It’s the happiest headline I could find today: Dolly Parton, bless her heart, has an album of (mostly) new music for children (her first ever!) that she’s releasing Oct. 13. It’s titled I Believe In You and contains songs with uplifting, inclusive, and teachable titles like “Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny,” “You Can Do It,” and “I Am A Rainbow.”
“My first album was released 50 years ago and it’s been an amazing 50 years since then,” said Parton at a press conference held yesterday on the same set that her Smoky Mountain wildfire telethon took place. “I am very excited that now I’m coming out with my first children’s album in all of those 50 years.”
In 1996, Parton released the children’s book Coat of Many Colors, the same year she launched the Imagination Library in her hometown, to which all proceeds from I Believe In You will be directed. The Imagination Library sends a free book every month to children who register; since its founding the organization says it has sent some 100 million books to kids in the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K. and Belize.
Says NPR of the release:
“As the world spins askew, it’s nice to know that children of all ages still have the chance to learn from one of the best.”
Tracklist:
“I Believe in You”
“Coat of Many Colors” [New recording]
“Together Forever”
“I Am a Rainbow”
“I’m Here”
“A Friend Like You”
“Imagination”
“You Can Do It”
“Responsibility”
“You Gotta Be”
“Makin’ Fun Ain’t Funny”
“Chemo Hero”
“Brave Little Soldier”
Bonus track: Coat of Many Colors [book read by Dolly Parton]