The late Dolly Parton left behind an unreleased album inspired by a bestselling novel, People magazine reports.
Author Kim Michele Richardson said that the country music legend sent her a record inspired by Richardson’s novel The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek. The novel, published in 2019 by Sourcebooks Landmark, tells the story of 19-year-old Cussy Mary Carter, who has a rare genetic disorder that causes her skin to appear blue. Cussy works for the Pack Horse Library Project, an initiative that brought books to rural Appalachia in the 1930s and 1940s.
A critic for Kirkus called the novel, which was a New York Times bestseller, “a unique story about Appalachia and the healing power of the written word.”
The Kentucky-based author said that Parton, the longtime literacy activist who died last month at 80, recorded a 15-song album based on the novel and sent it to her, giving her control over its possible release.
“Dolly’s voice is very strong in there,” Richardson said. “At times, it sounds like a very young Dolly. You’re going to laugh, you’re going to cry...some of them will become anthems, I feel.” She said that she’s working on releasing the album.
On Facebook, Richardson wrote, “For 4 years, I’ve sat on this, never once talking to reporters until now—always protecting Dolly's generous gift to me. It’s been such an honor, extremely humbling to know Dolly saw her reflection in my pages and was inspired to place me as a small rhinestone in her big sparkly life.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
