Dolly Parton has another hit single. The 80-year-old, who is celebrating 60 years in country music, just released the star-studded “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” Joined by Lainey Wilson, Reba McEntire, her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, and Queen Latifah, the song debuted at No. 41 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, also becoming the highest debuting song of the week. .
“This is the best gift I could receive! I want to thank the fans, all the radio programmers, and all the streaming partners,” Parton says. “When I first started thinking about something special to do for my 80th birthday, I thought, ‘Lord, please give me a song – or something – to make the birthday special…to be a gift from me to other people for my birthday.’
“When we were working on songs for my new museum in Nashville, ‘Light Of A Clear Blue Morning’ came on,” she adds, “and I went, ‘Oh! That’s it!’”
The Story Behind Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning
Parton first released “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” in 1977, one year after she wrote it. The song, which Parton wrote by herself, appears on her New Harvest…First Gathering record.
“I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope,” Parton says. “And 50 years later, that message still feels just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with some truly incredible women.”
Not surprisingly, Parton is donating proceeds from “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” to charity. The money raised will go to the pediatric cancer research program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville.
What Lainey Wilson Says About Working With Dolly Parton
Perhaps no one was more excited than Wilson to get the call from Parton asking her to sing on “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”
“That will never get old to me,” Wilson said at a recent media event, recalling when Parton invited Wilson to join her on “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.” “That will never get old to me. And when I found out who else was going to be a part of the song, it’s huge for her to tip her hat to me like that, by allowing me to be on this incredible song that has stood the test of time, that does mean so much. I got to spend time with her in the studio, and just having her coach me up. The banter that me and her have been able to have with each other, I feel like I’ve known her from another lifetime.
“Mama got to spend some time with her,” she adds. “It was just a really special day. And I do not take it for granted that I even got to spend a few hours with that woman. Everything that she says, I put it in my pocket.”
@everythingnash @Lainey Wilson talks about singing with @Dolly Parton on “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” and shares a HILARIOUS story about @Snoop Dogg. #countrymusic #laineywilson #dollyparton ♬ original sound – EverythingNash