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Dolly Parton’s First Posthumous Recording Is Now Released

Famous Times Staff 2 on September 12, 2026

Dolly Parton’s first posthumous recording has been released as part of Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers. Parton recorded “Bound to Ride” during a 2022 COVID-19 surge, while the tribute album also features Willie Nelson, Sierra Ferrell, Jamey Johnson and other country and bluegrass artists.

Key Takeaways

  • “Bound to Ride” is Dolly Parton’s first posthumous release.
  • Parton recorded her vocal separately at her own studio during a COVID-19 surge around 2022.
  • The recording appears on Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers.
  • The album includes performances from Willie Nelson, Sierra Ferrell, Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley, Rhiannon Giddens and other artists.
  • The album is scheduled for release on October 16, followed by a Nashville tribute performance on October 28.

Dolly Parton’s ‘Bound to Ride’ Receives Its Posthumous Release

“Bound to Ride” has become the first Dolly Parton recording released after her death, giving listeners a previously recorded performance tied directly to the musical traditions represented by the Stanley Brothers. The traditional song appears on Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers, an album built around the duo’s contribution to country and bluegrass music.

Parton recorded her vocal for the song separately from the rest of the album’s musicians. The recording took place at her own studio during a COVID-19 surge around 2022, when the production team used a different approach for her contribution.

The album is scheduled for release on October 16. Its lineup includes artists from country, bluegrass and Americana, with the recordings covering songs associated with the Stanley Brothers and their repertoire.

“Bound to Ride” also connects Parton’s recording to the Stanley Brothers’ 1964 version of the traditional song. The brothers helped popularize the song through their recording, making it a direct link between Parton’s performance and the material being honored by the tribute project.

The release therefore centers on a recording completed years before its public release rather than a new studio session. Parton’s vocal was preserved for the tribute album and has now been issued as part of the project.

Parton’s Vocal Was Recorded Separately

The production circumstances shaped the arrangement of “Bound to Ride.” While most of the tribute album’s tracks were recorded live in the studio, Parton’s vocal was recorded independently during the 2022 COVID-19 surge.

The First Ladies of Bluegrass had already recorded a backing track for the song. The group includes Alison Brown on banjo, Becky Buller on fiddle, Sierra Hull on mandolin, Missy Raines on bass and Molly Tuttle on guitar.

The musicians rearranged “Bound to Ride” for the project and added a newly written eight-bar bridge based on an obscure verse. Buller also recorded a scratch vocal while the musicians developed the arrangement and worked around the key intended for Parton’s performance.

The separate recordings were later combined to create the finished track. Parton’s performance included references to the individual First Ladies of Bluegrass, connecting her vocals directly to the musicians who prepared the backing arrangement.

The recording also sits within a wider country and Americana context represented by contemporary artists on the project. FamousTimes has previously covered music releases drawing from the same roots-oriented traditions, including recent country music releases.

Parton Recorded the Stanley Brothers Song During 2022

Parton’s contribution was recorded at her own studio around 2022, during a period when the production team was taking precautions because of a COVID-19 surge. Her vocal session differed from the live studio approach used for most of the other recordings on the album.

The song itself comes from the traditional repertoire associated with the Stanley Brothers. Carter and Ralph Stanley recorded “Bound to Ride” in 1964, helping establish the song within the duo’s body of work.

The Stanley Brothers tribute project was conceived to celebrate 80 years of the group. The album was also timed to the Stanley Brothers’ long-delayed induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Carter Stanley and Ralph Stanley began performing together in the mid-1940s with the Clinch Mountain Boys. Their music combined string-band traditions with mountain ballads and church singing learned in southwestern Virginia, along with influences from the Carter Family and Bill Monroe.

That musical background provides the direct context for Parton’s selection of “Bound to Ride.” Her recording places a previously completed performance within an album specifically devoted to the Stanley Brothers’ repertoire and influence.

The project also includes Shawn Camp, whose songwriting career has been connected to Nashville’s country tradition. His inclusion is notable alongside the other established artists appearing across the collection, including Willie Nelson.

A separate Nashville songwriting honor recently covered by FamousTimes also involved Camp, who was selected for the 2026 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame class.

First Ladies of Bluegrass Arranged the New Backing Track

The First Ladies of Bluegrass prepared the instrumental foundation for Parton’s version of “Bound to Ride.” Brown, Buller, Hull, Raines and Tuttle each contributed to the arrangement, covering banjo, fiddle, mandolin, bass and guitar.

The group developed the new arrangement while masked around a studio coffee table. Buller provided a scratch vocal in an approximation of the key expected for Parton’s eventual recording.

The arrangement also contains an eight-bar bridge newly written from an obscure verse. That addition gives the tribute version a distinct structure while retaining the traditional song at its center.

Parton subsequently recorded her vocal separately at her studio. The producers then incorporated her performance with the backing track prepared by the First Ladies of Bluegrass.

The finished recording also includes Parton calling out the members of the group by name during the song. The performance thus contains both the traditional material associated with the Stanley Brothers and a newly assembled arrangement created specifically for the tribute album.

The production approach differs from the album’s primary recording method, which involved musicians performing together live at the Nashville studio. Parton’s separate session allowed her contribution to be incorporated into the same project without requiring her to participate in the group recording session.

The combination of traditional material and contemporary roots musicians also fits within the broader Americana field. Another FamousTimes music feature has covered Americana and roots music through a recent album project.

Stanley Brothers Tribute Album Features Major Country Artists

Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers brings together a broad lineup of country, bluegrass and Americana performers. Willie Nelson and Sierra Ferrell perform “I’ll Fly Away,” while Jamey Johnson and Shawn Camp appear on “Rank Strangers to Me.”

Dierks Bentley and Della Mae perform “How Mountain Girls Can Love.” Jim Lauderdale and the Travelin’ McCourys contribute “Riding That Midnight Train,” while the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band performs “Think of What You’ve Done.”

Rhiannon Giddens and Dirk Powell appear on “Little Birdie.” Ralph Stanley II and Tim O’Brien perform “Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home,” and the group I’m With Her performs “Going Up Home to Live in Green Pastures.”

The album also includes Steve Martin and Ed Helms on “Pardon Me, Stranger,” a new version based on a Stanley Brothers comedy routine. Brown and Martin wrote portions of the new song, while Martin and Helms developed new jokes for the performance.

The producers’ stated purpose for the project is to introduce listeners to the Stanley Brothers’ role in country, bluegrass and Americana music. The brothers also influenced artists including Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.

The collection therefore extends beyond a single tribute performance. Its track list pairs established artists from several generations with songs and musical material associated with Carter and Ralph Stanley.

Willie Nelson’s participation also connects the project to an artist who has appeared throughout FamousTimes’ coverage of country music and Nashville songwriting. The album’s lineup brings his contribution together with artists representing different generations of country, bluegrass and Americana.

Nashville Tribute Performance Is Scheduled for October 28

The Stanley Brothers celebration will continue with a live tribute at Nashville’s CMA Theater on October 28. Alison Brown and Garry West are scheduled to bring together artists from the album for the performance, although the full group of participating performers has not been announced.

The live event follows the album’s scheduled October 16 release. The two dates establish a sequence for the project, with the recorded tribute arriving first and the Nashville performance following later in the month.

The album was produced by Brown and West after industry veteran J. Tayloe Emery conceived the project with Ralph Stanley II. Emery brought the concept to Brown and West, who then produced the recordings at their Nashville headquarters.

West said the producers hope younger musicians will continue performing the Stanley Brothers’ music while creating new versions of the material. The album uses that approach by pairing traditional songs with arrangements and performances from contemporary country, bluegrass and Americana artists.

The project also connects the Stanley Brothers’ catalog with the Country Music Hall of Fame induction planned around their long-delayed recognition. Parton’s “Bound to Ride” forms one part of that larger collection, preserving her previously recorded performance alongside contributions from Willie Nelson, Sierra Ferrell, Jamey Johnson, Dierks Bentley, Rhiannon Giddens and others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dolly Parton’s first posthumous recording?

Dolly Parton’s first posthumous recording is “Bound to Ride.” The song is included on Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers.

When did Dolly Parton record “Bound to Ride”?

Parton recorded her vocal around 2022 during a COVID-19 surge. She recorded separately at her own studio rather than participating in the live studio sessions used for most of the tribute album.

What Stanley Brothers tribute album features Dolly Parton?

Parton appears on Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers. The album is scheduled for release on October 16.

Which artists appear on the Stanley Brothers tribute album?

The album features Willie Nelson, Sierra Ferrell, Jamey Johnson, Shawn Camp, Dierks Bentley, Della Mae, Rhiannon Giddens, Dirk Powell, Steve Martin, Ed Helms and other artists.

When will the Stanley Brothers tribute album be released?

Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers is scheduled for release on October 16. A live tribute connected to the project is scheduled for October 28 at Nashville’s CMA Theater.

Rising Star Draws on Michele Kwasniewski’s Hollywood Years

Famous Times Staff on September 12, 2026

By: Alfred Naider

There is a conversation that young people aiming their ambitions toward entertainment careers rarely get to have with someone who has been inside those industries and can tell them honestly what it actually looks like from there, what the daily reality of professional relationships and power dynamics and commercial interests actually involves, and how a person with genuine talent can find themselves in situations that are both genuinely exciting and genuinely concerning at the same time. Michele Kwasniewski spent more than fifteen years inside film and television production before she wrote Rising Star, and the novel she produced is as close to that conversation as fiction can get, offered with the honesty and the specificity that only direct professional experience makes possible.

Dani Truehart’s story is accurate in the specific sense that matters most for a YA novel about the entertainment industry: the sense that shows how the promises and the complications of a music career tend to arrive together, how genuine opportunity and dubious arrangement coexist in the same contract, how the adults who have power over a young performer’s career have interests in her talent that are real but not identical to her interests in her own life. Kwasniewski renders these dynamics with the specificity of direct professional knowledge, and the result is a portrait of an industry that neither glamorizes what deserves scrutiny nor dismisses what deserves genuine celebration.

At the center of it all is Dani, who is fifteen and talented and caught in the gap between the career she has been trained for and the self she is still in the process of discovering. Her first-person voice is rendered with the kind of psychological authenticity that reflects careful attention to how adolescents actually think and feel and process the world, and her doubts and her ambitions and her fears and her genuine pleasure in her own talent are all present and all specific in ways that make her feel like a real person rather than a narrative construct designed to carry a particular kind of story.

The supporting characters are built with equivalent care. Her vocal and dance coach Martin is drawn with sustained moral ambiguity rather than resolved into trustworthiness or exploitation. Music producer Redman is specific and recognizable rather than generically dubious. Her boyfriend Sean is given enough genuine presence to make his relationship with Dani and the threat to it feel real. The family dynamics are complex in ways that reflect how family situations actually are rather than how they are conveniently arranged in fiction. All of this reflects the same commitment to honesty that makes the industry portrayal so valuable.

Rising Star is the first book in a series that promises to trace Dani’s full story with the same honesty and the same industry knowledge that make this opening volume so genuinely valuable for its audience.

Readers can find Rising Star on Amazon, where the novel is available in ebook, paperback, and audiobook editions.

Moon Is Turning Hunger Into Momentum With ‘Need It’

Famous Times Staff on September 12, 2026

There’s a difference between wanting something and feeling like you need to have it. For Toronto artist Moon, that hunger has become an important part of both his music and the direction he’s heading.

At 24, the hip-hop and trap artist is entering this chapter with more than 200,000 total streams, live performances around Toronto, and a much clearer idea of the artist he wants to become. Born in Montreal, raised in Brampton, and now based downtown, Moon’s story reflects different sides of the Greater Toronto Area and the ambition that comes with making your own way within it.

His Kashmiri roots, personal setbacks, and experiences growing up have all shaped an artist who puts authenticity before creating a perfect image. Inspired by Future, Lil Baby, Young Dolph, Shoreline Mafia, and Lil Durk, Moon brings melodic trap together with heavy 808s, darker piano melodies, and a delivery built on lived experience.

“Need It” takes that ambition and makes it impossible to ignore. Rather than digging deeply into the struggles behind his journey, the track focuses on what Moon wants from the future. Success, money, fashion, nightlife, and the lifestyle surrounding it all become part of a deliberately excessive picture. The message isn’t subtle, but it isn’t supposed to be.

At the center of the track is a hook designed to stick almost immediately. “I need it now” captures the impatience running through the song, while its high-energy production turns ambition into something listeners can experience rather than simply hear about.

That attitude feels particularly fitting for an artist who has already had to build independently. Moon has taken his music onto Toronto stages, including a headline show at Bar Orwell and a performance at Scarlett Toronto, while steadily growing his streaming audience.

But numbers are only part of what he’s chasing. Moon has spoken about wanting to build something lasting rather than simply finding one successful moment.

“Need It” captures him somewhere in the middle of that journey. He hasn’t reached everything he’s aiming for yet, but waiting around doesn’t seem to be part of the plan.

That sense of urgency gives “Need It” its central character. Moon isn’t presenting ambition as something distant or abstract. It is immediate, personal, and tied directly to the life he wants to create. The song takes that feeling and turns it into an energetic statement about refusing to settle for less.

His background adds context to the confidence behind that statement. Moving from Montreal to Brampton and eventually downtown Toronto has exposed Moon to different environments and experiences, while his Kashmiri roots remain another important part of his identity. Rather than separating those elements from his music, he brings them into an approach built around authenticity.

The sound supports that approach. Melodic trap, heavy 808s, and darker piano melodies create the foundation, while Moon’s delivery keeps the focus on the urgency behind his words. His influences can be heard within that world, but his own experiences provide the perspective that makes the music personal.

“Need It” is especially focused on the future. The track does not spend most of its time explaining the obstacles that came before. Instead, Moon looks toward success, money, fashion, nightlife and the lifestyle that surrounds those ambitions. The deliberate excess is part of the point.

The hook reinforces that mentality. “I need it now” is simple enough to become instantly recognizable, but it also summarizes the impatience driving the entire track. There is no suggestion that Moon is willing to wait indefinitely for the things he wants.

That energy has also been reflected in his live development. Performing around Toronto, including a headline show at Bar Orwell and an appearance at Scarlett Toronto, has given Moon another way to build his audience while developing his presence beyond streaming platforms.

With more than 200,000 total streams already behind him, the numbers show that his music is reaching listeners. But Moon’s ambitions extend beyond accumulating streams or finding a single successful release. He has spoken about wanting to build something lasting, giving his current chapter a sense of direction beyond the immediate attention surrounding one track.

That bigger goal makes “Need It” feel like part of an ongoing journey. The song captures the hunger of an artist who knows there is more to achieve and is unwilling to pretend otherwise.

There’s a difference between wanting something and feeling like you need to have it. For Moon, that distinction has become the driving force behind “Need It.”

“Need It” captures him somewhere in the middle of that journey. He hasn’t reached everything he’s aiming for yet, but waiting around doesn’t seem to be part of the plan.

Listeners can stream “Need It” on Spotify.

Building a Life Together Through Care, Trust and Commitment

Famous Times Staff on September 12, 2026

Letters to Tommi by British author Ryan Tate looks beyond the major milestones of a relationship to explore the qualities that helped Ryan Tate and Tuomas “Tommi” build a life together. Across the letters, Tommi is remembered as someone who enjoyed being around people, approached difficult situations thoughtfully, and took an active role in planning their future. These qualities appear in memories of everyday life as well as in the larger decisions the couple made about their relationship.

The writing also shows that partnership involved more than affection. Ryan recalls the practical decisions, moments of disagreement, periods of illness, and discussions about their future that gradually shaped their life together. Rather than presenting their relationship as effortless, the memories show two people learning how to manage the realities of being a couple while maintaining a strong sense of commitment to one another.

Finding a Way Through Disagreements

Ryan remembers Tommi as someone who generally preferred to think before reacting when difficulties arose.

During disagreements, Tommi would often step away, go for a walk, and take time to consider the situation. Ryan recalls him visiting his grandmother’s grave and talking through problems before returning with his thoughts settled.

That habit became one of the qualities Ryan most admired. Tommi did not always try to solve a disagreement immediately. Giving himself time to reflect allowed him to return to the conversation with a clearer idea of how the issue might be resolved.

Their relationship was not without arguments. Ryan remembers one particularly heated phone call after Tommi had returned to Finland, when work commitments prevented Ryan from accepting a proposed trip. Looking back, he recognises the importance of that experience and the choices they might have made differently.

The memories present disagreement as part of a real partnership rather than something that existed outside it.

A Natural Connection With Other People

Tommi’s social nature is another recurring element in Ryan’s memories.

His visits to the health spa provide a particularly vivid example. Tommi would swim, spend time in the sauna, and quickly become involved in conversations with other regular visitors. Ryan remembers people gathering around him to hear stories about Finland and enjoying the energy he brought to the afternoon.

The experience appears to have been typical of Tommi’s personality. He was comfortable speaking with people and seemed to have a natural ability to make those around him feel included.

For Ryan, that quality was part of what made Tommi distinctive. His presence was not limited to the relationship itself; he could also change the atmosphere of the spaces and groups he entered.

Turning Plans Into Practical Decisions

The couple’s discussions about their future reveal another side of their partnership.

Ryan and Tommi considered where they might eventually live, how their careers could be managed, and how they would remain connected with family. Because they were living across national borders, these questions also involved practical restrictions on how much time they could spend in one another’s countries.

Their response was to begin considering a legal partnership that could provide greater security for their future. Ryan recalls that Tommi played an important role in moving those discussions forward.

The planning was not presented as a single conversation. The couple returned to the subject repeatedly, sitting together with notebooks and working through possibilities. Ryan remembers the enjoyment they found in turning ideas into practical plans.

Supporting Each Other Through Difficult Periods

Care also appears in the experiences the couple went through together.

When they both contracted COVID, they had to manage being ill while dealing with work and the practical demands of everyday life. They slept in separate rooms and helped each other through the worst of the illness. Ryan later reflects that experiencing such a difficult period together strengthened their relationship.

Other memories reveal care on a smaller scale. Tommi encouraged Ryan to recognise when he had been working too long, while Ryan regularly looked after Tommi when he injured himself.

These moments show how consideration became part of their ordinary life. Care was not reserved for major problems; it appeared in the repeated routines of being together.

Commitment Across Borders

Their relationship also involved challenges that extended beyond the couple themselves.

Ryan was British, and Tommi was Finnish, and their plans were affected by residency and travel restrictions. The couple discussed how to overcome those limitations while creating a more stable future together.

Those circumstances influenced their decision to consider legal partnership and also shaped their conversations about where they might eventually settle.

For Ryan, the plans reflected a determination to make their relationship work within circumstances that were not always straightforward. Their commitment therefore had a practical dimension as well as an emotional one.

Imagining Where Life Could Lead

The couple’s future discussions eventually extended to the possibility of living somewhere else.

During one conversation, Ryan and Tommi considered a number of countries and independently selected Italy as their preferred choice. The idea was connected to their desire for a warmer environment and a place where they could establish a future together.

The plan never progressed to the point of becoming reality, but the conversation remains important in Ryan’s memories because it represented a future they were actively imagining.

Other plans were more immediate. Ryan remembers discussing when and where they would marry and who would be involved, with Finland identified as the intended setting and a small group of family and friends expected to attend.

These details show how the couple’s relationship had moved beyond simply enjoying the present. They were preparing for what they expected to come next.

A Partnership Shaped by Many Small Choices

Taken together, the memories suggest that Ryan and Tommi’s life together was built through many decisions rather than a few defining moments.

They learned how to approach disagreements, supported each other when circumstances became difficult, made plans around practical obstacles, and considered what kind of future would suit them both.

Tommi’s own character played a role in this. His preference for reflection, his ability to connect with others and his enthusiasm for life all influenced the way he participated in the relationship.

Ryan’s memories therefore provide a picture of partnership as something developed through repeated choices, conversations, and acts of care.

A Shared Life, Not Just a Love Story

One of the strengths of Letters to Tommi is the way it presents the relationship through both emotion and practicality.

There are romantic memories and moments of humour, but there are also arguments, work pressures, illness, travel restrictions and decisions about where and how to build a life together.

That combination gives the relationship its substance.

The couple’s story is not remembered only through what they felt for one another. It is also remembered through what they did with that feeling: how they solved problems, made plans, supported each other, and tried to create a future that belonged to both of them.

In the end, the partnership is revealed through the choices that filled the years between the major milestones.

About the Author

Ryan Tate is the British author of Letters to Tommi: A Journal of Letters Written from the Heart to a Heart. The collection grew from personal letters written to his late partner, Tuomas “Tommi,” and brings together memories and reflections from the life they shared.

Website: letterstotommi.com

Kobo Link: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/letters-to-tommi?sId=105b70ca-3aaa-42bf-82a8-3ced21abc145&ssId=uW_c-Gs9g8ssSt-CAapK2&cPos=1

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