Dolly Parton sings her family’s story on ‘Smoky Mountain DNA.’ She says it is her ‘favorite album’

AP Music Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton’s musical story starts further back than most might expect — to the British Isles of the 1600s. That’s where her ancestors hail from, eventually landing in the hollers of East Tennessee and its familiar mountain ranges. They brought their songs with them, and a new album out Friday, “Smoky Mountain DNA: Family, Faith & Fables,” explores the legacy of the Partons and the Owens, her maternal family, across five generations. “My grandpa used to say when I got famous, he said, ‘Well, she came out crying in the key of D,’” she told The Associated Press. “I think we all did.” The album includes country, bluegrass, rockabilly and other musical styles.