The Parton family has always been "true blue," and three members of the next generation are bringing that devotion to life in a Dolly Parton classic.
Heidi Parton, the daughter of the late Randy Parton and niece of Dolly Parton, joins cousins Shelley Rená and Jada Star for a new rendition of "True Blue," a deep cut their famous aunt first released more than three decades ago.
The song arrives Aug. 21 via Owepar Entertainment.
Dolly Parton originally recorded "True Blue" for her 1994 album "Heartsongs: Live From Home," recorded live at Dollywood. The new version brings the song back to its East Tennessee roots, where all three women have performed on the same Dollywood stages.
Heidi takes the lead vocal on the new recording, with Shelley singing
alto and Jada providing soprano harmonies. Fingerpicked guitar and piano echo Dolly's live arrangement while giving the song a fresh interpretation.
'Heidi Parton's Kin & Friends'
Heidi currently headlines "Heidi Parton's Kin & Friends." During an Aug. 14 performance, she reflected on the musical legacy that runs through the Parton family.
"Not everybody can say that their aunt is the one and only Dolly Parton," she told the audience.
Dressed in a black-and-gold stage outfit with a sparkling corset-style bodice, Heidi spoke about growing up in a family filled with singers, songwriters and storytellers.
"So many in our family have the gift of singing, songwriting, storytelling," she said. "They passed those gifts down to us through the generations."
That legacy took on a deeper meaning after Randy Parton's death in 2021. Heidi later wrote "The Gift," her first song following her father's passing, as a tribute to the music shared across generations and to the relatives who encouraged her to find her own voice.
During her Dollywood show, Heidi performs "The Gift" as a duet with a video of Dolly Parton, who appears behind her onstage.
"I want my daddy to be so proud of me," she said. "I know our loved ones that came before us would be so proud that the gift is still alive."
For Heidi, singing Dolly's music is part of a family tradition she has spent much of her life celebrating.
"I'm so proud of my family's legacy," Heidi told the crowd, "especially my dad and Aunt Dolly."
Bryan West is a music reporter at The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow him on Instagram, TikTok and X as @BryanWestTV.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dolly Parton's family goes 'True Blue' with new take on classic
