Dolly Parton to Release First Children’s Album in the Fall

Dolly Parton has accomplished a massive amount in her decades-long music career, but there was one thing she hasn’t done — until now.

The country legend announced at a Nashville press conference Tuesday that she will be releasing her first-ever children’s album this fall, titled I Believe in You.

“My first album was released 50 years ago and it’s been an amazing 50 years since then,” Parton said, via Entertainment Weekly. “I am very excited that now I’m coming out with my first children’s album in all of those 50 years. I’m proudest of all that all of the proceeds from this CD will go to the Imagination Library. It’s been 20 years since the Imagination Library was launched. We’ve seen 100 million books get into the hands of children and hopefully there will be many more.”

Parton wrote and sang each of the album’s 14 tracks, one of which is a new recording of the star’s hit “Coat of Many Colors,” which has inspired a children’s book and a television movie.

“It just seemed like it was the time [to make this record],” the 71-year-old said, via Rolling Stone. “Since I’m getting so old, I’m going back into my second childhood.”

“These kids, I hope they’ll be fans, because a lot of them, their parents liked me, and they became their grandparents and introduced me to them,” Parton added. “I think kids can kind of relate to me, like a Mother Goose character.”

The album will be available digitally Sept. 29 and will arrive in stores on Oct. 13. All proceeds from the album will go to Parton’s charity, the Imagination Library, which she founded in 1995 and mails over one million books around the world each month to registered children.

Photo Credit: Getty / Daniel Boczarski