On Monday, January 12, Dolly Parton posted a photo on her Instagram Story that immediately caught fans’ attention. The picture showed her looking toward the horizon, hinting that something exciting was coming soon.
“Something new is on the horizon…” the text read.
She invited fans to reply to the Story to be added to a list so they could hear the news early. Although no email ever arrived, fans didn’t have to wait long to find out what she was talking about.
Dolly Parton Revealed The Announcement On Tuesday (Jan 13)
Just one day after teasing the news, Dolly Parton made her big announcement—and it was a musical surprise.
On Tuesday morning (January 13), the country icon revealed that she had re-recorded her 1977 song “Light Of A Blue Clear Morning.” The original version appeared on her album New Harvest…First Gathering.
Over the years, Dolly has shared the story behind the song in interviews. She wrote “Light Of A Clear Blue Morning” during a painful time in her life, following the end of her professional partnership with Porter Wagoner. After leaving his band in 1974, Wagoner took legal action against her, which made the next few years very difficult. Dolly later said the song reflected the relief she felt once that chapter closed and her solo career truly began.
She recorded another version of the song in 1992, updating the second verse for the movie Straight Talk. Then, in 2003, the song appeared again on her album For God and Country.
This latest announcement came with another exciting detail. Dolly revealed that four major stars joined her on the new recording.
Those guest vocalists include Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire. The song will be released on Friday, January 16th, and fans can pre-save it on Apple Music, Spotify, Deezer, Tidal, or Amazon Music.
While Queen Latifah might seem like an unexpected choice, the two have a long history together. They co-starred in the 2012 film Joyful Noise and have stayed close friends ever since.
This New Song Is The First Since Dolly’s Health Struggles
On September 28, 2025, Dolly Parton shared that she would be postponing her Las Vegas residency. The shows, originally planned for December 2025, were moved to September 2026.
She reassured fans that she would be okay but explained that she needed more time to fully recover.
“I want the fans and public to hear directly from me that, unfortunately, I will need to postpone my upcoming Las Vegas concerts. As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my hundred thousand mile checkup, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!“ she wrote.
Fans became more worried after Dolly’s sister asked for prayers on Facebook. However, everyone was later reassured that Dolly was doing fine. Dolly explained that she needed to stay close to Vanderbilt Hospital to have “a few treatments here and there,” and said she was feeling better every day.
Along with postponing her shows, Dolly also canceled appearances at Dollywood. She previously shared that she wouldn’t be able to attend her upcoming 80th birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry.
We’re hoping to see Dolly back on stage soon, and we’re excited to hear her new music.
