 2:29 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recording date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Barroom Habits" | Wayne Kemp | April 13, 1976 | 2:28 |
| 2. | "We're Caught Between a Love and a Love Affair" |
| April 14, 1976 | 2:15 |
| 3. | "I'm Gonna Roll You Like a Wheel" | Vic McAlpin | April 5, 1973 | 2:00 |
| 4. | "We'll Finish Up Falling in Love" |
| April 14, 1976 | 2:02 |
| 5. | "The Only Way Around It (Is Right Through the Middle)" | Bobby L. Harden | April 13, 1976 | 2:30 |
Charts
Album
| Chart (1976) | Peak chart position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Country LP's (Billboard)[7] | 1 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart position | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country [8] |
CAN Country | ||
| "The Letter" | 1976 | 3 | 1 |
References
- ^ United Talent at AllMusic
- ^ "Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn – United Talent". Discogs. 1976.
- ^ "Billboard - June 19, 1976" (PDF). American Radio History. Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Cashbox - June 26, 1978" (PDF). American Radio History. Cashbox. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn And Conway Twitty - The Letter". Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Loretta's Recording Sess". LORETTA LYNN FAN WEBSITE.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Hot Country Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
- ^ "Loretta Lynn Chart History - Hot Country Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 8 July 2018.
