Returning to Instagram on Monday, the country music icon announced that she has collaborated with Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire to record a rendition of her 1977 track, Light of a Clear Blue Morning.
The new version is now available to pre-save on streaming services and will officially drop on 16 January, just three days before Dolly celebrates her 80th birthday.
In her post, the Jolene hitmaker shared that proceeds from the song and music video will benefit paediatric cancer research for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee.
Taking to the comments section, Lainey simply wrote, “So excited for y’all to hear this.”
Light of a Clear Blue Morning first appeared on Dolly’s 18th studio album, New Harvest…First Gathering. She has recorded it a further three times for various projects.
In a message posted on her official website, the Tennessee native recalled how she was inspired to write the track following one of her last business meetings with collaborator Porter Wagoner.
“It was my song of deliverance. It was my song of freedom, and I knew that God was in it. I knew that I was free. And when the Lord has set you free ‘Ye are free indeed,'” she commented.
Last week, Dolly announced she would not be attending her 80th birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night.
“Well, hey there Grand Ole Opry family. I just wanted to say how much it means to me that you’re all coming together again this year to celebrate my big ol’ birthday with some of my songs,” the entertainer said in a short video. “Some of my favourite memories happened right here onstage at the Grand Ole Opry, and I wish I could be there in person, but I’ll be sending you all my love for sure. So you have the best night ever.”
Wilson, Vince Gill, and Rhonda Vincent are set to perform at the event.
The news comes around four months after Dolly revealed she would be postponing a string of upcoming Las Vegas concerts as she had been “dealing with some health challenges”.
