Miley Cyrus to Queen Latifah: Dolly Parton unites icons to reimagine 1977 hit

Dolly Parton is celebrating her upcoming 80th milestone birthday by bringing together some of the most powerful women in music for a meaningful collaboration.

The country music legend released a new version of her 1977 hit Light of a Clear Blue Morning on Friday, January 16, featuring her goddaughter Miley Cyrus, along with Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah and Reba McEntire.

The reimagined track arrives just days before Parton’s 80th birthday on January 19 and carries a message of hope, resilience and generosity.

“I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and 50 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,” Parton said in a statement.

Beyond the music, the collaboration also serves a charitable purpose. Parton announced that proceeds from the song and its accompanying music video will benefit pediatric cancer research at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, a cause close to her heart.

Light of a Clear Blue Morning was originally released on Dolly Parton’s 1977 album New Harvest…First Gathering and reached No. 11 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart as well as No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time.