Dolly Parton News

Martina McBride is set to release an album of classic country songs on October 18th. While the set does not include a cover of a Dolly classic, Martina has enlisted Dolly for harmony vocals on her cover of the Johnny Cash classic “I Still Miss Someone.” Dolly fans will remember that Dolly recorded the song herself for her 1999 Bluegrass collection The Grass Is Blue. McBride’s album, entitled Timeless, also features covers of Loretta Lynn’s “You Aint Woman Enough,” Waylon Jennings’ “Dreamin’ My Dreams,” Connie Smith’s “Once A Day,” as well as the the first single “Rose Garden” which was originally recorded by Lynn Anderson.

USA Today has revealed more details about Dolly’s upcoming album Those Were The Days. The paper mentioned that Mary Hopkins, Roger McGuinn, Alison Krauss and Kris Kristofferson have been added as guest stars in addition to the previously announced list of Keith Urban, Judy Collins, Rhonda Vincent, Joe Nichols, Nickel Creek, Tommy James, Pam Tillis, George Jones, Jeannie Seely, Brenda Lee, Jan Howard, Jack Greene, Billy Walker, Jimmy C. Newman, Mel McDaniel, Porter Wagoner, David Foster, Norah Jones, and Cat Stevens. Hopkins will join Dolly and a cast of Grand Ole Opry Legends on the title track “Those Were The Days,” Krisofferson joins Dolly on her cover of his classic “Me & Bobby McGee,” and McGuinn lends his voice to “Turn, Turn, Turn,” no word on the track Alison Krauss sings on. Sugar Hill Records and House Of Blues have also released several new tour dates, including Atlanta and New Orleans, which have been added to the listing on the front page of Dolly Parton On-Line.

The staff here at Dolly Parton On-Line would like to show our appreciation to Mark Burgess, who has decided to close the doors on his Dolly.net website. Regarded as the first true Dolly site on the net, Dolly.net always offered the Dolly news with stunning visuals and without ego and nonsense. Mark is a wonderful person and an even better friend, we wish him the best in his future endeavors. You may read Mark’s full letter to his readers on Dolly.net.

Fellow country legend George Jones has recorded a duet with Dolly for his upcoming album Hits I Missed…And One I Didn’t. The album, which will be released on September 13th, features a newly recorded version of Jones’ signature song “He Stopped Loving Her Today” as well as the ‘Possum putting his classic stamp on songs such as “On The Other Hand,” “Here In The Real World,” “Too Cold At Home,” and “The Blues Man” which was recorded as a duet with Dolly. Dolly Parton On-Line has heard a rough mix of the song, and it is wonderful. With both legends in fine voice, George takes the first and second verses, and Dolly the first chorus. The real treat however is the second chorus of the song, in which the two icons sing together in perfect harmony. A music video for the song is expected to be filmed at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville in the near future.

Although details are not available as of yet, the Rocky Mount Telegram reports that Dolly may be joining her brother Randy in concert very soon. The story, which is reporting on Randy’s music theatre that will be opening in 2007, mentions that Randy and his sister Dolly will perform an outdoor concert in Roanoke Rapids, NC on the site of the future Randy Parton Theatre in the coming months. Read the full story from the Rocky Mount Telegram.

Country singer Pam Tillis announced at a recent concert that she is one of several artists who joined Dolly in the studio last week to add vocals to the title track of her upcoming album Those Were The Days. Although Tillis did not comment on the other guest stars on the song, she did mention that the recording session was filmed, thus it may wind up being part of a music video for the song. Thanks for the info and clarifications, Joe & Steve!

Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) and famed record producer David Foster are the most recently announced guests for Dolly’s upcoming Those Were The Days album as reported by the New York Post’s Liz Smith. Stevens and Foster join previously-announced guests Keith Urban, Sarah McLachlan, Joe Nichols, Sean Lennon, Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Tommy James. Those Were The Days is set for an October release.

Dolly’s brother Randy has announced plans to build the Randy Parton Theatre in Roanoke Rapids, NC. The 1,500-seat theatre will house performances by Randy, his daughter Heidi Lou, Grand Ole Opry stars, and even Dolly. In a statement to the Virginian Pilot, Randy said “She wrote us a letter a little while back, she said she’d be looking forward to coming out and singing with us here.” The Randy Parton Theatre could open as soon as 2007.