2020 just got some exceptionally good news. Get ready for “A Holly Dolly Christmas!”
The queen of all things country music Dolly Parton just announced that she is making her first holiday album in over 30 years, giving fans a reason to be oh-so jolly this season. Parton will release her new album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, on October 2.
Parton has been working on the album for some time, though she put it aside to work on other projects, including the soundtrack to the Netflix movie Dumplin.
Singing partners include her brother Randy Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, and Michael Bublé. The first single is a collaboration co-written with Michael Bublé, "Cuddle up, Cozy Down Christmas." Parton wrote five of the other songs on the album and says she wanted to do something during the pandemic and felt like this was a way to help people celebrate the holidays, even though this year may be different.
“I am so excited to announce my new Christmas album ‘A Holly Dolly Christmas.’ I have recorded several Christmas classics like ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’, as well as some new material that I hope might become Christmas classics. I’ve recorded 5 duets with 5 very special artists as you can see.
I figured since everybody probably wouldn’t get to celebrate Christmas as usual this year, I wanted to be creative instead of sitting around at the house this summer. So I put on my mask, gloves and practiced social distancing, as well as all of the wonderful musicians and singers, and we proceeded to put together what I think is some of the best work that I’ve ever done. Kent Wells produced the album. As you know, Kent has been my friend, band leader and producer for many years. He’s outdone himself on this one. I’m just hoping that you’re gonna love it as much as we loved putting it together. So enjoy and MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
The album name was inspired by the classic “A Holly Jolly Christmas” which is one of Parton’s favorite Christmas songs. Parton performs some covers as well, including Marah Carey’s holiday powerhouse track "All I want for Christmas is You”, which she performs as a duet with Jimmy Fallon. Parton says she got the idea for the duet with Fallon she appeared on the show and did not know the song when he asked to sing it with her a few years ago.
"Jimmy Fallon, a couple of years ago, I was on his show around Christmas and he asked me to sing that and I didn't know it and I felt so bad," she said in regards to the song. "So, I went and learned it and I was just going to put it on my album and then I went, ‘I’ll ask Jimmy Fallon to sing it with me!’ And he said, yes. So I'm really excited about that.”
Parton has made very few holiday-themed albums, her most well known is 1984’s "Once Upon a Christmas" which she made with the legendary Kenny Rogers. Parton also made “Home for Christmas “in 1990.
A Holly Dolly Christmas Track Listing
- "Holly Jolly Christmas" – Dolly Parton
- "Christmas Is" – Dolly Parton, feat. Miley Cyrus
- "Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas" – Dolly Parton, Michael Bublé
- Christmas On The Square" – Dolly Parton
- "Circle Of Love" – Dolly Parton
- "All I Want For Christmas Is You" – Dolly Parton, Jimmy Fallon
- "Comin’ Home For Christmas" – Dolly Parton
- "Christmas Where We Are" – Dolly Parton, feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
- "Pretty Paper" – Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson
- "Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" – Dolly Parton
- "You Are My Christmas" – Dolly Parton, feat. Randy Parton
- "Mary, Did You Know?" – Dolly Parton
Parton will also be releasing a visual memoir and annotated songbook in partnership with Chronicle books that gives an intimate look at her long career as a songwriter and musician. That project is titled Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics and will be available on November 17, and is available for preorder on Amazon and through Dolly.ChronicleBooks.com.
How excited are you at this wonderful Dolly news? What is your all-time favorite Dolly Parton song? Sound off in the comments.
