The Ballad of Sally Rose is an album by Emmylou Harris released in May 1985. It marked a significant departure for Harris (whose previous albums had consisted mostly of others' material), as all the songs were written by her and her then-husband Paul Kennerley. Additionally, it is a concept album, loosely based on Harris's 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. 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.