I Believe in You is the forty-sixth solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was first released digitally on September 29, 2017, and on October 13, 2017, on CD by Dolly Records and RCA Nashville. The album was produced by Richard Dennison, Tom McBryde, and Tom Rutledge, with Dolly and Paul T. Crouch serving as executive producers. It is Dolly's first album of music for children. All proceeds from the album will benefit Dolly's Imagination Library. The album was originally planned to be released in 2015, following the first release of the single "I Believe in You" as a free download on Dolly's official website. Upon release, the album was met with mixed to positive reviews from critics. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Kid Albums chart, number 20 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, and number 173 on the Billboard 200.
Track listing 2017 retail version
?I Believe in You (Dolly Parton) 2:00
Coat of Many Colors (Dolly Parton)
Together Forever (Dolly Parton) 2:26
I Am a Rainbow (Dolly Parton)
I'm Here (Dolly Parton) 2:27
A Friend Like You (Dolly Parton) 1:52
Imagination (Dolly Parton) 2:23
You Can Do It (Dolly Parton) 1:53
Responsibility (Dolly Parton) 1:54
You Gotta Be (Dolly Parton) 1:54
?Makin' Fun Ain't Funny (Dolly Parton) 2:19 COMC
Chemo Hero (Dolly Parton) 2:09
Brave Little Soldier (Dolly Parton) 2:34
A Reading of Coat of Many Colors (Dolly Parton) 2:45?
2015 Imagination Library version
Dolly's Special Greeting* (Dolly Parton) 0:26
I Believe in You (Dolly Parton) 2:00
Together Forever (Dolly Parton) 2:25
I Am a Rainbow (Dolly Parton) 1:58
I'm Here (Dolly Parton) 2:26
A Friend Like You (Dolly Parton) 1:52
Imagination (Dolly Parton) 2:23
Always Choose to Be Nice* (Brian Hull, Tom McBryde) 1:48
You Can Do It (Dolly Parton) 1:52
Friends* (Dolly Parton) 2:29
Responsibility (Dolly Parton) 1:53
You Gotta Be (Dolly Parton) 1:54
We Will Always Be Friends* (Brian Hull, Tom McBryde) 1:56
A Reading of I Am a Rainbow* (Dolly Parton) 2:22
* Not included on the 2017 retail release.
The album was originally announced on July 5, 2014, with the release of the title track, "I Believe in You", as a free download on Dolly's official website. The release stated, "All families who receive the gift of Imagination Library books were also presented with a free download of Parton's song, "I Believe in You", that she wrote for the Imagination Playhouse at Dollywood. Eleven additional songs will soon be made available for purchase, with 100 percent of sales supporting the longevity of the Dollywood Foundation." This original version of the album was made available to attendees at the Imagination Library's biennial conference in June 2015. It features five tracks that were not included on the 2017 version.
On October 18, 2016, Dolly re-released her children's book, Coat of Many Colors, based on her hit song of the same name. This new version of the book featured new cover art and illustrations, as well as a free download of the song "Makin' Fun Ain't Funny". This version of the song features different instrumentation than the version featured on the album.
On August 15, 2017, Dolly formally announced the album's upcoming release at a press conference at her management's Nashville office in front of reporters and their children, saying "I love kids and I am so excited. It just seems like the right time [to release a children's album]. Since I'm getting so old, I'm getting back into my second childhood." She also revealed the album's cover and track listing, as well as singing three songs from the album and reading a story to the children.
The album was made available for pre-order on September 15, 2017, along with the release of the album's first single, "I Believe in You". ? Following the album's release, Dolly released animated lyric videos for all thirteen of the album's tracks on November 17, 2017.
The album debuted at number 11 on the Billboard Kid Albums chart, and peaked at number three in its third week. It also peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart in its third week, with 4,800 copies sold.
?It has sold 25,500 copies in the United States as of April 2018.
Personnel
Paul Brannon – guitar ?Michael Davis – bass Richard Dennison – keyboards, background vocals Vicki Hampton – background vocals Tim Hayden – keyboards Tom Hoey – drums, percussion The Inner Child Chorus – background vocals Shelley Jennings – background vocals Melodie Kirkpatrick – background vocals ?Steve Mackey – bass Shane McConnell – background vocals Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals Danny O'Lannerghty – bass Dolly Parton – lead vocals Tom Reeves – drums Tom Rutledge – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, MIDI guitar, bass Kent Wells – electric guitars
Production Paul T. Crouch – executive producer Michael Davis – arrangement Richard Dennison – producer Chris Latham – edit engineer John Mayfield – mastering Tom McBryde – producer Dolly Parton - executive producer Tom Reeves – mixing, engineer, talent contractor (mastering on 2015 version) Tom Rutledge – producer, engineer, edit engineer Nathan Smith – edit engineer
Other personnel Robert Behar – wardrobe Dennis Carney – cheek kisses photo Sarah Chapman – original graphic design Trey Fanjoy – album cover photo Cheryl Riddle – hair S.D. Professionals, LLC – back cover photo, additional photography, original graphic design Steve Summers – wardrobe Jacob Timmons – additional photography, original graphic design
