Dolly Parton on Stanley Brothers Tribute Album, Out Oct. 16

Winter Park music fans can hear the late country music icon Dolly Parton on a new posthumous track. Parton is featured on "Bound to Ride," a song that will appear on the upcoming tribute album "Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers," scheduled for release Oct. 16, 2026.

The track "Bound to Ride" features Parton's vocals on a fast-paced song originally recorded by The Stanley Brothers in 1964. The single is available on YouTube. At the song's beginning, Parton asks, "Are we ready, girls?" The First Ladies of Bluegrass — banjoist Alison Brown, fiddler Becky Buller, mandolin player Sierra Hull, upright bass player Missy Raines, and guitarist Molly Tuttle — respond affirmatively.

Parton's performance on "Bound to Ride" returns to her bluegrass roots with a spirited delivery and ad-libs such as "Pick it, girls!" She also names the musicians as they take turns with solos. The track is credited to Parton & The First Ladies of Bluegrass.

While most tracks on the tribute album were recorded live, producers made an exception for Parton's contribution. She recorded her vocals alone in her studio in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The First Ladies of Bluegrass had previously recorded a backing track, but Parton's interplay with the musicians creates a spontaneous feel.

"Where the Soul Never Dies" was produced by Garry West and Alison Brown of Compass Records. The album's release coincides with the Country Music Hall of Fame induction of The Stanley Brothers, Ralph and Carter, this year. The brothers, with their band the Clinch Mountain Boys, drew inspiration from Bill Monroe's string band music and mountain songs from southwestern Virginia when they began their careers in the mid-1940s.

Other artists contributing to the tribute album include Willie Nelson, Sierra Ferrell, Jamey Johnson, Shawn Camp, Dierks Bentley, Della Mae, Jim Lauderdale, The Travelin’ McCourys, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, Ralph Stanley II, Tim O’Brien, I’m With Her, Steve Martin, and Ed Helms.

Following Parton's death Aug. 25, 2026, her longtime manager Danny Nozell stated that Parton had been actively working on numerous projects. "Dolly worked up until the day she died. She loved seeing her dreams come to life and loved knowing her work brought people joy," Nozell said. "Ever the planner, Dolly worked with the team that she handpicked for the past several years to build a project roadmap that will guide us for decades to come."