In a USA Today/Tennessean exclusive, for KING & COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone explained how the collaboration came to be. After watching Dolly’s Netflix movie, “Dumplin,” Joel fell in love with the film’s plot and soundtrack, leading him to reach out to Dolly.
“When I first heard ‘God Only Knows’ I thought it was one of the best songs I’d ever heard,” Dolly said. “I came from a very spiritual background, and I love anything to do with inspirational songs that lift people up. I feel that this is a good song for right now, and it’s so well written. I know that it touched me at a time when I needed to be lifted up.”
Dolly Parton has joined two-time GRAMMYⓇ award-winning duo for KING & COUNTRY for a brand-new version of the group’s award-winning single “God Only Knows,” as well as a powerful music video. Dolly’s presence on the track takes the song to new heights, with shimmering acoustic guitars complementing the song’s message of hope.
For KING & COUNTRY’s Joel Smallbone reflected,
“Hearing Dolly sing that chorus and those words was an out of body experience for us as writers and artists. As soon as we heard her vocals on the track, we immediately realized that this song was meant for her voice.”
Additionally, Dolly is featured in a powerful new music video for “God Only Knows,” as she and the Smallbone brothers struggle to find themselves before resigning to faith and belief. The full-length video was shot in Nashville, produced by Patrick Tohill and directed by Benjamin Smallbone.
“God Only Knows” recently won “Song of the Year” honors at the K-LOVE awards, received a Dove Award nomination for Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year, and held the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top Christian Songs chart for 11 weeks. Additionally, the song hit Top 30 on Mediabase and Billboard’s Hot AC charts while garnering 330 million radio impressions and over 65 million streams across all digital platforms.
Dolly Parton is about to celebrate 50 incredible years as a member of the Grand Ole Opry, and she wants YOU to be there as her VIP guest. Time to skip out on your 9-5, pack your most bedazzled clothes and head to Nashville to join the Queen of Country herself at the world-famous Opry House. You'll enjoy a backstage tour, exclusive passes to the exhibit "Dolly: My Opry Memories" and even have your own private dressing room, which is where Dolly will meet you to chat and take a picture. Then, you'll watch Dolly's knock-your-socks-off anniversary performance from the best spot in the house. Flights and stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort included.
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In 2019, Dolly Parton was honored as MusiCares Person of the Year. MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for the music community in times of need. Their services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentially. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community.
In celebration of Dolly Parton’s 50th anniversary as a Grand Ole Opry member, the Opry House will host "Dolly: My Opry Memories"- an exclusive exhibit featuring 24 wardrobe pieces the internationally-known country music icon has worn on the Opry stage and at events held at the Ryman Auditorium over the last 50 years.
Among Parton’s fashions to be featured:
Also included in the exhibit in the Opry House’s historic Studio A are exclusive videos of Parton recounting some of her favorite Opry memories along with rarely seen performance clips spanning her five decades of Opry membership. The limited-time-only exhibit was curated and designed to celebrate Parton’s milestone anniversary and will tell the storied career of one of the Opry’s greatest global ambassadors.
Tickets for the "Dolly: My Opry Memories" exhibit are $12 when guests add it on to the purchase of an Opry backstage tour. Exhibit-only tickets are $17. Packages and tickets will go on sale tomorrow August 21 at 10 am at Opry.com. Check the Grand Ole Opry website for available tour times.
As part of Parton’s 50th Opry anniversary celebration, flagship station WSM will flip its Opry Nashville streaming channel to “Dolly Radio” to coincide with the exhibit. The 24/7 “all things Dolly stream” will feature the music legend’s many hits from her catalog of over 3000 songs, past Opry performances, archived interviews, special features from fellow artists, and much more. Fans will be able to access “Dolly Radio” 24/7 via WSMonline.com and the station’s free mobile app.
In celebration of Parton’s 50th Anniversary as an Opry member, The Opry Shop—also located at the Opry House-- will feature a unique collection of eleven custom-designed items for women, men and children celebrating the milestone anniversary. A special Dolly Parton Queen of Country 50th Anniversary graphic was created by Opry Entertainment Product Development Manager Molly Brooks, who was inspired by a Parton photograph captured by longtime Opry photographer Les Leverett.
In June, the Opry premiered a new immersive film experience featuring video hosts Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood and showcasing more than 100 Opry artists, Parton included. The film shown in the Opry House’s new Circle Room opens the Opry’s daytime backstage tour.
On January 4, 1969, Dolly Parton was fresh off the release of her first solo album released on RCA Records Nashville, the now-seminal "Just Because I’m A Woman", and on that date the singer-songwriter received the biggest accomplishment of her then-young career: being inducted as a Grand Ole Opry member. Fifty years later, Parton has achieved nearly every honor and accolade an entertainer can receive, and she is cemented as the female Country artist with the most Billboard Top 20 hits according to Guinness World Records.
The global superstar will perform on two sold-out shows on Saturday, October 12, 2019, capping a week-long celebration of Parton’s impact on music and the Opry, dubbed Dolly Week 2019.
Additional participating artists for Dolly Week Opry shows will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets are on sale now at Opry.com, with every ticket purchaser having the option to buy Parton’s "Dumplin’ Original Motion Picture Soundtrack."
"The 53rd Annual CMA Awards" will celebrate the legendary women of Country Music. Host Carrie Underwood will be joined by two of the genre's legendary artists and Country Music Hall of Fame members, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire. Combined, these three ladies hold 124 CMA Awards nominations and 22 total wins. Of the total wins, 11 are for Female Vocalist of the Year - Carrie Underwood (2006, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2018), Dolly Parton (1975, 1976) and Reba McEntire (1984, 1985, 1986, 1987). In addition, the three superstars hold a combined 14 nominations in the Entertainer of the Year category, with Dolly receiving the award in 1978 and Reba winning in 1986.
“It’s an incredible honor to welcome Carrie, Reba and Dolly to the CMA Awards stage this year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. “In addition to awarding the year’s best and brightest in the genre, ‘The 53rd Annual CMA Awards’ will celebrate the legacy of women within Country Music, and we couldn’t think of a more dynamic group of women to host the show.” Dolly expressed her excitement on Twitter saying,
"Let’s go girls! I’m so excited to be joining [Carrie Underwood] and [Reba McEntire] to celebrate the legendary women of country music as a guest host of this year’s #CMAawards on November 13"
Final nominees for "The 53rd Annual CMA Awards" will be announced Wednesday, Aug. 28 live during ABC’s “Good Morning America” from their Times Square studio in New York and via livestream following the broadcast.
Watch Dolly, Carrie and Reba shine on Country Music's Biggest Night set for November 13 at 8|7c on ABC. "The 53rd Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the Executive Producer, Alex Rudzinski is the Director, and David Wild is the Head Writer.
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The CMA Awards nominees and winners are determined by the more than 6,300 industry professional members of CMA, which when established in 1958 became the first trade organization formed to promote an individual genre of music. The first CMA Awards Banquet and Show was held in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast on NBC television for the first time – making it the longest-running, annual music awards program on network television. The show aired on NBC through 1971 and on the CBS Television Network from 1972 through 2005 before moving in 2006 to ABC, where it is set to air through 2021.
CMA is dedicated to bringing the poetry and emotion of Country Music to the world. We will continue the tradition of leadership and professionalism, promoting the music, and recognizing excellence in all its forms. While fostering a spirit of community and sharing, we will respect and encourage creativity and the unique contributions of all. CMA will be a place to have fun and celebrate success. We will take risks, embrace change, and always exceed the expectations of those we serve.
On August 5, 2019, David Briley the mayor of Nashville, TN, signed a proclamation recognizing the day as Dolly Parton Day. The proclamation states,
"We give thanks for Dolly's unparalleled career as an entertainer and philanthropist and her ability to touch millions of lives everywhere, including so many right here in Music City, with her moving music and her generous heart."
This honor acknowledges Dolly's long history with the city and Tennessee. It notes her debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage at the Ryman Auditorium at age 13 and her bold move to Music City at age 18.
Dolly Parton Day not only celebrates Dolly's outstanding musical career but also places high regard for her generosity. Dolly founded her Imagination Library first in Sevier County, TN in 1995. She then made the program available for replication statewide and today, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library has gifted over 125 million free books to children around the world.
Both Dolly and the Imagination Library received a special honor from the National Conference of State Legislatures at its 2019 Legislative Summit held at Music City Center in Nashville, TN.
Pictured Above: Dolly Parton, David Briley (Mayor of the City of Nashville, TN)
Photo Courtesy of the Mayor’s Office
