Dolly Parton’s career is one of legend and one that has been admired and celebrated for decades by her fans, her peers and the industry. Now someone near and dear to her gets her turn as younger sister Stella Parton honors her iconic sister with Mountain Songbird: A Sister’s Tribute. The 13-track album includes 11 re-recordings of Stella’s favorite songs of Dolly’s, as well as two originals book-ending the album.
Written by Stella and Country Music Hall of Fame writers Tom T. and Dixie Hall, “Mountain Songbird” is a perfect first track for this tribute album. It tells the story of 18 year old Dolly’s leaving home to make it in Nashville from the view of the family members left behind, a perspective rarely heard since most songs about the journey to fame are written from the star’s point of view. The sadness, sense of missing the heart of their family and their fear of the unknown for their dear Dolly is wonderfully articulated by Stella’s vocals, whose first- hand experience adds emotional depth, as well as in the lyrics, especially the chorus:
Mountain Songbird, our heart felt the pain
The day that you left us for fortune and fame
Never once knowing what life held in store
Singin’ the songs they had not heard before..
If this album were a play, “Mountain Songbird” would be the First Act, describing a time before Dolly’s career started, while the Second Act is the body of the album, consisting of Stella’s wonderful re-recordings of Dolly’s “story songs,” which she has explained are her favorites: “In the end, while making the decision to record this tribute album of 11 of my favorites, I decided to sing the story songs, because they resonated with me the most.”
Oh the stories they tell! The 11 tracks span over the decades of Dolly’s career. From “In the Good Old Days” and “Just Because I’m A Woman” to “Blackie Kentucky” and “Bargain Store,” to her most recent release “Steady as the Rain.” And obviously Dolly’s classics that gained attention across other genres: “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” as well as the heartfelt “Coat of Many Colors,” which has had a recent rebirth thanks in part to Dolly’s hit television movie of the same title.
The final track, or Act Three, is a fitting conclusion as it is an original duet, written and performed by Dolly and Stella. The relationship between the sisters comes full circle as “More Power to Ya” is an upbeat, inspirational song that is also a tribute to both women from each other, as described in this lyrical exchange:
Dolly: You’ve found the strength to make it up to now,
Even though you’ve had your ups and downs
Stella: You’ve stayed strong and conquered fear somehow
Can you believe the courage that you’ve found?
Dolly: And even though they’ve tried to count you out
You’ve stood your ground and you have proved them wrong
Stella: It’s time to let them know what were about
And show the world what we’ve known all along.
Mountain Songbird: A Sister’s Tribute is a wonderful homage from Stella Parton to her famous sister as she presents her favorites of Dolly’s catalogue in her own voice while staying true to her sister’s classic originals. Not to be overlooked are the two original songs on the album that provide fans a different perspective within the Parton family after Dolly’s departure as well as a wonderful look into the love and support between two sisters.
In one final tribute, Mountain Songbird: A Sister’s Tribute was released on Dolly’s birthday, January 19, and is available on all outlets.