Dolly Parton’s first posthumous recording has been released, just two weeks after the legendary country singer’s death at the age of 80.
Parton died on 25 August following a brief battle with cancer. Her newly released track, Bound To Ride, was recorded in 2022 and will appear on an upcoming tribute album celebrating bluegrass pioneers Carter and Ralph Stanley.
The song, which was made famous by The Stanley Brothers in 1964, was recorded by Parton at her own private studio during a surge in Covid cases. At the time, the singer chose to avoid travelling because she did not want to put her health at risk.
Bound To Ride is included on Where The Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years Of The Stanley Brothers, which is scheduled to be released on 16 October. The project has been produced by married couple Garry West and Alison Brown as a tribute to the influential Stanley Brothers and their lasting contribution to bluegrass music, a genre that held a special place in Parton’s heart.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, West praised Parton’s performance and said she had exceeded their expectations. He described the recording as “the full Dolly”, explaining that the team had no idea what she would deliver when they received the vocals.
“We were shocked,” West said. “We couldn’t have gotten anything better.”
The tribute album also features performances from a number of other well-known artists, including Willie Nelson, Steve Martin and Ed Helms.
Parton enjoyed one of the most remarkable careers in popular music, spanning more than six decades. She sold over 100 million records around the world and wrote more than 3,000 songs during her career. Among her best-known compositions are Jolene and Coat Of Many Colours.
Away from music, Parton also became a hugely successful entrepreneur and philanthropist. Her business ventures included Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that has become one of the region’s most popular attractions.
Her charitable work also left a lasting legacy. Through her Imagination Library initiative, which provides books to encourage children to develop a love of reading, more than 325 million books have been distributed worldwide. More than 200,000 children in Ireland have benefited from the programme.
Following her death, tributes came from across the globe, with major music figures including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé among those honouring Parton’s extraordinary life and career.
