Two weeks after her death, Dolly Parton's first posthumous song, "Born To Ride," has been released. The track features the late country music legend's distinctive vocals, accompanied by the First Ladies of Bluegrass band.
According to reports, Parton recorded her vocals for the cover song approximately four years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. The song, released on Wednesday, will be included on the forthcoming tribute album "Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers," set to be released next week.
In the recording, Parton introduces each member of the First Ladies of Bluegrass before they perform individual instrumental solos. Garry West, the music producer for the album, told Rolling Stone that Parton delivered an exceptional performance. "We didn't know what we would get back, and she really did over-deliver," West stated. "We were shocked. We couldn't have gotten anything better."
The tribute album also features collaborations with artists such as Willie Nelson with Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings with Drew Emmitt, Dierks Bentley with Della Mae, and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
Parton, who died on August 25 at the age of 80, had been the subject of numerous tributes from celebrities and fans since her passing. Her official Instagram page shared a quote from her 1977 song "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" on Monday, featuring the lyric, "I can see the light of a clear blue morning... everything's gonna be alright, it's gonna be okay," accompanied by a blue butterfly emoji, her personal emblem.
Parton's death followed months of health issues that led to the cancellation of several public appearances. Representatives confirmed she died after a "brief battle with cancer," although the specific type was not disclosed. Her passing was initially confirmed by her nephew and head of security. Prior to her death, Parton had expressed to People magazine her desire to achieve "so many things," including the launch of a new hotel and museum in Nashville, Tennessee.