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Single cover. Compass (digital single) (2026)
"Bound to Ride" is a single by Dolly Parton and The First Ladies of Bluegrass (Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines, and Molly Tuttle). It was released on September 9, 2026, by Compass Records as the first single from Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of the Stanley Brothers. The track was co-produced by Alison Brown and Garry West. The Stanley Brothers' recording was released in September 1964. The single's release marks Dolly's first posthumous release.

Track listing

  • Bound to Ride (Traditional) 3:22

Recording

"Bound to Ride" was recorded around 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because Dolly was taking precautions during a surge, she recorded her vocal alone at her own studio, while The First Ladies of Bluegrass (Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines, and Molly Tuttle) recorded the instrumental backing separately. The group rearranged the traditional song, incorporating an eight-bar bridge drawn from an obscure verse of the song. ​The band developed the new arrangement while masked around a studio coffee table, with Becky Buller providing a scratch vocal in their best guess of Dolly's key. When Dolly's finished vocal was added, she called each of the First Ladies by name during the performance, a gesture that deeply moved the musicians.

Audio

Critical reception

The recording has received early praise for Dolly's spirited performance, with Rolling Stone writer Brian Hiatt describing it as "rollicking" and producer Garry West saying that Dolly "over-deliver[ed]" on the recording. He continued by saying, "We couldn’t have gotten anything better," while Apple Music selected the track as one of its Best New Songs in Americana.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from Apple Music.
  • Matt Coles – engineer
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals
  • The First Ladies of Bluegrass:
    • Alison Brown – banjo, harmony vocals, arrangement, co-producer
    • Becky Buller – fiddle, harmony vocals
    • Sierra Hull – mandolin, harmony vocals
    • Missy Raines – bass, harmony vocals
    • Molly Tuttle – guitar, harmony vocals
  • Garry West – co-producer