The legendary Dolly Parton delighted fans with a new version of her 1977 hit “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” — and she had a little help from her friends during the recording process.
Parton joined forces with Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, and Queen Latifah in the studio for a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration released on Friday, January 16 that every music fan should hear!
The song was re-recorded in honor of its 50th anniversary, since it was written and originally recorded in 1976. Parton also ensured the remake’s release was impactful for those in need. Net proceeds from the track and its accompanying music video will benefit the pediatric cancer research program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, located in Nashville, Tennessee.
It’s just another example of Parton’s generosity and spirit shining above all else — even her timeless music.
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The song itself is beautiful, effortlessly utilizing every star’s vocals to the best of their abilities. From the harmonies to the beautiful singalong crescendo that closes out the song, it’s clear that Parton, Cyrus, Wilson, Queen Latifah, and McEntire had an absolute blast in the recording studio that day.
Watch the music video for Dolly Parton’s 2026 version of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” here.
The song’s re-release also coincides with another major milestone in Parton’s life — the “Jolene” singer will celebrate her 80th birthday on January 19.
“I wrote ‘Light of A Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and 50 years later that message still feels just as true,” Parton said in a statement. “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.”
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Most of the song’s collaborators are familiar to any fan who’s kept up with The Voice over the years — Cyrus and McEntire are former Coaches (with Ms. Reba competing as recently as Season 28), while Wilson has made multiple appearances on the singing competition series in various roles.
Reba McEntire and Dolly Parton have a bond like no other
It shouldn’t be any surprise that Parton asked McEntire to be part of the re-recording of her iconic song — the two country stars have a very close relationship.
Parton even guest-starred in an episode of McEntire’s former sitcom, Reba, and in 2018, McEntire gushed over Parton in an interview with E! News.
“I love Dolly Parton,” the Queen of Country confessed. “When I was doing the Reba TV show, Dolly spent the whole week with us on set. She was one of the guest stars and that’s the last time we really got to sit down and visit.”
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Currently, McEntire stars on the sitcom Happy’s Place. Season 2 of the hit comedy is currently underway — and the only way to catch the latest episodes is to tune in to NBC every Friday at 8/7c, with episodes always available the next day on Peacock.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nbc.com ’
