ABC/Image Group LAAhead of the October release of her holiday album, A Holly Dolly Christmas, Dolly Parton has shared the project’s tender final track.

“Mary, Did You Know?” is an intimate conversation with Jesus’ mother, centered around the faith-based aspect of the holiday season. It’s a poignant topic for Dolly, who felt particularly touched by this song during the album-making process.

“‘Mary, Did You Know?’ is one of the greatest, sweetest, [most] well-written songs I’ve ever had a chance to sing on,” she says. “When I was recording it, I got very emotional. It is to me what Christmas is about and I’m proud to be able to sing it for my upcoming album.”

Faith-filled music has been a particular focus of Dolly’s for the last several months. She scored a Grammy-winning hit with “God Only Knows,” a collaboration with Christian act For King & Country, in 2019. She then teamed up with another faith-based artist, Zach Williams, to drop “There Was Jesus,” which became her first Top 10 single on Christian Airplay charts.

Elsewhere on A Holly Dolly Christmas, Dolly explores festive originals and timeless seasonal classics, teaming up with all-star acts like Willie Nelson, Jimmy Fallon and more.

The album is due out in full on October 2.

By Carena Liptak
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