Dolly Parton fans have been hoping for new music from the country legend in 2026, and they’re getting it…well, sort of.
On Tuesday (Jan. 13), Parton announced a new version of her classic ballad “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” due out on Friday (Jan. 16.)
She embraced the song’s message of hope and courage in her announcement, sharing an image of herself with a guitar slung across her back, watching the sun come up over a mountain range.
But Parton’s not embarking on this new musical chapter alone. She enlisted an all-star, all-female cast to join her.
The new version of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” will feature Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus and Queen Latifah.
All four are artists that Parton’s worked with in the past in different areas of her professional and personal life.
What Is the Story Behind Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning”?
Parton originally released the song in 1977 as part of her New Harvest…First Gathering album. It deals with imagery of watching the sun break through after a dark, difficult night, bringing rejuvenation and hope for a bright day ahead.
It’s a very meaningful song to her. According to Parton’s website, she considers “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” as “her song of deliverance,” and it represents her musical epiphany that “when the Lord has set you free ‘Ye are free indeed.'”
Parton wrote “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” while driving home after one of her final business meetings with Porter Wagoner, the singer’s musical and business partner for much of her early career.
She parted ways with Wagoner in 1974 to focus on her solo career and famously wrote “I Will Always Love You” as her parting message to him. By contrast, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” was a look toward a more hopeful future after a difficult personal break.
How Does Dolly Parton Know Her New “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” Collaborators?
Each one represents an important, joyful aspect of Parton’s career as a solo artist and as a woman in the music industry.
Of course, McEntire and Parton have towering parallel careers in country music; McEntire idolized Parton as a young musical hopeful and broke into stardom some 10 years after Parton did.
Shockingly, they never recorded together until 2021 (a new version of Parton and Linda Davis’ “Does He Love You,”) but they’ve frequently shared festival bills and hobnobbed at industry events over the years.
Read More: Reba McEntire’s Surprising Dolly Parton Confession
Wilson is a younger star who’s been open about her Dolly Parton influence: She even put out a song called “WWDD,” which stands for “What Would Dolly Do.”
They’ve gotten to know each other over the past few years, and Parton even recorded a special message to be played at Wilson’s Grand Ole Opry induction.
Parton’s Miley Cyrus connection is well known (she’s the younger pop star’s godmother), but the most surprising name on this song’s collaborator’s list is Queen Latifah. A Grammy-winning rapper and songwriter, Latifah doesn’t appear to have much in common with Parton other than a long, illustrious career.
But yep, they’ve worked together — and not just briefly!
This connection comes via Parton’s foray into acting. Latifah is also an accomplished actor, and the two co-starred in the 2012 film Joyful Noise. The following year, Parton appeared as a guest on The Queen Latifah Show and even rapped during her appearance.
Why Is Dolly Parton’s New Version of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” So Special?
Last July, Parton admitted she wasn’t feeling up to writing new songs since the death of her husband, Carl Dean, in March 2025.
Read More: Dolly Parton is Taking a Break From Songwriting After Carl Dean’s Death
Aside from a previously unreleased song called “If You Hadn’t Been There,” shared in tribute to Dean, she hasn’t really put out much in the way of new music since then, either.
She didn’t specifically say anything about how this new version of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” could tie into the stage she’s in of the grieving process.
But it’s easy to imagine that Parton might be revisiting this song — with help from some women who’ve been checkpoints for her in her career — as she looks toward a future that still contains much joy and hope, even after acute heartache.
Top 20 Dolly Parton Songs: Her Biggest Hits And Most Underrated Deep Cuts
There are many country music legends in the business, but you’d be hard-pressed to find another as universally revered as Dolly Parton. Here are 20 of her greatest songs of all time.
