by Ben Childers

I'm constantly researching Dolly's recording career in an effort to preserve her entire recorded output in The Dolly Parton Discography. Even when I think I've uncovered every possible released recording, I stumble upon a new one. There is no better feeling for me than to uncover a recording so obscure that it hasn't previously surfaced over the last 14 years.

This week I happened upon a piece of information that suggested Dolly had participated in a March 1996 recording session for a Porter Wagoner song titled "In the Shade of the Family Tree." Now, I was familiar with the song because Irish singer Margo O'Donnell had recorded it on her Dolly tribute album The Highway of My Life: Shade of the Family Tree (1998) as a duet with Dolly's uncle, Louis Owens, but I never knew Porter to have recorded the song. A quick search on YouTube turned up the audio from a digital compilation album.

My next step was to search some archived music industry magazines. Cashbox published a short mention of the recoding session in the March 15, 1996 issue. It said, "Recording "In the Shade of the Family Tree" for an upcoming album, Grand Ole Opry star Porter Wagoner recruited an impressive array of background singers: Dolly Parton, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Brenda Lee, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Holly Dunn all joined him in the studio. Vince Gill, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Joe Diffie, and Garth Brooks previously recorded verses for the song."

I immediately text my friend Greg about the discovery and we discussed it. The next day, he sent me an excerpt from the March 1996 Dolly fan club newsletter which detailed the recording session. ​

Doug Smith, who was asked by Porter to photograph the recording session, shared some photos from that day with me. They are displayed here with permission.

Dolly joined Porter and a stage full of country stars to perform the song on Company's Comin': A Tribute to Porter Wagoner in 1997. Dolly gets a solo verse in the live performance.

Dolly's first posthumous release is here. "Bound to Ride," a new recording with The First Ladies of Bluegrass, was released September 9, 2026, through Compass Records. The song serves as the first single from Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of the Stanley Brothers, a forthcoming tribute album to the legendary bluegrass duo. Dolly is joined on the recording by Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines and Molly Tuttle, collectively known as The First Ladies of Bluegrass.

"Bound to Ride" was released by the Stanley Brothers in September 1964. For the new version, The First Ladies of Bluegrass created a fresh arrangement of the song, incorporating an eight-bar bridge based on an obscure verse.

The recording itself dates to 2022 during a COVID-19 surge. Dolly recorded her vocal separately at her own studio, while the First Ladies recorded the instrumental track independently. Becky Buller initially provided a scratch vocal as the musicians worked out the arrangement, and Dolly later added her finished vocal to the completed performance.

The resulting recording is notable not only as a new interpretation of a bluegrass classic, but as the first new Dolly recording to be released following her death. The recording is also a fitting continuation of Dolly's long-standing connection to bluegrass and the musical traditions that influenced her throughout her career.

"Bound to Ride" is now available digitally and will appear on Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of the Stanley Brothers, set for release on October 16, 2026.

by Ben Childers

Dolly Parton passed away at the age of 80 on August 25, 2026, at Nashville's  Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after a brief battle with cancer. Her nephew Bryan Seaver announced her death in a video message posted to Dolly's socials, saying, "My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I'm representing the Parton and Owens family today announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis, and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.

He concluded the statement: "My family and I have shared a lifetime of beautiful memories with Dolly, but so have you. She has always been on your television, your record player, your CD and on your phone playlist, becoming an extended part of your family whether you liked it or not. Our family and the team she has entrusted with her legacy will work diligently to ensure her spirit will live with us forever. Dolly was a farmer, just like her daddy; he farmed the soil, she farmed songs and happiness.”

People magazine reported shortly after the announcement of her death that Dolly had been hospitalized on August 21.

Following her husband Carl Dean's death in March 2025, Dolly continued working but began missing more public appearances as her health declined. She sent video messages in place of several appearances, explaining that she was dealing with "a few little health issues." At Dollywood's opening in March 2026, she acknowledged the emotional toll of the previous year, saying she had gotten "worn down and worn out, grieving over Carl and a lot of other little things going on" and needed to rebuild herself "spiritually, emotionally and physically."

In August, after missing the opening of Dollywood's NightFlight Expedition, Dolly appeared in a video wearing butterfly wings. "My little butterfly wings are getting tired," she joked, explaining that dizziness and dehydration had led her doctor to "clip my wings" and tell her not to travel. She later acknowledged that she had neglected her own health while caring for Carl: "I am dealing with some health issues that I just didn't pay attention to when I was watching over Carl." Even then, she remained determined: "Even though I'm still healin', I'm still workin'!"

The Parton and Owens families announced that Dolly will be laid to rest in a small, private service, encouraging fans to pay tribute to Dolly on social media by tagging her socials or by leaving a message at her official website. The statement continued, "In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library."

From Ben:

I'm so incredibly sad to say goodbye to Dolly Parton.
​
It's hard to put into words what Dolly meant to country music. She wasn't simply one of its greatest singers and songwriters, she helped shape the very heart and soul of the genre. From the songs she wrote and recorded to the artists she inspired, Dolly's influence touched generations. She proved that a woman could write her own story, sing it in her own voice, and become one of the most enduring figures in American music. Her songs will live on forever.

And beyond the music, Dolly showed us what it means to use success to help others. Through the Dollywood Foundation, the Imagination Library, and countless other acts of generosity, she invested in children, education, literacy, and the communities around her. Philanthropy was never an after thought for her, it was just simply who she was.

I feel incredibly lucky to have some very special memories of Dolly from these last few years. I saw what turned out to be her very last concert in Philadelphia, Mississippi, on August 26, 2023, with my childhood friend Lyndsey. I had the unbelievable honor of meeting her on May 23, 2024. I saw her final live performance at the opening of Dollywood's 40th season on March 14, 2025, just days after she lost her husband Carl. It truly felt like Dolly would live forever, and maybe in a way she will.

As heartbreaking as this loss is, I find some comfort in knowing that Dolly is reunited with her husband, parents, and her siblings Larry, Floyd, Randy, David, and Denver. She loved them all so deeply.

Thank you, Dolly, for the music, the laughter, the kindness, and the love you gave to so many. Country music will never be the same without you, but it will forever carry your voice and spirit.

​We will always love you, Dolly.

I'm honored to share that The Dolly Parton Discography has been featured in Nashville Voyager's Portraits of Nashville series.

The interview explores the story behind the website, from its beginnings as a personal passion project to its evolution into a comprehensive online resource dedicated to documenting Dolly Parton's recording career. It also highlights the research process behind the site, the importance of preserving accurate music history, and the ongoing work of expanding the archive.

Whether you've been visiting the site for years or you've just discovered it, your support has helped make this project possible. Every visit, correction, shared link, and encouraging message has contributed to the growth of this website.

Thank you to Nashville Voyager for the opportunity to tell the story behind The Dolly Parton Discography, and thank you to everyone who continues to support independent music research and preservation.

Read the full feature here.
​
As always, stay tuned because there's much more to come.

by Ben Childers

After a near four-month hiatus while I sorted out moving to a new apartment, I hope to resume more regular updates to The Dolly Parton Discography blog. We return today with new releases from Stella Parton, Avie Lee Parton, John Henry Owens, and Leroy Brown.

Stella Parton returned to music after a 7-year break on June 3, 2026, with the release of her new single "Stand by Me." The Ben E. King cover was intended to hit streaming services on June 1, but was delayed. It is the first look at Stella's new album that she had described as "inspirational," but not necessarily "religious." The new album should arrive this summer.

Owepar Records on May 22, 2026, re-released Avie Lee Parton's 1990 cassette only album, Smoky Mountain Mama, digitally for the very first time. Recorded primarily in 1979 in anticipation of what would become her first and only tour as a performing folk artist, the album captures Avie Lee performing traditional mountain ballads and Appalachian folk songs with full-band accompaniment. Though some material dates back to earlier sessions in the 1970s, the collection was ultimately assembled and released in 1990 by Louis Owens. The 2026 reissue was ​restored from surviving reel-to-reel masters.

On April 16, 2026, John Henry Owens' 1977 album, The Smoky Mountain Vagabond Sings, was reissued for the first time by Owepar Records. The collection was originally released on LP by the Royal American label. The album features many of his previous singles and John Henry's original solo version of "I Just Stopped By" which was used to create a duet with his niece Dolly for the 2024 Owens-Parton family album, Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith and Fables.

Richie Owens and Bob Ocker released Appalachia: Ballads, Bloodlines, and the Long Journey Home, Volume One on April 10, 2026. The album is a companion piece to Richie's new book by the same name. The album features spoken introductions by Richie for each song. The tracks from the album correspond with chapters from the book.

Leroy Brown released his debut single "Living Through a Car Window" on May 20, 2026, by Owepar Records. Leroy is the son of Dolly's niece, Rebecca Seaver. The song was recorded and engineered by Dolly's niece, Jada Star. The song is performed over an acoustic style track mixed with audio from home videos. It is the first track to be released from Leroy's upcoming album.