Video: Dolly Parton Celebrates 80th Birthday with Star-Studded Rendition of 'Light of a Clear Blue Morning'
Check out the music video, which also features David Foster on piano and The Christ Church Choir on backing vocals.
By: Josh Sharpe Jan. 16, 2026
In celebration of her 80th birthday on January 19, 2026, global superstar Dolly Parton just released a new rendition of her hit song, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” featuring Lainey Wilson, Miley Cyrus, Queen Latifah, and Reba McEntire.
Originally written and recorded 50 years ago in 1976 during a period of personal transition and renewed optimism, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” has long stood as one of Parton’s most popular works.
The song was written by Dolly Parton, produced by Dolly Parton alongside Kent Wells, and mixed by Chris Lord-Alge. Check out the music video, which also features David Foster on piano and The Christ Church Choir on backing vocals.
“I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and fifty years later that message still feels just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with some truly incredible women.” - Dolly Parton
Net proceeds from the song and its accompanying music video will benefit the pediatric cancer research program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee, a longtime partner and cause close to Parton’s heart.
Recently, Parton debuted Dolly: A True Original Musical in Nashville as a thank you to her home state and community that has uplifted her for decades. The musical will make its official Broadway debut in 2026.
About Dolly Parton:
Dolly Parton is one of the most honored and revered multi-hyphenates of all time and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Her recent album Rockstar made history by scoring the biggest album debut sales week of her seven-decade career and earning her six #1s on the Billboard charts - Top Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Country Albums, Top Album Sales, Top Current Album Sales, and Independent Albums. The album also claimed the #3 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, her highest position ever.
Achieving 28 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 Billboard's Adult Contemporary, Christian AC Songs, Hot Country Songs, Christian Airplay, Rock Digital Songs, 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 49 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 120 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 amassed 11 Grammy Awards and 52 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.
To date, Parton has donated over 302 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 2022, Parton released the book Run Rose Run, which she co-authored with James Patterson, and sat at # 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers List for five weeks, a record for this decade.
Photo courtesy of Dolly Parton
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