Dame Julie Goes to Nashville: The Story Behind Love Me Tender
In a career marked by unexpected turns, Julie Andrews' decision in 1978 to travel to Nashville and record a country album surely stands as one of her most surprising ventures. Her quintessentially British star image, coupled with her refined, classically trained singing style, would seem as far removed as imaginable from the twangy, down-to-earth aesthetic of American country and western music.
When the resulting album, Love Me Tender, finally reached the market in 1983—after more than four years of delays—astonishment was a common reaction. “Nanny Poppins sings Nashville,” declared one incredulous headline, adding: “Could it be? Yes, it is. Julie Andrews detouring from her squeaky-clean singing career, an English rose among the rhinestone cowgirls of Nashville, Tennessee” (Davis, 1983, p. 15).
Ultimately, Love Me Tender failed to make much of an impression and, outside of diehard fans, it has been largely forgotten. Even Julie herself seems to overlook it—the album doesn’t receive a single mention in her recent memoirs (Andrews, 2019). This neglect is unfortunate, as Love Me Tender represents a fascinating, if anomalous, chapter in Julie Andrews' storied career. It also offers a compelling glimpse into a period of professional challenge and reinvention as she sought to recalibrate her image in a rapidly changing world.
It Was Time: Country’s Rise and Julie’s Retreat
Viewed in historical context, the idea of a Julie Andrews country album may not be as outlandish as it initially appears. The 1970s was a time of profound transformation for country music and Julie Andrews alike. The rise of ‘countrypolitan’—a polished, pop-oriented style of country music—blurred boundaries between traditional country and mainstream genres, bringing Nashville’s sound to a wider audience (Stimeling, 2015). Crossover artists like Dolly Parton, Kenny Rogers, and Willie Nelson achieved mainstream chart success, while pop and rock performers such as The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, and Olivia Newton-John incorporated country influences into their work (Hill, 2015).
Films and TV shows also reflected this crossover. Movies like Nashville (1975), Urban Cowboy (1980), and Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980), along with shows like The Dukes of Hazzard (1979–1985), helped popularise country music and culture among mainstream audiences (Stimeling, 2015). As the Chicago Tribune noted in 1978, country music had “broken out of the hayseed demographics that used to separate [it] from the urban world and ascended to giddier climes and sales figures” (Hurst, 1978, p. 24). This shift made country music an increasingly cosmopolitan space—one where even an ‘English rose’ like Julie Andrews could plausibly find a foothold.
Meanwhile, the 1970s marked a period of equal change and upheaval for Julie. Professionally, it was not a particularly successful decade. It began with the commercial failure of Darling Lili (1970), followed by the cancellation of two highly anticipated big screen musicals, Say It with Music and She Loves Me. Turning to television, she launched The Julie Andrews Hour in 1972. Though critically acclaimed and the recipient of several major awards, the variety series struggled in the ratings and was cancelled after just one season (Andrews, 2019).
The consensus seemed to be that Julie’s wholesome image and traditional musical style had become culturally passé. “In this the age of ‘hip’ lyrics and braless singers, Miss Andrews' apple-pie songs and antiseptic appearance seem oddly out of step with the times,” observed one commentator (Ferguson, 1972, p. 26). Julie herself reluctantly agreed: “I think I’m a little dated,” she admitted in a 1970 interview. “I’m clearly not where Easy Rider is at, and I think it would be very difficult for me to arrive there” (Siskel, 1970, p. E5).
What followed was a period of professional ‘lean years,’ punctuated by the occasional TV special and a minor film, The Tamarind Seed (1974). By the mid-1970s, Julie had largely faded from the public radar. One journalist facetiously asked, “Whatever happened to Julie Andrews?” (Goodman, 1976, p. 11-A), while another remarked, “Not since Luise Rainer…has any motion picture star risen so fast or fallen so far as Julie Andrews” (Higham, 1977, p. C-1).
For her part, Julie appeared content to step away from the limelight and focus on her family. She and her husband, Blake Edwards, had recently adopted two children and were working to blend their new family. Relocating to Switzerland, Julie embraced her private role as wife and mother (Andrews, 2019).
“I travel as Mrs. Edwards these days,” she remarked in 1975. “My career? I’m afraid that’s up in the air at the moment and will remain so till Blake makes his plans… If it suits his schedule for me to work, then I might do a little something” (Scott, 1975, p. D-12). By 1978, she extolled the virtues of semi-retirement: “I’m only devoting about 20 percent of my time to my career and 80 percent to my family” (Scott, 1978, p. 8C).
The few projects Julie took on during this period were, unsurprisingly, closely tied to Blake. He produced and directed nearly all her film and TV work. He was also the one who persuaded Julie to accept a one-week residency at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace in 1976. “It wasn’t my idea at all,” she admitted. “Caesars Palace made me a tremendous offer [and] Blake talked me into going ahead” (Higham, 1977, p. C-1).
Love Is A Place Where Two People Fall: Blake’s Push and Butler’s Pull
Blake was also the driving force behind Love Me Tender. A native Oklahoman with a deep affection for the music of the American heartland, he believed the simple melodies and heartfelt lyrics of country music would suit Julie’s voice. As she explained in a British television interview:
“Blake…thought that country music might sit very well on my voice, which is not an easy voice [with which] to sing popular or modern music…It doesn’t adapt to it that easily, and he felt that country music would be good” (Freeman, 1983).
Reluctant at first, Julie considered country music “pretty hokey,” but upon closer listening, she discovered its appeal. “I found that the songs are really terribly pretty,” she said, noting parallels to the English folk music she had loved and sung as a child (Thomas, 1982, p. 1).
Flush with the renewed success of the Pink Panther franchise, Blake even financed the recording sessions under the aegis of his own production company (Beck, 1978, p. 16). Given its private funding and tentative nature, the recording plans were largely kept under wraps.
There were a few passing mentions in the press. A syndicated column in May 1978 noted that Julie was back Stateside with Blake “and their gaggle of children,” adding that she “will cut an album of songs while she’s here” (Eder, 1978, p. 5B). Another report from early 1978 observed:
“Andrews also is working up an album. ‘I love recording. It is like swimming, quiet and personal,’ she said. But because the recording industry has become so complex, she is doing this one through Trellis Enterprises, a company she and her husband formed about a year ago” (Burton Terry, 1978, p. A10).
Contracted to helm the new album was Larry Butler, Nashville’s most celebrated record producer of the time (Cunniff, 1980; Wood, 2012). A multitalented industry veteran, Butler began as a session pianist, vocalist, and songwriter before graduating to producing albums for some of Nashville’s biggest stars, including Johnny Cash, Dottie West, and Kenny Rogers. Widely regarded as a key architect of the crossover “countrypolitan” wave of the 70s, Butler became the only country producer ever to win a Grammy (Leigh, 2012). “Good music is good music,” he averred, “and doesn’t have to be labelled” (Cheever, 1980, p. 12).
Butler’s success drew a diverse range of recording artists to Nashville to work with him, from Don McLean and Sammy Davis Jr. to Kim Carnes, Debby Boone, and Nana Mouskouri (Trever-Burchinger, 2000, p. B3). Confident in his abilities, Butler famously boasted, “With the right song, I can cut a hit record with a janitor” (Hurst, 1978, p. 24).
When I Dream: Warm Reception and Creative Leap
So, it was on 2 June 1978 that Julie Andrews found herself flying to Nashville to enter the recording studio for the first time in nearly five years. Accompanied by her Los Angeles manager, Jerry Nutting, she received a warm welcome from Larry Butler, who greeted her at Nashville Municipal Airport with a bouquet of yellow roses and a stretch limousine (Hance, 1978, p. D10).
That evening, Butler hosted a gala reception at ASCAP headquarters on Music Row to formally welcome Julie to Nashville. Co-hosted by Ed Shea, ASCAP’s regional executive director, the event attracted numerous civic and industry leaders (Browning, 1978, p. 35). Nashville’s mayor, Richard Fulton, declared it "Julie Andrews Day," while Tennessee Governor Ray Blanton made her an honorary citizen, and Sheriff Fate Thompson appointed her an honorary Deputy Sheriff (Carter, 1978, p. 1).
Despite the fanfare, both Julie and Butler were circumspect about their plans. Julie stated that she was “thinking” about recording in Nashville, adding, “We’ll decide over the next few days. That’s really why we’re here – to decide” (Carter, 1978, p. 1). For the first few days, Butler immersed Julie in country music, having her spend hours listening to various records. Together, they compiled a list of potential tracks to try in the studio (Freeman, 1983).
The recording sessions took place at Jack Clement Recording Studios on Belmont Boulevard, which Butler co-owned with his business partner, Al Mifflin. A year later, Butler purchased the studio outright, renaming it Sound Emporium—a name it retains to this day (McNutt, 2000). For the sessions, Butler assembled a stellar lineup of musicians from the famed "Nashville A-Team," including Bob Moore (bass), Hargus “Pig” Robbins (piano), Pete Drake (steel guitar), and Ray Edenton (guitar) (Stimeling, 2020). Overseeing the recordings at the console was Billy Sherrill, one of the most renowned sound engineers in Nashville and a longtime colleague of Butler's.
Butler’s preferred mode was to record in the studio at night which he felt was more conducive to creativity and the free flow of ideas (Butler and Goodenough, 2012, p. 185). “I believe in momentum,” he explained. “When you get an idea, do it!” (Manley, 1981, p. 1B). He also fostered an intentionally collaborative atmosphere in the studio that emphasised trust, teamwork and enjoyment. “I quickly realised that as a producer, the best way…to walk into a studio and come out of there with emotion is to be the opposite of a dictator” (Butler and Goodenough, 2012, p. 185).
Typically, Butler began each session by allowing the musicians and the artist to play around with the material, letting ideas develop organically. After this initial period, he would return to review their progress and refine the arrangement collaboratively. As he described, “The result is a melting pot of emotions from everybody in that room [and] that’s what makes these moments the very best” (Butler and Goodenough, 2012, p. 186).
This organic approach allowed the musicians to move swiftly. A typical night's studio session would run approximately three hours and result in recording up to four songs (Stumbling, 2020, p. 2). Not all of these songs would be used and many would be 'scratch tracks', preliminary versions that would subsequently be re-recorded and/or overlaid with other tracks. However, it exemplifies the efficiency and creative speed that defined the recording process in Nashville.
This rapid, freeform style was a marked contrast to the tightly disciplined approach Julie had experienced on Broadway and in Hollywood, where recordings were meticulously planned and rehearsed. “In Nashville, we were literally making music as we went along,” she recalled. “I had no idea, any night I went into the studio, what I’d end up singing, in what key I’d be singing it…we just made music on the spot” (Hatch, 1983).
Initially hesitant, Julie came to embrace the looser, improvisational Nashville approach. “It was very good for me,” she admitted, “because I’m rather a careful person, and this made me loosen up” (Freeman, 1983). She also discovered a different quality in her voice. In their sessions, Butler encouraged Julie to “drop her voice an octave” and sing with a less classical tone (Barron, 1978, p. S79). She later expressed how singing with this “quiet voice…is very pleasant for me to use because it’s very easy…I don’t have to aim for high notes or a certain kind of purity. It just kind of is” (Freeman, 1983).
Over the course of more than a week, Julie recorded in excess of a dozen tracks, ranging from country classics like Crazy to contemporary crossover hits such as We Don’t Make Love Anymore, and even soft rock staples like You Don’t Bring Me Flowers. Most of these songs had already been recorded by other artists, with some indelibly associated with certain singers. This practice is common in country music, where professional songwriters craft songs that are reinterpreted by various performers, often multiple times (Cusic, 2005). Such a tradition reflects country music’s deep roots in oral storytelling and its communal repertoire, where emotional authenticity takes precedence over originality. Performers bring their unique artistry to familiar songs, transforming them into something distinctly their own (Peterson, 2013).
While Julie was still in the midst of recording, local gossip columnist Bill Hance (1978) reported that industry insiders were predicting big things. “Music Row sources say she is cutting an album so good she played a portion of it over the phone to her husband, film producer Blake Edwards, who was back home in Los Angeles.” Allegedly, Blake was so impressed by what he heard that he flew to Nashville to join Julie (Hance, 1978, p. D5). Hance also noted that her presence in the studio attracted a string of high-profile visitors, including Waylon Jennings, Roy Clark, and Johnny Cash (ibid; Anderson, 1978, p. 23).
Reflecting on this period in his memoirs, Butler described Julie as “one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She was totally unaffected by her success; she had no ego at all” (Butler & Goodenough, 2012, p. 143). One of his favourite anecdotes, frequently recounted in interviews, involved Julie visiting his home one evening. She asked for a sharp knife to trim the wicks of his candles, explaining, “They burn so much better when they are trimmed.” Amused, Butler thought, “I’ve got Mary Poppins trimming my wicks! That was so cool!” (ibid, p. 144). On another occasion, while taking a break during a late-night studio session, Butler proposed something unexpected:
“A friend of mine, nicknamed ‘Skull’ from the show Hee-Haw happened to own a strip club in Nashville’s Printer’s Alley. I said, ‘Julie, have you ever been to a strip club?’
‘No!’
‘How’d you like to go?’
With a sparkle in her eye and that delightful British accent came her reply, ‘Let’s do it!’” (Butler & Goodenough, 2012, p. 143-44).
Jimmy Capps, one of the Nashville A-Team session guitarists who worked on the album, has similarly fond memories of Julie:
"She was an international star. But she was a real lady in the studio. She was a class act...During our sessions, Julie hardly spoke at all. She let Larry Butler do all the producing. She didn't want very much input. She let us all play what we wanted, and how we thought was best. And it turned out to be great album" (Capps and England, 2018, p. 130).
You Don’t Bring Me Flowers: Polishing Up and Gathering Dust
Julie completed the main recording sessions by mid-June and returned to Los Angeles, where Blake was busy preparing for the release of The Revenge of the Pink Panther and starting pre-production on 10 (1979), which would mark Julie’s return to the big screen after a five-year absence (Andrews, 2019).
Meanwhile, back in Nashville, Butler began the meticulous process of polishing the recordings. As he described in his memoirs (Butler & Goodenough, 2012), this involved selecting the best takes from the sessions and adding layered tracks to create the signature rich Nashville sound. The legendary Jordanaires and other top Nashville vocalists provided backing vocals, while Bill Justis and Bergen White composed string arrangements performed by the Shelly Kurland Strings and the Nashville String Machine Musicians. With these elements in place, Butler mixed the tracks into their final form, ready for pressing.
Julie and Blake appeared optimistic about the album’s prospects. At the press preview for The Revenge of the Pink Panther, Hollywood columnist Shirley Eder reported that the party’s Western barbecue theme provided a fitting backdrop for Julie to share news of her Nashville venture. Eder wrote, “Mary Poppins singing C&W? Wanna bet she does darn good at it, too?!” (Eder, 1978, p. 15A).
Blake, in particular, was enthusiastic about the project’s potential. Marilyn Beck quoted him predicting significant industry interest: “[T]hree major recording firms are interested in buying it,” he said. “We’re also talking to ABC about using it as the take-off point for a TV special – but Julie says she will only be interested in doing the special if the album is a hit” (Beck, 1978, p. 16). Similarly, Maggie Daly of the Chicago Tribune captured Blake’s excitement: “It’s a new Julie with a whole new musical career in front of her” (Daly, 1978, p. 4-S5).
Despite this optimism, plans for the album ultimately stalled. There were a few murmurs of activity into early 1979. For instance, pre-publicity for 10 included press notes mentioning that “In the weeks just preceding the making of 10, Julie went to Nashville to cut an album which will have a new ‘Julie sound’” (Warner Bros, Inc., 1979, p. 3). After this, however, the project fell silent, and the album would not resurface for another three years.
Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song: Revival and Reinvention
The turn of the decade marked a sharp reversal of fortunes for Julie. Between 1979 and 1982, she starred in four films, culminating in Victor/Victoria (1982), a critical and commercial triumph. The film earned her a Golden Globe Award, an Academy Award nomination, and accolades such as Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year and the People’s Choice Award for Favourite Film Actress. As one commentator quipped, “Julie Andrews has arrived. Again!” (McDaniel, 1982, p. 11).
This resurgence rekindled interest in Julie’s shelved country album. By late 1982, reports surfaced of her return to Nashville to collaborate once more with producer Larry Butler. The Tennessean announced: “Nashville producer Larry Butler and songstress Julie Andrews were recording a double album for a British label at the Sound Emporium this week” (Neese, 1982, p. 29). Similarly, Billboard reported: “Julie Andrews is working on her newest LP (a double album)…produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Larry Butler, with Harold Lee engineering” (Morris, 1982; Stein, 1982).
While the new album would draw substantially on tracks recorded in 1978, most reports framed it as a completely fresh venture, omitting mention of the earlier sessions—a likely marketing strategy to present the album as contemporary rather than a dusted-off project. One of the few media reports to acknowledge the earlier sessions appeared in Family Weekly which noted:
“Julie Andrews…has gone off to Nashville to record with longtime Kenny Rogers producer Larry Butler…. Julie worked with Butler in Nashville in 1978 on similar material and was pleased with the results, but no record label made an offer for the album. Andrews hopes that by adding some new songs a major company may pick up the album” (Ask Them, 1983, p. 2).
Another piece in Country Music magazine quoted Julie’s personal manager, Jerry Nutting, as saying that Julie and Larry Butler “recorded 13 songs in 1978 [and] this year they recorded 12 more songs, and the entire package will be released in a 25-song double album” (Pugh, 1983, p. 17) Among the most notable new additions was a duet with Johnny Cash on Love Me Tender, which became both the album’s title track and, in some markets, a 45rpm single. Local Nashville columnist Red O’Donnell reported:
“Actress Julie Andrews came to Nashville with no advance warning to record a country music album. While in the studio, Johnny Cash dropped into the studio where the recording session was underway and sang a duet with her.
‘I don’t know if it is going to be on the album or not,’ said Cash.
‘Miss Andrews was cutting one of my songs, and I dropped in to thank her for doing it” (O’Donnell, 1982, p. 30).
Promotion for the pending album ramped up in late 1982 and 1983. Syndicated Hollywood correspondent, Bob Thomas, devoted one of his columns to the album:
“Julie Andrews has done it all – British vaudeville, Broadway musical, Hollywood extravaganzas, television series, children’s novels and now a country music album…After a career that has known Everest-like highs as well as a few lows, Julie Andrews at 47 still hunts for new challenges – like the country album…Larry Butler, who has supervised recordings by Kenny Rogers, Tammy Wynette and other country greats, produced the album. It will be released next year” (Thomas, 1982, p. 1)
In November 1982, Julie previewed a song from the album on Bob Hope’s Pink Panther Thanksgiving Gala. Billed as “an all-star spectacular celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Pink Panther films,” the program served as a promotional showcase for Blake Edwards’ projects (Barnes, 1982, p. 2C). Julie’s contributions included a duet with co-star Robert Preston from Victor/Victoria and a performance of Love is a Place Where Two People Fall, the album’s sole original composition, written for her by Larry Butler. Possibly to boost the program’s country appeal, Willie Nelson also appeared as a guest performer.
We Love Each Other: The British Launch
The “British label” that finally secured Julie’s country album was Peach River Records, an independent company established in 1980 by psychedelic folk singer turned music publisher Tim Hollier. Peach River was Hollier’s second venture into record labels, following the short-lived Songwriters Workshop. With distribution support from PLT (formerly PYE), Hollier assembled a small but eclectic roster of artists, including David Knopfler of Dire Straits fame, Papa Rage, and Peter Sarstedt (Larkin, 1998).
Releasing Julie’s album through a small independent label was, as one report noted, “rather unusual for such a well-known artist.” Julie explained: “They’ve given the album the kind of personal attention that I knew it would probably have missed had it been released by a major company” (White, 1983, p. 17). Julie may have been putting an overly positive spin on things, but Hollier certainly invested effort in the album’s UK launch.
The first task was selecting a title. In the early 1980s, duets between artists from disparate genres were popular—think Kenny Rogers and Kim Carnes’s Don’t Fall in Love with a Dreamer or Willie Nelson and Julio Iglesias’s To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before. Following this trend, the album was named after Julie’s duet with Johnny Cash, Love Me Tender.
Although early reports suggested a double-disc release, the album ultimately came out as a single LP featuring 14 tracks. The cover photograph, shot by renowned celebrity photographer Greg Gorman, perfectly complemented the album’s tone. It featured Julie in a cream wool jumper, gazing warmly at the camera with her chin resting on her hand, set against a taupe backdrop. The image exuded a mix of softness, warmth, and intimacy, mirroring the album’s vocal style.
Love Me Tender officially launched in the UK on 1 July 1983, under the catalogue number JULIE 1. Julie arrived in London at the end of June for an intensive promotional campaign, kicking off with a press conference at Burke’s Club on 27 June. Over the next week, she made numerous TV and radio appearances, participated in photo shoots, and gave one-on-one interviews at her suite in the Dorchester (Eborall, 1983, pp. 6–7; Seaton, 1983, p. 6). One photo shoot, featuring Julie beside a flower seller’s cart, evoked her My Fair Lady days as Eliza Doolittle, inspiring headlines like “Country L.P. for an English Rose” (Saturday Profile, 1983, p. 6).
The promotional push paid off handsomely. Love Me Tender initially launched with a 5,000-copy pressing, which sold out within a week. A second pressing of 30,000 copies followed—an exceptional figure for the UK market (Pugh, 1983, p. 17). By mid-July, the album was charting in the UK Top 100, where it remained for over five weeks, becoming Julie’s most successful non-film or non-show recording in the UK (Top 100, 1983, p. 20).
Buoyed by the success, Peach River quickly capitalised. In early August, they released a 45rpm single of the Love Me Tender duet. Later that year, they reissued Julie’s 1975 Christmas LP, The Secret of Christmas under the title Julie Andrews’ Christmas Album, with new cover art referencing the Love Me Tender design (New Albums, 1983, p. 25).
Blanket on the Ground: Global Rollout
One challenge of signing Love Me Tender to Peach River Records was the UK label’s lack of an established global distribution network. As a result, international rights were sub-licensed to various labels, leading to a patchwork of releases across different markets. For instance, the album was distributed by Attic in Canada, Dureco Benelux in the Netherlands, Splash Records in Spain, and Prince in South Africa.
In Australia, Love Me Tender was licensed to J&B Records, a mid-price label specialising in middle-of-the-road artists like Harry Secombe, Max Bygraves, Willie Nelson, and Anne Murray. Released in September, the Australian edition featured 16 tracks -- two more than the UK version. One of these, I Still Miss Someone (featuring Johnny Cash’s backing vocals), had been the B-side of the Love Me Tender single in the UK, while the other, We Don’t Make Love Anymore, was previously unreleased. J&B Records’ regional reach into Oceania and Southeast Asia helped the album achieve strong sales in the Australasian market (Guest & Maloney, 1991).
The Japanese release, however, stood out for its exceptional quality. Licensed to the prestigious Nippon Phonogram Company and distributed on the Philips label, the album was pressed by Victor Company in Yokohama and released in January 1984. Like the Australian edition, it included 16 tracks and featured specially commissioned liner notes by Shigeru Kawabata, a prominent music journalist for Tokyo Shimbun and Weekly Gendai. Kawabata wrote with genuine affection for Julie and the album:
“Even with the contemporary approach [of Love Me Tender], Julie avoids simply copying the standards. Her meticulous interpretation transforms these songs into her own. This care is evident in the way she speaks about the album. We are now holding the most refined and beautiful expression of contemporary standards in our hands. Just as Julie graced Broadway musicals with the elegance of serious musicianship, she has now opened another brilliant chapter with this studio recording. Discovering this gem amidst the overwhelming flow of today’s musical output is a quiet joy. I hope to continue treasuring such beautiful musical encounters in the future” (Kawabata, 1983).
At the opposite end of the spectrum was the album’s release in the United States. Despite being the heartland of country music, the American debut of Love Me Tender was disappointingly lacklustre. Licensed to the small Los Angeles-based Bainbridge Records --founded in 1980 by marketing veterans Stan Marshall and Lee Armstrong to service the middle-of-the-road (MOR) music market -- the label secured US rights in late 1982 but delayed the release until 1984 (Sippel, 1980). When it finally launched, minimal marketing and poor decisions -- such as reducing the track list to just 10 songs -- ensured the album barely made an impact.
The reasons for the poorly handled US release remain unclear. By 1984, the countrypolitan wave had waned, and both critical and popular sentiment had shifted. Reviewing another Larry Butler-produced album, critic Dave Mulholland (1981) decried it as “Larry Butler’s production [of] standard countrypolitan mediocrity. It represents the worst of the Nashville assembly line” (p. 20).
Country audiences were gravitating back to a more classic sound, heralded by the rise of the neotraditionalist movement with a new breed of singers like Randy Travis, George Strait, and Reba McEntire. Mainstream audiences, meanwhile, had tired of the crossover sound, and by 1984, sales of country albums had dropped to their lowest levels in nearly a decade (Haslam, Haslam, & Chon, 1999, p. 259).
A 1983 Country Music magazine article profiling the UK launch of Love Me Tender reflects the growing skepticism toward pop artists crossing into country:
Twenty years ago, who could have foreseen...one of the most enduring staples of the music scene: the country album by the pop star. With few exceptions, however, most pop-star country albums -- generally conceived as last gasps of a faded career for an artist with little or no connection to country music -- make about as much impact as a bug flying into a windshield.
Now comes the latest to try her hand at the country album game, and one of the most ostensibly unlikely: Julie Andrews.
"Julie has sold 25 million copies of soundtrack albums," said Jerry Nutting, her personal manager, "but she has never cut a solo album per se… We don't feel this is a 'gimmick' album. Julie is very sincere in doing it, very enthusiastic during the recordings and very hopeful of making a contribution to country music” (Pugh, 1983, p. 17).
While shifting cultural tides in American music by the mid-1980s were less than ideal for Love Me Tender, the complete absence of marketing effort remains puzzling. Extensive searches of newspaper databases reveal no mentions of the US release—no advertising, no press coverage, nothing. This is particularly odd given Bainbridge Records’ marketing background and stated goal to “renovate” the underserved MOR market (Sippel, 1980, p. 15).
Some Days Are Diamonds: Brickbats and Bouquets
Leaving aside the album’s oddly weak US push, Love Me Tender was generally well received in most other markets. It achieved solid sales and garnered decent airplay. While it didn’t attract extensive critical attention, the reviews it did receive were generally respectable. Some critics questioned Julie Andrews’ fit within the country genre, but others celebrated her versatility and praised the album’s polished production and heartfelt interpretations. Below is a selection of excerpts from reviews around the world:
- Daily Mirror (UK):
“Amazing – Julie Andrews and Johnny Cash singing Elvis Presley! It’s superb and deserves to be a hit” (Eggar, 1983, p. 19).
- The Telegraph (UK):
"If I had to put together a list of the Top Ten superstars I'd like to see in concert here, Julie's name wouldn't get written down. Until now that is. The courageous experiment of the star to risk her career in Nashville laying down a hoedown and applejack LP Love Me Tender, all the big names do it inevitably -- has been a huge success and broadened interest in her talents" (MacIlwaine, 1983, p. 11).
- Gramophone (UK):
“Julie Andrews? You would have to believe it if you heard her duetting with Johnny Cash in Love Me Tender, which has been picking up plenty of radio air play. That track gives us the title of Julie's own contribution to the Nashville legend…The magic formula is here for all to appreciate once again - Larry Butler in charge of production, Billy Sherrill the engineer (who couldn't produce a bad record if he tried), strings by Shelley Kurland, and even the ubiquitous Hargus "Pig" Robins on piano. Yes, this is a fine recording and no mistake. But the voice is wrong. Frankly, Julie Andrews just isn't at home in Nashville: she is too sweet, too pure, too precise, too English. The few lines of Love Me Tender which the croaking Johnny Cash contributes spell out in a few seconds just what is wrong with the rest of the record. And to hear the very proper Julie Andrews (I'm sorry, but I can't help it if the 'image' sticks in my mind) naughtily singing of the potential pleasures of a Blanket on the ground is just too much for a listener of my sensibilities to take (Chislett, 1983, p. 541).
- Manchester Evening News (UK):
“It must be one of the most surprising double acts ever – Julie Andrews and Johnny Cash. The two have brought out Elvis Presley’s old classic, Love Me Tender, which was recorded at the home of country music, Nashville, with highly respected producer Larry Butler…Peach River Records say the combination may seem ‘extraordinary’ but it works ‘wonderfully’. To me it works for some of the times, but there are awkward moments and Cash sounds as though he’s singing deeper and deeper as age increases” (Jasper, 1983, p. 19).
- Belfast News-Letter (UK):
“Julie Andrews and Johnny Cash hoped to jump on the current pop duet bandwagon with a sweet ‘n’ sour version of Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender. But talk about square holes and round pegs! The Sound of Music songstress and the gravelly-voiced country star mix about as well as a one-armed man at a juggling party. For Julie is simply too good a singer and Cash too poor a singer for this oil and water combination to work” (McAdam, 1983, p. 8).
- The Age (Australia):
"Known for her crystalline voice and impeccable diction, Andrews takes a turn into the realm of country-inspired ballads, proving her versatility and emotional depth as a singer…Fans of her earlier work will appreciate how Andrews carries her trademark poise into this genre, while newcomers may find themselves enchanted by her ability to convey intimacy and sincerity. While some might question her foray into country, Andrews makes it her own, reminding listeners that great singing transcends musical styles" (Walker, 1983, p. 18).
- Show Music (USA):
"A few months back, we were moaning over the fact that Julie Andrews doesn't make it into the recording studios very often. Well, guess what? Peach River Records, Ltd., in England, has gotten the lady back on record in what is one of her best efforts. It was recorded in Nashville, and Miss Andrews takes to country-flavored songs like a duck takes to water. There are lovely versions of Some Days Are Diamonds, When I Dream, Crazy, We Love Each Other, and even a successful duet with Johnny Cash on the album's title-track. Julie sounds just great, and her sensitive readings of these songs make us hope that her next outing will be a collection of some of the best of recent Broadway material" (Preeo, 1983, p. 29).
- The Advocate (Canada):
“Julie Andrews shows her country and pop side on Love Me Tender, an impressive album of soft melodies making the most of her beautiful, timeless voice. Produced in Nashville by Larry Butler, Love Me Tender includes the cream of Nashville’s musical community. Johnny Cash joins Andrews on Love Me Tender. They sound great together. When I Dream shows Andrews’ power to reach the heart of the listener, in this love ballad on loneliness. In this, her 23rd album so far, Andrews again adds to the sound of music around the world. You won't need a spoonful of sugar to make this LP enjoyable” (Kennedy, 1984, p. 34).
- Fanfare (Canada):
“He’s out of his mind, they’re saying, he’s off the edge, Julie Andrews for God’s sake! You got it! Love Me Tender (Attic LAT-1189) is apparently her 23rd album, and it's as tasty a batch of country-baked tunes as have come down the pike in years. Lots of last-waltz-style material, which she does easy and effortless and entirely on the money. Larry Butler lavished outstanding Nashville production on it, and the 14 tracks (including a duet with Johnny Cash) are delivered in a warm, clear, wide-eyed voice. Julie Andrews says: ‘The songs aren't easy. They're simple, plain, honest, and that's the hardest thing to sing.’ She shouldn't have worried” (Flegler, 1985, p. 27).
‘The Valley That Time Forgot’: Epilogue
In the four decades since its release, Love Me Tender has been criminally overlooked. Unlike many of Julie’s other works, the album has never been issued on CD or made available in digital formats. Without the efforts of devoted fans to preserve and share tracks online, awareness of the album might have vanished entirely. This lack of visibility is regrettable, given the significant creative effort invested by Julie and the many talented collaborators who worked on the album over four years. From Larry Butler’s meticulous production to the contributions of Nashville’s A-Team musicians, Love Me Tender represents a labour of love that deserves to be remembered and appreciated.
This blog post is a modest attempt to redress the historical amnesia surrounding Love Me Tender and restore at least some recognition to this fascinating piece of Julie Andrews' legacy. It may not have achieved the commercial success or enduring acclaim of her other work, but it stands as a poignant reminder of her courage to embrace the unfamiliar and her dedication to creative exploration. In revisiting Love Me Tender, one is reminded of Julie’s ability to bring grace and sincerity to even the most unexpected of projects.
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