MY MUSIC

‘Better Day’

Published June 28, 2011 / Last Updated August 23, 2015
Team Dolly is a collaboration of writers, editors, and publishers assembled by Dolly Parton Productions. Each member is dedicated to accurately publishing the latest news and historical archives of the living legend that is Dolly Rebecca Parton.

Managing Editor - Jacob Timmons
Creative Director - Sarah Chapman
Team Dolly

Dolly releases 41st solo album, “Better Day”

Dolly released her 41st studio album “Better Day” on June 28, 2011, her fourth on her Dolly Records label. “Better Day” was Dolly’s first album of entirely original material since 1998’s “Hungry Again.” All but one of the songs, “Country Is As Country Does” (written with Mac Davis), were exclusively composed and written by Dolly. Four of the album’s tracks were versions of songs she wrote for the Broadway musical “9 to 5” but had recorded–“I Just Might,” “Shine Like the Sun,” “Get Out and Stay Out,” and “Let Love Grow.” Randy Owen recorded “Holding Everything” on his 2008 debut album “One on One” while “Together You and I” was released as a duet with Porter Wagoner on the 1974 album “Porter ‘n’ Dolly.” The other four songs appeared for the first time on “Better Day.”

Writing more contemporary songs was one of Dolly’s goals,

“I always think every album is better than the last one… at least I strive for that. I wrote all the songs for this one, plus, I think it may be a little more contemporary than what I usually do.”

Dolly wrote the “Better Day” songs amid world crises and conflict which influenced her writing,

“Everybody’s so down in the dumps, and all this doomsday attitude with the economy so bad and all the wars and the bad weather… People really need to be uplifted a little bit right now.”

Dolly succeeded, as Steve Leggett wrote in his review,

“‘Better Day’… is an energetic, spiritual, and hopeful outing that rocks and soars with enough musical sunshine to light up even the grayest day.”

“Better Day” reached the Billboard Top 200 debuting at No. 51 (it debuted at No. 11 on the Top Country Albums Chart).

 

Team Dolly‘Better Day’

Hello, I’m Dolly

Published February 13, 1967 / Last Updated October 4, 2015
Team Dolly is a collaboration of writers, editors, and publishers assembled by Dolly Parton Productions. Each member is dedicated to accurately publishing the latest news and historical archives of the living legend that is Dolly Rebecca Parton.

Managing Editor - Jacob Timmons
Creative Director - Sarah Chapman
Team Dolly

Dolly releases first full-length solo album, “Hello, I’m Dolly,” on Monument Records

Dolly’s first full-length solo album was released on Feb. 13, 1967, on Monument Records. Though she had already been featured on the 1963 Kitty Wells/Patsy Cline tribute album, “Hello, I’m Dolly” was the first studio-recorded solo album that Dolly could call her own. The album, which caught the attention of Porter Wagoner, is credited with bringing Dolly more mainstream popularity when Porter invited her to join his popular weekly television show “The Porter Wagoner Show” in late 1967. She was later signed to Porter Wagoner’s organization and became his labelmate at RCA Victor.

Dolly and her Uncle Bill Owens, who was instrumental in getting her career off the ground, wrote “Put It Off Until Tomorrow,” a chart-topping hit in 1966 for country artist Bill Phillips who featured Dolly as the background vocalist on his recording.

Listen to free previews of “Hello I’m Dolly” below via SoundCloud.

Two hits from the album, including “Dumb Blonde” and “Something Fishy,” reached No. 24 and 17, respectively, on the U.S. country singles charts, while the album itself peaked at No. 11. Both feats were quite significant at the time, considering Dolly was largely an unknown female artist.

Team DollyHello, I’m Dolly