Dolly Parton represents many things to different people, and the Country Music Hall of Fame member says her upcoming release is a reflection of her varied musical sides. The singer will release “Blue Smoke” on May 13 for Sony Music Masterworks in partnership with her own Dolly Records, and she stresses there’s a little bit of something for everyone.
“On this CD I think there are all of the colors of my life in all the areas of music that you’ve allowed me to dabble in through the years,” said Parton “You will hear my old world mountain voice on songs like ‘Banks of The Ohio’ and ‘If I Had Wings’ my tender side on songs like ‘Miss You – Miss Me’ and ‘Unlikely Angel.’ My country / bluegrass side of songs like ‘Home,’ ‘Blue Smoke’ and ‘Don’t Think Twice’ and my funny tongue-in-cheek side on ‘Lover du Jour.”
The album also contains her Grammy-nominated collaboration with Kenny Rogers, “You Can’t Make Old Friends,” as well as a track with Willie Nelson, “From Here To The Moon and Back.”
The album release will come in the middle of a busy touring season for Parton. She launches an Australian / New Zealand tour this week in Melbourne at the Rod Layer Arena that runs through February 27. She will then return to the U.S. to promote the “Blue Smoke” release, and then kick off an American leg of the tour on May 22 in Tulsa. Then, in July, she will return overseas for the UK / European leg, which commences June 8 at Liverpool’s Echo Arena, and ends on July 11 in Stockholm.
Beginning with the release of “Just Between You and Me” with Porter Wagoner in 1968, Parton has placed 41 albums in the top ten of the Billboard Country Albums chart. Her most recent trip into that territory was 2009’s “Backwoods Barbie.” Between record sales and digital downloads, she is one of a handful of female vocalists to sell over 100 million records during her career. She was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in 1969, won the CMA Entertainer of the Year award in 1978, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999.
TRACK LISTING:
1. Blue Smoke
2. Unlikely Angel
3. Don’t Think Twice
4. You Can’t Make Old Friends w/ Kenny Rogers
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 w/ Willie Nelson
12. Try