MY MUSIC

‘Blue Smoke’

Published May 13, 2014 / 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 42nd solo album, ‘Blue Smoke’

Dolly released her 42nd album “Blue Smoke” in North America on, May 13, 2014. “Blue Smoke” was the fifth album recorded on her label, Dolly Records (in collaboration with Sony Masterworks).

Dolly grew up in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and the famous fog that gives the mountains their name inspired the album title and the Smokies themselves inspired much of the album content. As she has said,

“It was a song that brought me out of the Smoky Mountains and it will be a song that lays me back down in the ground in the Smoky Mountains.”

Dolly has said that this record would be a celebration of “all the colors” in her life by featuring the bluegrass, country, gospel, and mountain music influences she says the fans have allowed her to “dabble in through the years.”

“Blue Smoke” includes a duet with long-time collaborator Kenny Rogers (“You Can’t Make Old Friends“), a gospel version of a Bon Jovi classic (“Lay Your Hands on Me”), and a version of a Bob Dylan song (“Don’t Think Twice”). The album also features Dolly’s duet with Willie Nelson, “From Here to the Moon and Back.” Dolly released two singles from the album, “Try” and “Home.” She delighted fans with a music video for “Home.”

Dolly began her “Blue Smoke” World Tour in early 2014 and made appearances on AXS TV (Dan Rather), and Access Hollywood to promote the album and tour. She also performed tracks from the album on QVC on, April 27, 2014.

“Blue Smoke” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Country Charts and No. 6 on the Billboard Pop Charts making it Dolly’s highest debuting solo album to date.

Blue Smoke – Song List (click for lyrics)

  1. Blue Smoke
  2. Unlikely Angel
  3. Don’t Think Twice
  4. You Can’t Make Old Friends
  5. Home
  6. Banks Of The Ohio
  7. Lay Your Hands On Me
  8. Miss You, Miss Me
  9. If I Had Wings
  10. Lover Du Jour
  11. From Here To The Moon And Back
  12. Try
Team Dolly‘Blue Smoke’

‘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’

‘Backwoods Barbie’

Published February 26, 2008 / 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 40th solo album, ‘Backwoods Barbie’

On Feb. 26, 2008, Dolly released her 40th studio album “Backwoods Barbie.” It was the first album released on her newly created Dolly Records label and features nine original songs and four by other artists including covers of popular songs by Smokey Robinson’s “The Tracks of My Tears” and Fine Young Cannibals’ “She Drives Me Crazy.”

The album marked Dolly’s return to mainstream country music after 17 years, and it debuted at No. 2 on the country album charts. Dolly said,

“They think I’m over the hill… but I don’t believe that. My music is as young today as it was ever. And I always say, ‘I may be as old as yesterday, but I’m as young as tomorrow, too!’”

The successful album sold more than 274,000 units and reached No. 17 on the Billboard album chart.

Team Dolly‘Backwoods Barbie’

‘Those Were the Days’

Published October 11, 2005 / 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 39th album, ‘Those Were the Days’

On Oct. 11, 2005, Dolly released her 39th studio album “Those Were the Days.” The album is a collection of Dolly and friends covering classic songs. Dolly invited a myriad of artists including:

  • Judy Collins
  • Roger McGuinn
  • Nickel Creek
  • Rhonda Vincent
  • Mindy Smith
  • Kris Kristofferson
  • Mary Hopkin
  • Keith Urban
  • Cat Stevens
  • Alison Krauss.

Dolly worried people would perceive that she was making a political statement with the inclusion of many of the album’s songs but said,

“I’m certainly not into any kind of political thing or protest. People who know me will know I’ve chosen these songs to really kind of uplift and to give hope, like they were written for at the time… I just felt it was a good time to bring a lot of these songs back… We don’t want to be at war, but of course we have to fight if we have to. We don’t want to lose our children in war but of course we do. So we write about it and sing about it, and it kind of helps us relieve our grief and express ourselves.”

The album reached as high as No. 48 on the Billboard 200 and No. 9 on the country album chart.

Team Dolly‘Those Were the Days’

‘For God And Country’

Published November 11, 2003 / 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 38th solo album, “For God and Country”

Dolly released her 38th solo album, “For God and Country” on Veterans Day in 2003. The album is a collection of patriotic songs which include famous tunes such as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA,” and “When Johnny Comes Marching Home.” Ten of the songs are written by Dolly and include, “Welcome Home,” “Red, White & Bluegrass,” and “Color Me America.” The album was released on Nov. 11, 2003, on the Welk Music Group label.

In an interview with Country Weekly Dolly said,

“I’m not a bit political, but I’m extremely patriotic.”

The album represents Dolly’s deep patriotism and spiritual beliefs.

The album features a new version of Dolly’s beloved 1977 hit, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” The song, “Color Me America” is featured in the patriotic finale at Dolly’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. and Branson, Mo.

“For God and Country” rose to No. 23 on the U.S. Country Albums Charts

Team Dolly‘For God And Country’