Smoky Mountain DNA - Family, Faith & Fables (Owepar Entertainment, 2024)

Dolly Parton's "Smoky Mountain DNA - Family, Faith & Fables" is a sprawling project over three LPs that's five decades in the making. The recording will be accompanied by a forthcoming docuseries. We have 37 tracks here, and 20 family members who duet with Dolly over a surprisingly wide range of genres that extend from bluegrass to rock and pop to southern gospel and even hip hop, some archival and much of it relatively contemporary.

The singular individual heading this expansive family tree is Rev. Jacob Robert Owens, born in 1899, who had eight children, with Avie Lee and Dorothy Jo and three sons, Robert "John Henry," Louis, and Bill. Dolly is the daughter of Avie Lee and Robert Lee Parton. Anyway, lest your eyes glaze over, you get the idea of generations of musicians involved.

The project is produced by Richie Owens, owner of Fireside Studios in Nashvile, once owned by Dolly and Porter Wagoner. The plan for the project was laid down by his father and Dolly over 50 years ago. So, we have five generations of music. Using the latest in digital technology to isolate the vocal tracks from the archival master tapes, Dolly performs with both deceased and living members of the family with her siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins. Most of her contributions were in 2023 and 2024. Interestingly, four tracks stem from the unused in her sessions for "Hungry Heart."

It's a daunting task to select the outstanding material, but here's to trying - "My Tennessee Mountain Home," one of only two solo vocals by Dolly, "I Just Stopped By," swamp pop with John Henry Owens, "When Possession Gets Too Strong" with Louis Owens, "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" with Bill Owens, the title track which is the other solo vocal, "Heart Don't Fail Me Now" with Stella Parton, "The Crops Came In," written by and sung with Freida Parton, the ethereal opener to Disc Two- "I Will Know" with Rachel Parton George, "Applejack" with Dwight Puckett, "Tell Me You Love Me" with Richie Owens, the rocking, hip-hop infused "Holy Water" with Sabyn Mayfield, "Where Will We Live Tomorrow" with Rebecca Seaver, "Not Bad" with Shelly Rena, and "We Might Be In Love" with Faith Reeann. Heck, that's almost 40 percent of the material. "Epic' fails to describe the magnitude of this endeavor.