Dolly Parton Releases 'Pure & Simple'; Returns With Christmas Sequel

On August 19, world-renowned singer/songwriter/entertainer Dolly Parton and Sony Music Nashville release her new studio album, "Pure & Simple" for worldwide distribution. The album features ten new tracks; she will take it on tour in the U.S. and Canada from now through December.

"I may not be pure, but I'm as simple as they come! This new 'Pure & Simple' project is really special to me because I'm taking my fans back to my roots. I feel like these songs have a pure, tender side and we didn't go overboard with arrangements. I'm so glad we've teamed up with our friends at Sony to get this album out to the fans," said Parton.

Remarked Doug Morris, CEO, Sony Music Entertainment, "Dolly Parton is a national treasure and an iconic singer/songwriter. We are thrilled to be expanding our successful relationship with her through this new global agreement. We are very proud to call her a member of the Sony Music family."

In July, Parton released a lyric video for her brand new single "Pure & Simple," which you can see below. She followed it up with a lyric video for "Outside Your Door," which is available for instant download when you pre-order the album. Parton served as co-producer and songwriter on "Pure & Simple."

"This is a special reunion for Dolly, RCA Nashville and for me personally," commented Randy Goodman, Chairman and CEO, Sony Music Nashville. "Our entire Sony Music Nashville team is elated." Continues Goodman, "We have a firm foundation of Dolly's incredible catalog of hits on RCA Nashville as well as Columbia Nashville."

And coming off the phenomenal performance of last year's holiday special and looking to recapture the enthusiasm of the nearly 16 million viewers who tuned in, NBC is announcing the sequel "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love."

"Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" is the next chapter in the life of young Dolly Parton. The film delivers Christmas joy and peril as an unexpected blizzard threatens the Parton family, while at the same time Dolly's father (and his kids) make sacrifices to raise enough money to finally buy his loving wife the wedding ring he could never afford to give her. Meanwhile, an important person in little Dolly's life begins to see that her amazing voice and musical gift might just be made for something bigger than rural Tennessee.

The original cast will return for the sequel: Jennifer Nettles as Avie Lee Parton, Ricky Schroder as Robert Lee Parton, Gerald McRaney as Rev. Jake Owens and Alyvia Alyn Lind as young Dolly Parton. Other members of the cast, as well as a premiere date, will be announced in the coming months. Stephen Herek, who directed the original film, is also back to direct the sequel.

"It's no secret that everyone loves Dolly Parton and the response to our first movie was overwhelming, both in terms of the size of the audience and outpouring of love for a film with family values and faith," said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. "So it felt like a no-brainer to bring this talented cast back together and tell another compelling holiday story culled from Dolly's own life growing up in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Her spirit and belief in God -- and her music -- will infuse this movie with the true spirit of Dolly Parton."

"I was so overwhelmed and touched by how many people watched 'Coat of Many Colors' and their reaction to it," Parton said. "The song 'Coat of Many Colors,' of course, has always been my favorite and has touched so many people through the years, especially me. It is a true story from a very special time in my childhood. I am so happy to share this story with the viewers and to say there is so much more to tell because mine truly has been a life of many colors. I hope the viewers will fall in love all over again."