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Dolly Parton’s 93 Song Surprise Makes Staying Home More Hopeful

Published April 10, 2020 / Last Updated April 10, 2020
Michael Martin
Latest posts by Michael Martin (see all)

Six classic Dolly albums make their return to all streaming partners today in Dolly Parton’s 93 Song Surprise

Globally beloved entertainment icon, Dolly Parton, surprised the world with the digital re-release of six classic albums today, Friday, April 10th. Doing what she does best, Dolly has been uniting generations of fans through love, laughter and music in a time when we need her the most. For kids out of school due to the COVID-19 Crisis, she reintroduced “Goodnight With Dolly” as a weekly storytime YouTube series. She has been reading weekly bedtime stories from her Imagination Library, the non-profit book gifting program that has sent 130 million books to children all over the world. For adults in “Stay at Home” situations, she’s posting humorous poems about “the stayin’ home” on Facebook and light-hearted #squadgoals photos on Instagram. “If you don’t follow Dolly on Instagram something is wrong with you,” Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon urged his following. For lifelong fans, the wave of music she’s made available everywhere today is a refreshing respite from the staleness of the same scenery and the heaviness of life’s realities.

The largest-ever digitally available catalog of Dolly Parton songs now includes the albums Little Sparrow (2001), Halos & Horns (2002), For God & Country (2003), Live & Well (2004), Those Were the Days (2005) and Better Day (2011). Featured on these albums is fan favorite “Little Sparrow” and Grammy Award-winning vocals on “I’m Gone.” Parton’s discography delivers a slice of nostalgia, infectious fun and fervent hope of a bright and better future.

In 2002, Parton originally released “Hello God” from Halo & Horns as a prayer in response to the terror attacks of 9-11 and she made it available again now with the hope that it would again bring healing and help.

“Hello, God? Can you grant us love enough to make amends?
Hello, God? Is there still a chance that we could start again?
Can you help me go the distance? Hello God?”

The following year, she released For God & Country, which included covers of famous patriotic mainstays and original Parton cuts. USA Today referred to the album “as her personal USO revue.” A call back to a simpler, united time; something she wishes for us all again.

Live & Well was first released in 2004, and is a live album recorded at Dollywood, the world-famous 150-acre theme park which is as unique as its namesake and owner. Those Were the Days (2005) is collection of cover songs from the 1960’s and 1970’s and features a guest on every track including Norah Jones, Keith Urban, and Alison Krauss. The most recently recorded album made available again today is Better Day (2011), which was her first completely original body of work.

Dubbed Southern Living’s “Southerner of the Year,” Dolly Parton continues to make a difference, in the good times and the bad. It is her hope and wish that by making more songs of hers available for streaming that listeners will be streaming joy into their hearts and homes during this unprecedented time.

Little Sparrow (2001)
Halos & Horns (2002)
For God and Country (2003)
Live and Well (2004)
Those Were the Days (2005)
Better Day (2011)

Michael MartinDolly Parton’s 93 Song Surprise Makes Staying Home More Hopeful
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‘American Idol’

Published April 1, 2008 / Last Updated August 23, 2015
Team Dolly
Team Dolly
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
Latest posts by Team Dolly (see all)

Dolly mentors contestants and performs on ‘American Idol’ Season VII’s Country Week

Dolly was the center of FOX’s “American Idol” Season VII’s Country Week on April 1 and 2, 2008, mentoring, performing, and watching the remaining contestants render covers of several of her classic songs.

Dolly mentored finalists as they prepared to perform her songs on the April 1, episode and returned on the April 2, show to perform her song “Jesus and Gravity” from her 2008 “Backwoods Barbie” CD. She chose not to judge the contestants’ performances of her songs saying,

“I couldn’t go on and criticize somebody else’s singin’.”

The remaining nine “American Idol” contestants performed:

 

Team Dolly‘American Idol’
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‘The Acoustic Collection 1999 – 2002’

Published October 10, 2006 / Last Updated August 23, 2015
Team Dolly
Team Dolly
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
Latest posts by Team Dolly (see all)

Dolly’s acoustic box set, ‘The Acoustic Collection 1999 – 2002,’ includes songs from her popular Bluegrass recordings

On October 10, 2006, Dolly released a box set called “The Acoustic Collection 1999 – 2002,” produced on the Sugar Hill label. This acoustic collection includes several of her most beloved Bluegrass albums (“The Grass is Blue,” “Little Sparrow,” “Halos and Horns“) and a bonus disc including several remixes of previously released songs, two songs from the tribute album “Just Because I’m a Woman,” four music videos (“Shine,” “I’m Gone,” “Dagger Through the Heart,” “The Grass is Blue” – with Norah Jones), and a full album of pictures from the recording sessions for the three albums that form the core of the set.

Team Dolly‘The Acoustic Collection 1999 – 2002’
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‘Just Because I’m a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton’

Published October 14, 2003 / Last Updated August 23, 2015
Team Dolly
Team Dolly
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
Latest posts by Team Dolly (see all)

A tribute album featuring an elite group of artists performing Dolly’s songs

On Oct. 14, 2003, Sugar Hill Records released a multi-artist Dolly tribute album entitled “Just Because I’m a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton,” named after her 1968 song and album of the same name. The album included cover versions of Dolly’s songs from an impressive and diverse list of stars–

  • Alison Krauss
  • Melissa Etheridge
  • Norah Jones
  • Joan Osborne
  • Shelby Lynne
  • Mindy Smith
  • Emmylou Harris
  • Shania Twain
  • Kasey Chambers
  • Sinead O’Connor
  • Allison Moorer
  • Me’Shell Ndegeocello

The album’s last song is Dolly’s re-recorded version of the title song.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Shania Twain and Alison Krauss’ version of Dolly’s song, “Coat of Many Colors” received a GRAMMY nomination for Country Collaboration With Vocals. Emmylou Harris said of the album and Dolly,

“I believe it is the poet in Dolly, the songs that pour out from her soul and into our grateful waiting hearts that have both anchored and lifted her over the years… This is perhaps her most enduring legacy as an artist and the one we celebrate here with this album. Dolly you done good.”

Dolly’s reaction to the album and the contributions of so many young artists reflected her usual good humor and perspective,

“With all these young people (around), I had this joke I’ve been kidding them with… I said, ‘Hell, I was already into plastic surgery when you were still sleeping on plastic sheets!'”

Team Dolly‘Just Because I’m a Woman: The Songs of Dolly Parton’
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‘Shine’ wins GRAMMY

Published February 21, 2001 / Last Updated August 23, 2015
Team Dolly
Team Dolly
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
Latest posts by Team Dolly (see all)

Dolly wins GRAMMY for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her cover of the Collective Soul song ‘Shine’

Dolly won the 2001 GRAMMY Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance for her cover of the Collective Soul song “Shine” from her album “Little Sparrow,” marking her third win in that category and seventh overall.

Collective Soul lead singer Ed Roland was blown away when he found out Dolly covered the group’s song,

“In all honesty, the first CD, which has ‘Shine’ on it, basically was a songwriter’s demo, trying to get a publishing deal and try to showcase songs. It’s the first time ever we’ve had one of those songs covered, and it’s an honor, and really cool… especially coming from someone who’s a great songwriter. It’s not necessary for her to use anyone’s songs except her own.”

Dolly explains that the cover comes from a real affinity for the original version of the song.

“When that record came out years ago, my husband and I were riding in the car and heard it…We listened to see who it was and went and got it and played it off and on in the house for years. I’ve been trying to think of how I can sing it without all the rock stuff; it sounds spiritual and all that, and the melody lent itself well to some bluegrass harmonies. I figured we’d kick it around and if it didn’t work, we wouldn’t put it on. But it worked out great.”

Team Dolly‘Shine’ wins GRAMMY

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