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Album cover. Welk Music Group / Blue Eye (79756-2) (2003)
For God and Country is the fortieth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released on November 11, 2003, by Welk Music Group and Dolly's own Blue Eye Records. The album was produced by Dolly with Kent Wells and Tony Smith. It peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and number 167 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Two singles were released from the album, "Welcome Home" and "Light of a Clear Blue Morning". The album has sold 87,000 copies in the United States as of October 2005.

Track listing

  1. The Lord Is My Shepherd (Traditional, arr. and melody by Dolly Parton) 2:09
  2. The Star Spangled Banner (Francis Scott Key, arr. by Dolly Parton) 3:03
  3. God Bless the USA (Lee Greenwood) 3:34
  4. Light of a Clear Blue Morning (Dolly Parton) 4:50
  5. When Johnny Comes Marching Home (Louis Lambert, arr. by Dolly Parton) 4:19
  6. Welcome Home (Dolly Parton) 4:20
  7. Gee Ma, I Wanna Go Home (Traditional, arr. by Dolly Parton) 5:19
  8. Whispering Hope (Jim Reeves, arr. by Dolly Parton) 2:30
  9. There Will Be Peace in the Valley for Me (Thomas A. Dorsey) 4:09
  10. Red, White and Bluegrass (Dolly Parton) 4:24
  11. My Country 'Tis (Samuel Francis Smith, arr. by Dolly Parton) 2:50
  12. I'm Gonna Miss You (Dolly Parton) 4:59
  13. Go to Hell (Dolly Parton) 6:49
  14. Ballad of the Green Beret (Barry A. Sadler, Robert L. Moore Jr.) 5;13
  15. Brave Little Soldier (Dolly Parton) 4:25
  16. Tie a Tellow Ribbon (Russell Brown, Irwin Levine) 3:21
  17. Color Me America (Dolly Parton) 3:54
  18. The Glory Forever (Traditional, arr. and melody by Dolly Parton) 1:58
Note: When the album was reissued digitally on April 10, 2020, several of the songs had been modified from the original 2003 release. The changes made are listed below.
  • "​The Lord Is My Shepherd" – no fade in
  • "The Star Spangled Banner" – post song interlude is different
  • "God Bless the USA" – alternate vocal take
  • "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" – no spoken intro
  • "Whispering Hope" – no Dolly vocals on intro
  • "(There’ll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)" – post song interlude ends earlier
  • "Red, White, and Bluegrass" – fade out lasts longer
  • "Go to Hell" – alternate vocal take, fades out earlier; pre-song interlude from following track is added to the end, minus the drum beats
  • "Ballad of the Green Beret" – pre-song intro has been removed; it is now attached to the end of "Go to Hell"

Background

Dolly appeared on the June 3, 2003 episode of MWL Star to premiere the music video for "I'm Gone" from here 2002 album Halos & Horns. In addition to premiering the music video, she announced that she planned to release a new album in the fall titled For God and Country, containing inspirational and patriotic songs. She performed one song from the album, "I'm Gonna Miss You", and "9 to 5". On June 18, Dolly made an appearance at a preview of her Dixie Stampede's new Orlando location, where she performed "Color Me America," which was used as the show's finale. She said she planned to include the song on her next album and that it should be released by September 11. On July 3, she appeared on Good Day Live where she announced that the album had been pushed back to early 2004. That evening she was interviewed on Larry King Live where she said that she planned to tour in 2004 to promote the album and that it would be a larger-scale event, describing it as her first big tour in several years. She also announced two more song titles from the album, "Peace in the Valley" and "Whispering Hope". The following night Dolly headlined the 2003 A Capitol Fourth Independence Day concert. The special aired live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in Washington. She performed two songs from the upcoming album, "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and "When Johnny Comes Marching Home", in addition to "9 to 5".

​The album was formally announced by Welk Music Group on August 26, 2003, with the album's release date, artwork, and track listing being revealed.

Recording

The album was recorded at Two Monkeys Productions in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dolly had previously recorded "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" twice. She first recorded it for her 1977 album New Harvest...First Gathering and revisited the song in 1992 for the Straight Talk soundtrack album. She would later re-record "Brave Little Soldier" for her 2017 children's album I Believe in You.

Release and promotion

​The album was released November 11, 2003, on CD and cassette.

Singles

The album's first single, "Welcome Home", was released in November 2003, and failed to chart. Its music video was filmed over the January 10–11, 2004 weekend. It was premiered by CMT on February 4. Trey Fanjoy directed the single's accompanying music video.

"Light of a Clear Blue Morning" was released as the second single in May 2004. It also failed to chart.

A music video for "Color Me America" was included on the Behind the Scenes ​DVD that was released October 14, 2003.

Television appearances

Dolly appeared on the September 11, 2003 episode of The John Walsh Show where she performed two new songs that would be included on the album, "Color Me America" and "Brave Little Soldier”. On November 5, she appeared on The Early Show and performed "Color Me America" and "Welcome Home", which she announced would be the album's first single. ​Dolly made an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman the following evening, where she performed "Red, White and Bluegrass”. On November 13, Parton appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and performed "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and "I Will Always Love You”.

Dolly made an appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly on May 7, 2004, where she performed "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and announced that it would be the album's second single. She performed the song again on the May 20 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in addition to "9 to 5”.

Critical reception

Dolly appeared on the September 11, 2003 episode of The John Walsh Show where she performed two new songs that would be included on the album, "Color Me America" and "Brave Little Soldier”. On November 5, she appeared on The Early Show and performed "Color Me America" and "Welcome Home", which she announced would be the album's first single. ​Dolly made an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman the following evening, where she performed "Red, White and Bluegrass”. On November 13, Parton appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and performed "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and "I Will Always Love You”.

Dolly made an appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly on May 7, 2004, where she performed "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" and announced that it would be the album's second single. She performed the song again on the May 20 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, in addition to "9 to 5”.

Commercial performance

The album debuted and peaked at number 23 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart dated November 29, 2003. It charted for a total of 10 weeks. It also peaked at number 167 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 6 on the Billboard Independent Albums chart.

​The album has sold 87,000 copies in the United States as of October 2005.

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album liner notes.
Performance
  • Monty Allen – background vocals
  • Charlie Anderson – bass guitar
  • Bob Bailey – background vocals
  • "Brave Little Soldier" singers – additional vocals
  • Gary "Biscuit" Davis – banjo
  • Dallas Christian Sound – additional vocals
  • Michael Davis – piano, Hammond B3, synth programming
  • Richard Dennison – background vocals
  • The Fairfield Four – additional vocals
  • Robert Hale – acoustic guitar, background vocals
  • Vicki Hampton – background vocals
  • The Harding University Concert Choir – additional vocals
  • Steven Hill – background vocals
  • Paul Hollowell – piano, Hammond B3
  • Randy Kohrs – dobro
  • Jimmy Mattingly – fiddle, mandolin
  • Louis Nunley – background vocals
  • Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals
  • Dolly Parton – lead vocals, background vocals
  • David Slater – background vocals
  • Tony Smith – synth programming
  • Billy Thomas – drums, percussion
  • Sheryl Thomas – background vocals
  • Steve Turner – drums, percussion
  • Bruce Watkins – acoustic guitar
  • Jay Weaver – bass guitar
  • Darrell Webb – mandolin, background vocals
  • Kent Wells – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, background vocals
  • Lynn Wright – background vocals
Production
  • Chuck Ainlay – recording, digital editing, mixing
  • Jesse Benfield – digital editing, mixing assistant
  • Michael Davis – location recording, digital editing
  • Hannah Dennison – "Brave Little Soldier" singers director
  • Richard Dennison – vocal supervisor, production assistant
  • Kyle Dickinson – production assistant
  • Aaron Flanary – location recording assistant
  • John Guess – mixing
  • Erik Hellerman – digital editing
  • Teresa Hughes – production assistant
  • Russ Long – recording, digital editing
  • Patrick Murphy – recording, digital editing, mixing assistant
  • Judy Ogle – personal assistant
  • Dolly Parton – producer, arrangements, melodies
  • Benny Quinn – mastering
  • Dave Sinco – recording
  • Tony Smith – producer, recording, digital editing
  • Jeff Thomas – digital editing
  • James Waddell – digital editing
  • Kent Wells – producer
Other personnel
  • Don Bailey – design, photo montages
  • Robert Behar – wardrobe
  • Dennis Carney – photography
  • Chris Ferrara – cover design
  • Luellyn Latocki – additional photos
  • Cheryl Riddle – hair
  • Virginia Team – art direction, additional photos