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)
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Dolly embarked on her Vintage Tour between Aug. 16, 2005, (Atlantic City, New Jersey) and Dec. 16, 2005, (North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) in support of her "Those Were the Days" album. During the tour, Dolly visited 40 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
One of the main features of the tour was doing covers of other artists’ classic songs while adding her unique style (Bob Dylan’s "Blowin' in the Wind," for instance). Dolly commented on her process of picking and arranging the songs that she chose.
"I chose stuff I like to do... I mean, I hope people like it, but I enjoyed doing it, and I tried to treat every song just kind of with my own personality, kind of Dolly-ize them, but still try to pick up some of the best parts.''
