2022 Year in Review

This year saw Dolly release three albums, an audiobook, and make several guest appearances on other albums and singles. Highlights of the year would be the release of Run, Rose, Run, the companion album to her novel of the same name (co-written with James Patterson), and her Grammy-nominated collaboration with Bill Anderson on "Someday It'll All Make Sense". Next year looks to be an exciting year for Dolly fans as we anticipate the release of her upcoming rock album, tentatively titled Rock Star and consisting of 25 to 27 songs (and taking up 4 vinyl LPs!).

Let's take a chronological look back at Dolly's 2022 releases!

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Run, Rose, Run (March 4, 2022)

Album cover. Butterfly (192641819995) (2022)

Dolly released her forty-eighth solo studio album, Run, Rose, Run, in March. The album is a companion piece to her novel of the same name (co-written with James Patterson), but is strong enough to stand on its own. The bluegrass-infused album features twelve new solo Dolly compositions, with guest appearances from Ben Haggard, Joe Nichols, and Richard Dennison. Its release was preceded by three singles, "Big Dreams and Faded Jeans", "Blue Bonnet Breeze", and "Woman Up (And Take It Like a Man)".

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Run, Rose, Run audiobook (March 7, 2022)

Audiobook cover. Hatchette Audio (9 781549 16485 9) (2022)

The audiobook of Run, Rose Run was released digitally on the same day as the book, with the CD release following three weeks later. It's a fun listen and really brings the book to life. The audiobook features the voice talents of Dolly Parton as Ruthanna Ryder, Kelsea Ballerini as AnnieLee Keyes, James Fouhey as Ethan Blake, Soneela Nankani as Narrator and other roles, with additional roles voiced by Kevin T. Collins, Peter Ganim, Luis Moreno, Ronald Peet, Robert Petkoff, Ella Turenne, and ​Emily Woo Zeller.

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"Love Is Here to Stay"
(Michael Feinstein featuring Dolly Parton) (March 11, 2022)

Album cover. Craft Recordings (CR00319) (2022)

Dolly covered the Gershwin classic "Love Is Here to Stay" with Michael Feinstein for his album Gershwin Country, which was released in March. Its release was somewhat overshadowed in the Dolly community by the media blitz that surrounded the release of ​Run, Rose, Run the previous week, which is a shame because it is one of the highlights of Dolly's musical output this year. If this one slipped through the cracks and you haven't heard it, give it a listen!

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"The Seeker"
​(Julie and Dan featuring Dolly Parton) (April 22, 2022)

Album cover. Julie and Dan (1 95729 53414 8) (2022)

April saw the release of Julie and Dan's cover of Dolly's 1975 single, "The Seeker", on their Hymns: Some of Old, Some of New album. The bluegrass-tinged cover features guest vocals from Dolly and is a welcome update to one of Dolly's early classics.

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All in for the Gambler: All-Star Concert Celebration
(Kenny Rogers and various artists) (May 20, 2022)

Album cover. Blackbird Presents (BBPP007) (2022)

Kenny Rogers and Dolly's final performance together from 2017 was finally released in May on All in for the Gambler: All-Star Concert Celebration, a two-disc CD+DVD set. The CD and DVD both feature all three of Dolly's performances. She and Kenny begin with a touching performance of their last single, "You Can't Make Old Friends". This is followed by an emotional rendition of "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly. They close out the concert with "Islands in the Stream" before leaving the stage together for the last time with a "mic drop." It's a wonderful addition to Dolly's discography to have her final performance with Kenny preserved on this CD+DVD set.

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"Someday It'll All Make Sense"
​(Bill Anderson featuring Dolly Parton) (June 10, 2022)

Album cover. MCA Nashville / UMe (B0035598-02) (2022)

Bill Anderson released a new greatest hits compilation in June titled ​As Far as I Can See: The Best of Bill Anderson. The set included a new duet with Dolly titled "Someday It'll All Make Sense" and a demo he and Dolly had recorded back in 1964 titled "If It's All the Same to You". During promotion of the new compilation album the demo was said to have been recently discovered, but it had in fact been released back in 2011 on the Bear Family box set of Anderson's early material, The First 10 Years, 1956–1966. A bluegrass version of "Someday It'll All Make Sense" was released in August and is nominated for Best American Roots Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.

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"Two Doors Down"
(Positive Vibrations featuring Dolly Parton) (July 8, 2022)

Album cover. This Is Hit / BBR Music Group (digital album) (2022)

Dolly recorded a reggae-influenced version of her 1978 single "Two Doors Down" for the Positive Vibrations album ​Country Goes Reggae, which was released in July. While it may not rival the infectious sing-a-long version from 1978, it's always fun to hear Dolly try out new genres.

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"9 to 5"
​(Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson) (September 9, 2022)

Single cover. Smack (digital single) (2022)

September saw the release of a reimagined version of "9 to 5" by Dolly and Kelly Clarkson. Recorded for the new documentary ​Still Working 9 to 5, the slowed-down, moody take on the song gives the listener a chance to focus on the lyrics. Without the peppy tempo of the original, the lyrics reveal their darker undertones of how the working man is exploited for the gain of others. (Dolly and Kelly performed an amazing mashup of the new version and the original in December on ​The Kelly Clarkson Show. You can watch that here.)

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"In Time, Jubilation"
​(Appalachian Road Show featuring Dolly Parton) (October 7, 2022)

Album cover. Billy Blue (0614187005934) (2022)

Dolly made a minor appearance on Appalachian Road Show's Jubilation album in October. She provides a short spoken word intro to the album titled "In Time, Jubilation".

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A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition) (October 14, 2022)

Album cover. Butterfly/Warner (093624870272) (2022)

Dolly reissued her 2020 album A Holly Dolly Christmas for the second time in October. The Ultimate Deluxe Edition features new artwork and includes eight bonus tracks. For Dolly collectors, the highlight of the album is the first commercial release of three songs from Dolly's 1986 TV movie ​A Smoky Mountain Christmas ("A Smoky Mountain Christmas", "(I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa", and "Wrapped Up in You"). Two other tracks, "Three Candles" and "The Wish Book", were previously released on various editions of the album in 2020 and 2021. The remaining three bonus tracks are Dolly's 2004 collaboration with Rod Stewart on "Baby, It's Cold Outside", and "Something Bigger Than Me" and "Silent Night", Dolly's two contributions from the 1997 Annabelle's Wish soundtrack.

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"Early Morning Breeze"
(Becky Isaacs Bowman featuring Dolly Parton) (October 28, 2022)

Album cover. House of Isaacs (869217000278) (2022)

Becks Isaacs Bowman covered Dolly's 1971 song "Early Morning Breeze" on her album Songs That Pulled Me Through the Tough Times, released in October. The track features Dolly and is a faithful update to Dolly's early classic song. Please keep Becky in your thoughts and prayers as she was involved in an auto accident near her home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, on December 15 and underwent emergency surgery on her knees and tibias.

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"Almost Too Early for Christmas"
(Jimmy Fallon and Dolly Parton) (November 4, 2022)

Single cover. St. James Place, Inc. / Republic Records (digital single) (2022)

"Almost Too Early for Christmas", a new single by Jimmy Fallon and Dolly, was released on November 4. It's a fun little song to get you in the mood for the holiday season (even if you're a grinch who thinks that should wait until after Thanksgiving!). Jimmy and Dolly perform the song during her new NBC television movie, Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas.

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Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection (November 18, 2022)

Album cover. Sony/Legacy (19439977991) (2022)

Dolly closed out the year with the release of a new compilation album. Diamonds & Rhinestones: The Greatest Hits Collection was released in November and features 23 essential recordings from 1971-2020 and liner notes by Robert K. Oermann, who collaborated with Dolly on her 2020 book, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics. The highlight for Dolly collectors is the first CD release of her 2020 single "When Life Is Good Again". The only adjustment I would make to this collection is I prefer the track listing on career-spanning sets like this one to be presented in chronological order. Overall, it is a great album and would make a perfect introduction to Dolly's music for someone not familiar with her catalog (a great Christmas gift also!).