Album cover. Butterfly / 12-Tone Music (190296823435) (2020)

Dolly Parton
A Holly Dolly Christmas
Butterfly / 12-Tone Music (190296823435)
October 2, 2020

1. ​Holly Jolly Christmas (Johnny Marks) 3:22
2. Christmas Is (featuring Miley Cyrus) (Dolly Parton) 3:17
3. Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas (duet with Michael Bublé) (Dolly Parton) 3:39
4. Christmas on the Square (Dolly Parton) 3:15
5. Circle of Love (Dolly Parton) 3:43
6. All I Want for Christmas Is You (duet with Jimmy Fallon) (Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff) 4:05
7. Comin' Home for Christmas* (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 4:29
8. Christmas Where We Are (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus) (Jada Roberts, Barry Jobe) 3:11
9. Pretty Paper (duet with Willie Nelson) (Willie Nelson) 3:34
10. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Tommie Connor) 2:44
11. You Are My Christmas (featuring Randy Parton) (Dolly Parton) 4:14
12. Mary, Did You Know? (Mark Lowry, Buddy Greene) 4:27

*Previously released as a standalone single in 2009.

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Amazon Exclusive streaming edition bonus tracks
​      13.    The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32
​      14.    Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29

8-track edition bonus track
​      13.    The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32

Cassette edition bonus track
​      13.    Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29

Bonus Version bonus track
​      13.    I Still Believe (Performed live on A Holly Dolly Christmas TV Special) (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 3:50

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2021 Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
​​​      13.    I Still Believe (Performed live on A Holly Dolly Christmas TV Special) (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 3:50
​      14.    Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29
​      15.    The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32

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2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition bonus tracks
​      13.    Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29
      14.    The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32
      15.    Baby, It's Cold Outside   Rod Stewart featuring Dolly Parton (Frank Loesser) 3:50
      16.    Something Bigger Than Me (Steve Dorff, Marty Panzer) 3:56
      17.    A Smoky Mountain Christmas (Dolly Parton) 2:10
      18.    (I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa (Bill Owens) 2:13
      19.    Wrapped Up in You (Dolly Parton) 2:33
      20.   Silent Night (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr) 3:13

Notes:

• Tracks 13 and 14 were previously released on the Amazon Exclusive streaming edition, 8-track edition (13), cassette edition (14), and the 2021 Deluxe Edition of the album.
• Track 15 was originally released on Rod Stewart's 2004 album Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III.
• Tracks 17-19 are the recordings featured in the 1986 TV movie A Smoky Mountain Christmas, but this marks their first commercial release.
• Tracks 16 and 20 were originally released on the 1997 soundtrack album Annabelle's Wish.

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Background

Dolly released "Comin' Home for Christmas" as a single in December 2009, but no mention of a Christmas album was made for almost seven years. She first mentioned that she was working on a new Christmas album during a Facebook Live Q&A in August 2016. She said that the album would be released in 2017 and would feature songs that she had written for the NBC TV movie Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. The title song from the movie, "Circle of Love", was recorded by Jennifer Nettles, who played Dolly's mother in the film, for her 2016 Christmas album To Celebrate Christmas. The song was also recorded by Dolly's niece Heidi Parton for her 2017 album This Kind of Love. The album's release was delayed due to the release of Dolly's first children's album I Believe in You in 2017 and the Dumplin' soundtrack album in 2018. The album's release was mentioned again in April 2020 by Dolly's creative director Steve Summers, who mentioned in a YouTube livestream with Linda Perry that his team was working on preparations for the album photoshoot and that it would be coming out in 2020. Dolly prematurely announced the album's title in addition to two song titles and a few of the guest artists during an interview with Eddie Stubbs on WSM in July 2020. Following the broadcast, the interview was posted to WSM's SoundCloud page, but was deleted by mid-afternoon the next day.

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Recording

The album was recorded at various studios from 2009 to 2020.

• Sound Stage Studios (Nashville)
• ​Kent Wells Productions (Franklin)
• Dark Horse Recording (Franklin)
• Paragon Studios (Franklin)
• The Jazz/Pop Sweatshop (Vancouver)
• Adventure Studios (Nashville)​

• Velvet Apple Studios (Nashville)
• Little Big Sound (Nashville)
• Monk Music Studios (East Hampton)
• Quad Studios (Nashville)
• Pedernales Recording Studio (Spicewood)

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Release and promotion

The album was formally announced on August 12, 2020, and was made available for pre-order the following day. It was released October 2 on CD, digital download, and streaming. Target stores offered an exclusive version of the album featuring an alternate cover. An enhanced version of the album was made available for streaming on Spotify featuring exclusive video content. An Amazon Exclusive edition of the album featuring two bonus tracks was made available for streaming on October 6. The album was released November 13 on LP after its release was pushed back from October 2 due to a manufacturing delay. The LP version was released on opaque red, green, and gold vinyl on Parton's website. The LP was released on white vinyl exclusively on Amazon in the UK and peppermint colored vinyl by Magnolia Record Club. It was also released on cassette and 8-track on November 13, each featuring one bonus track, available exclusively through Amazon. A "Bonus Version" of the album was released for digital download and streaming on December 4 with one bonus track, a live recording of "I Still Believe", from the CBS TV special A Holly Dolly Christmas. A Deluxe Edition of the album was released to digital music retailers and streaming services on October 29, 2021, featuring alternate artwork and all three bonus tracks: "I Still Believe", "Three Candles", and "The Wish Book". An Ultimate Deluxe Edition followed in 2022 featuring "Three Candles", "The Wish Book", "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Rod Stewart from His 2004 album Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III, "Something Bigger Than Me" and "Silent Night" from the 1997 soundtrack album Annabelle's Wish, and three track from Dolly's 1986 ​TV movie A Smoky Mountain Christmas, marking their first commercial release.

Singles

​"Comin Home for Christmas" was released as a stand alone single on December 1, 2009. It would be included on A Holly Dolly Christmas eleven years after its initial release and peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart.

The album's first single, "Mary, Did You Know?", was previewed in an article on Good Housekeeping's website on August 20, 2020, and was released to digital retailers the following day. It peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Hot Christian Songs chart and number 18 on the Billboard Christian Digital Song Sales chart.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" was released as the second single on September 15.

The third single, "Christmas on the Square", was released on September 29 and peaked at number 49 on the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart.

"Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas" and "All I Want for Christmas Is You" were released simultaneously to radio on October 2 as the fourth and fifth singles. "Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas" was released to Hot/Modern/AC stations and peaked at number three on the BillboardHoliday Digital Song Sales chart, number 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, number 6 on the Billboard Canada AC chart, and number 80 on the UK Singles Chart. An animated music video directed by Alex Popkin premiered November 6 on Dolly's Facebook page and was released on YouTube the following day. "All I Want for Christmas Is You" was released to Country radio and peaked at number four on the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart. An animated music video directed by Alex Popkin was released on December 3.

Dolly surprise released "I Still Believe" from her CBS Christmas special as a digital bonus track and the album's sixth single on December 4. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart and number 32 on the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart.

"A Smoky Mountain Christmas", from Dolly's 1986 TV movie of the same name, was released August 26, 2022, as the first single from the album's Ultimate Deluxe Edition . The second single, Dolly's recording of "Silent Night" from the 1997 soundtrack album Annabelle's Wish, was released on September 23, 2022.

Other charted songs

Following the album's release several of its tracks charted on the Billboard Holiday Digital Song Sales chart. "Circle of Love" peaked at number eight, "Pretty Paper" peaked at number 12, "Christmas Is" peaked at number 13, "Holly Jolly Christmas" peaked at number 16, "You Are My Christmas" peaked at number 21, and "Christmas Where We Are" peaked at number 34.
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An animated music videos directed by Alex Popkin was released for "Pretty Paper" on December 22, 2020.

Television appearances

Dolly performed "Circle of Love", "Comin' Home for Christmas", and "Mary, Did You Know?" during a livestream event on Amazon Music titled Dolly Parton's Comin' Home for Christmas on November 13, followed by a Q&A hosted by Leslie Jordan. Dolly performed "Holly Jolly Christmas" from her studio in Nashville during a pre-recorded segment of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 26.

Dolly and Jimmy Fallon performed "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in addition to Dolly also performing "Mary, Did You Know?" during NBC's annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree-lighting ceremony on December 2. Both performances were pre-recorded at Dolly's studio in Nashville with Fallon’s portion being filmed in New York City on set of The Tonight Show. On December 4, Dolly appeared on The Graham Norton Show where she performed "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" via a pre-recorded performance from her studio in Nashville. Also on December 4, she hosted a livestream concert on Pandora with guests Brett Eldredge, Carly Pearce, and Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Dolly performed "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and "Holly Jolly Christmas". During the Toronto Santa Claus Parade on December 5, Dolly performed "Holy Jolly Christmas" from her studio in Nashville during a pre-recorded segment. A pre-recorded video of Dolly performing "Christmas Is" from her home aired during Cyndi Lauper's tenth annual Home for the Holidays fundraiser livestream on December 11 on TikTok and December 13 on YouTube.

Television special

​​CBS aired a television special titled A Holly Dolly Christmas starring Dolly on December 6. She performed from an intimate, candlelit set while sharing personal Christmas stories and faith-based recollections of the season, interspersed with songs from the album. The special drew 6.2 million viewers and a 0.7 average rating among adults 18–49

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Critical reception

A Holly Dolly Christmas received positive reviews from music critics. At Album of the Year, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76 based on 4 reviews. In a review for AllMusic, Timothy Monger gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, saying that the album "offers up a heartfelt, compassionate, and joyous cup of holiday cheer." He noted that unlike 1990's Home for Christmas, this album features Parton originals, "some of which are quite good." Matt Melis gave the album a B rating in a review for Consequence of Sound, saying "it feels like the kind of gift we could all stand to find under the tree." He named "Christmas Is", "Christmas on the Square", and "Pretty Paper" as the album's essential tracks.

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Commercial performance

​The album debuted and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart with 27,000 equivalent album units of which 26,000 were pure album sales. The album also debuted and peaked at number one on both the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart. In Europe the album peaked at number 11 on the Scottish Albums chart and number 16 on the UK Albums Chart.

The album has sold 171,000 units in the United States as of December 2020.

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Accolades

The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the original album liner notes, the 2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition, and TIDAL.

Original album

Performance

• Roy Agee – tenor trombone, bass trombone, orchestration
• David Angell – violin
• Monisa Angell – violin
• Michael Bublé – lead vocals
• Wei Tsun Chang – violin
• ​Dennis Crouch – upright bass
• Billy Ray Cyrus – lead vocals
• Miley Cyrus – lead vocals
• Janet Darnell – violin
• David Davidson – violin, viola, orchestration
• Michael Davis – keys, B3, orchestrations, percussion
• ​Richard Dennison – piano, background vocals
• Jimmy Fallon – lead vocals
• Chris Farrell – viola
• Lloyd Green – steel guitar
• Vicki Hampton – background vocals
• ​Tom Hoey – drums, percussion
• Paul Hollowell – piano, B3
• Sam Levine – saxophone, flute, clarinet, orchestration
• ​Gary Lunn – bass, upright bass

• Steve Mackey – bass
• Jimmy Mattingly – fiddle, mandolin
• Aaron McCune – background vocals
• ​Paul Nelson – cello
• Willie Nelson – lead vocals
• Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals
• Dolly Parton – lead vocals
• ​Heidi Parton – harmony vocals
• Randy Parton – lead vocals
• Stefan Petrescu – violin
• ​Carole Rabinowitz – cello
• Sarighani Reist – cello
• Tom Rutledge – acoustic guitar
• Steve Turner – drums, percussion
• Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin
• Darrin Vincent – background vocals
• Rhonda Vincent – mandolin, background vocals
• Kent Wells – electric guitar, nylon string guitar, guitars, percussion, banjo, programming
• Karen Winkelmann – violin

Production

• Lakieta Bagwell-Graves – background vocal arrangement
• ​Michael Bublé – vocal arrangement
• Steve Chadie – engineer
• ​Joey Crawford – engineer
• Cynthia Daniels – engineer
• ​David Davidson – orchestral arrangement
• ​Jim DeMain – mastering
• ​Richard Dennison – producer, vocal arrangements
• Kyle Dickinson – editing, assistant engineer
• Kat Elfman – production assistant
• Ryan Enockson – engineer
• Jamie Graves – vocal recording
• Paul David Hager – Miley vocal engineer
• Chris Latham – editing, vocal editing​

• Kam Luchterhand – assistant engineer
• Parker Lyons – assistant engineer
• Andrew Mayer – assistant engineer
• Joel McKenney – assistant engineer
• Patrick Murphy – tracking engineer
• Mark Needham – mixing
• Dolly Parton – executive producer
• Taylor Pollert – orchestra engineer
• Tom Rutledge – producer, engineer
• Cody Simpson – Miley vocal tracking engineer
• Tyler Spratt – editing
• Adam Wathen – assistant engineer
• ​Kent Wells – producer, overdubs
• Kevin Willis – engineer, editing, tracking enginee

Other personnel

• Hillary Adcock – seamstress
• Stacie Huckeba – photography
• Iisha Lemming – master draper
• Vance Nichols – set design
• Riley Reed – seamstress
• Cheryl Riddle – hair
• ​J.B. Rowland – art direction
• Rebecca Seaver – production
• Steve Summers – costume designer

Amazon Exclusive streaming edition bonus tracks

This section includes credits for "The Wish Book" and "Three Candles"

• Richard Dennison – keyboards, piano, harmony vocals, background vocals, producer
• Vicki Hampton – background vocals
• Tom Hoey – drums, percussion
• Jimmy Mattingly – mandolin
• Patrick Murphy – recording engineer
• Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals
• Dolly Parton – lead vocals
• Tom Rutledge – bass, acoustic guitar, producer, recording engineer

Bonus Version bonus track

This section includes credits for "I Still Believe"

• Jim DeMain - mastering
• Richard Dennison – background vocals
• Kyle Dickinson – engineer
• Kat Elfman – production assistant
• Vicki Hampton – background vocals
• Paul Hollowell – piano, keyboards
• Even Hutchings – drums
• Chris Latham - editing
• Gary Lunn – bass

• ​Mark Needham – mixing
• Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals
• Dolly Parton - lead vocals
• Tyler Spratt – mixing assistant
• Adam Wathen – assistant engineer
• Kent Wells – guitar, keyboards, programming, engineer
• Kevin Willis – engineer

2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition bonus tracks

This section includes credits for "Baby, It's Cold Outside", "Something Bigger Than Me", "A Smoky Mountain Christmas",
​"(I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa",  "Wrapped Up in You", and "Silent Night".

Performance

• Ken Ashcer – piano, keyboards, synthesizer
  
• ​Roberto Cani – violin
• Bob Cranshaw – bass
• Franklyn D'Antonio – violin
  
• ​​Brian Denbow – viola
  
• Bruce Dukoa – violin
  
• Stephen Erdody – cello
• Bob Getter – bass
• Julie Gigante – violin
  
• Steve Goldstein – piano
• Endre Granat – violin
  
• Janet Lakatos – viola
• ​Ana Landauer – violin
  
• Tim Landauer – cello
  
• David Low – cello
  
• Bob Mann – guitar, keyboards, synthesizer
• Edie Markman – violin
• Michael Markman – violin
• Jorge Moraga – viola

• Dan Neufeld – viola
• Simon Oswell – viola
• Dolly Parton – lead vocals
• Al Perkins – steel guitar
• Robert Peterson – violin
• David Platshon – drums
• Katia Popov – violin
• Barbara Porter – violin
• Steve Richards – cello
• Matt Rollings – piano
• ​Gil Romero – violin
• Nancy Roth – viola
• Allan Schwartzberg – bass
• Haim Shtrum – violin
• Rod Stewart – lead vocals
• Rick Vito – guitar
• David Walther – viola
• Kenneth Yerke – violin

Production

• John Allen – production coordinator
• Helen Atkinson – engineer
• ​Darwin Best – engineer
  
• ​Steve Buckingham – producer
• Raj Das – engineer
• Jim DeMain – mastering
• ​Steve Dorff - string arrangement
• Doug Epstein – engineer
• Bobby Ginsburg - recording engineer
• Steve Goldstein – producer
• Larry Herbstritt – string arrangement
• Bob Mann – arrangement

• Michael Markman – concertmaster
• Mark Needham – mixing
• ​Gary Paczosa - recording engineer
• Dolly Parton – executive producer
• ​Ryan Petrie – assistant recording engineer
• Matt Rowlings – producer
• Bill Schnee – strings recording engineer
• Michael Teaney – engineer
• Alli Truch – creative director
• Steve Tyrell – engineer
• Andy Zulla – mixing engineer

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Releases

FORMAT / TITLE / LABEL & CATALOG # / REGION / RELEASE DATE (MM-DD-YYYY)​

• CD / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296823435 / US / 10-02-2020
• CD / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296823015 / US / 10-02-2020 (green cover, Target exclusive)
• Digital download / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various / 10-02-2020
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various /10-02-2020
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various /10-02-2020 (Spotify exclusive with video content)
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Amazon Exclusive) / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various /10-06-2020 (Amazon exclusive with two bonus tracks)
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296821790 / US / 11-13-2020 (red opaque, Dolly's online store exclusive)
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296819902 / US / 11-13-2020 (peppermint, Magnolia Record Club exclusive)
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296819902 / US / 11-13-2020 (green transparent, Dolly's online store exclusive)
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296821790 / US / 11-13-2020 (gold opaque, Dolly's online store exclusive)
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296823121 / UK / 11-13-2020 (white transparent; UK Amazon exclusive)
• 8-track / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296812194 / US / 11-13-2020 (black, Amazon exclusive with one bonus track)
• 8-track / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296812194 / US / 11-13-2020 (cream, Amazon exclusive with one bonus track)
• ​Cassette / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296812231 / US / 11-13-2020 (Amazon exclusive with one bonus track)
• Digital download / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Bonus Version) / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various /12-04-2020
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Bonus Version) / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / Various /12-04-2020
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music 190296759444 / US / 2021 (Walmart exclusive)
• Digital download / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner / Various / 10-29-2021 (Digital exclusive with three bonus tracks)
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner / Various / 10-20-2021 (Digital exclusive with three bonus tracks)
• 2xLP / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner 093624873174 / US / 10-14-2022
• CD / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner 093624870272 / Various / 10-14-2022
• Digital download / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner / Various / 10-14-2022
• Streaming / A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition) / Butterfly; Warner / Various / 10-14-2022
• LP / A Holly Dolly Christmas / Butterfly; 12-Tone 190296759444 / Butterfly; 12-Tone Music / US / 2022 (solid white, Walmart exclusive)