Internationally beloved, Dolly Parton, has released the latest track off her upcoming Rock n’ Roll album, Rockstar (available on November 17th via Butterfly Records) a rendition of the ’90s hit, which features the song’s writer and lead singer, Linda Perry. A song about the at-times, overwhelming pressures of the world around us and the need for release. Dolly’s angelic and hopeful voice ushers in a sense of promise for a better tomorrow.
“First of all, I love Linda Perry. Second of all, I love this song written by Linda. Third of all, I love being a part of this video to try to make people think about what’s going on in this world today. Shout out to the little children that helped with the video! If our children don’t make it, then what will? Again, I ask ‘What’s Up?’ Enjoy.”
-Dolly Parton
“How is one supposed to react when the greatest and most prolific songwriter in the world wants to cover a song YOU wrote? Her version of What’s Up? is so good. Her spin on it made me feel like it was her song. No surprise there. Being on set making the video was a comfortable easy experience. The vibe on set was chill and Dolly and I got to catch up and laugh a lot. I could go on and on, obviously I’m a fan!”
- Linda Perry
Filmed at Eakin Elementary School in downtown Nashville on one of 2023’s hottest days of the year and directed by Steve Summers (produced by NOZ Entertainment), the touching video airs exclusively today on MTV and CMT/CMT Music/CMT on Pluto TV (check local listings for times), as well as on their iconic Times Square billboard. The video will then be released via YouTube and all other streaming platforms beginning tomorrow, September 23 at 10am ET.
CMT AUSTRALIA – ‘IT’S A DOLLY-THON’
11/17 from 3pm – 6pm
*Celebrate the premiere of Dolly’s ‘I Want My MTV’ episode with 3 hours of all things Dolly featuring her entire videography.
ABOUT DOLLY PARTON:
Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female country singer-songwriter of all time and was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Achieving 27 RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, she has had 26 songs reach #1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. Parton is the first artist to have topped the Billboard’s Adult Contemporary, Christian AC Songs, Hot Country Songs, Christian Airplay, Country Airplay and Dance/Mix Show Airplay radio charts. Parton became the first country artist honored as Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year given out by NARAS. She has 48 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past 50+ years.
In 2014 the RIAA recognized her impact on recorded music with a plaque commemorating more than 100 million units sold worldwide. She has garnered eleven Grammy Awards and 51 nominations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, 10 Country Music Association Awards, including Entertainer of the Year; five Academy of Country Music Awards, also including a nod for Entertainer of the Year; four People’s Choice Awards; and three American Music Awards. In 1999, Parton was inducted as a member of the coveted Country Music Hall of Fame.
In 2020, she released the Christmas album “A Holly Dolly Christmas” which went #1 on the Billboard Country and Holiday charts, as well released the bestselling coffee table book “Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.” In 2021, she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie for the film “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square” and in December 2022, she released on NBC an all-new original holiday movie called “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” with her starring as well as producing; it was the most watched film of that year and the two years prior.
To date, Parton has donated over 215 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. Her children’s book, Coat of Many Colors, was dedicated to the Library of Congress to honor the Imagination Library’s 100 millionth book donation. In March of 2022, Parton released the book Run Rose Run which she co-authored with James Patterson which sat at # 1 on the New York Times Bestseller’s List for 5 weeks, a record for this decade. She also released an accompanying album of the same name with original songs inspired by the book which reached #1 on three charts simultaneously — Country, Americana/Folk and Bluegrass Albums. From her “Coat of Many Colors” while working “9 to 5,” no dream is too big and no mountain too high for the country girl who turned the world into her stage.