A Holly Dolly Christmas is the forty-seventh solo studio album by Dolly Parton. It was released by Dolly's own Butterfly Records and 12-Tone Music on October 2, 2020. The album was produced by Kent Wells with Dolly serving as executive producer. It is Dolly's third Christmas themed album, following 1984's Kenny Rogers collaboration, Once Upon a Christmas, and 1990's Home for Christmas. The album features collaborations with Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, and Dolly's brother Randy. Five singles were released from the main album: "Mary, Did You Know?," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Christmas on the Square," "All I Want for Christmas Is You," and "Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas." "I Still Believe" was released as a single to promote the Bonus Version of the album and the 2020 CBS TV special, A Holly Dolly Christmas. Two more singles were issued to promote the 2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition: "A Smoky Mountain Christmas" and "Silent Night." The album received positive reviews from critics and peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. It also peaked at number one on the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart and number 16 on the Billboard 200. The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in November 2025.
Track listing
?Holly Jolly Christmas (Johnny Marks) 3:22
Christmas Is (featuring Miley Cyrus) (Dolly Parton) 3:17
Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas (duet with Michael Bublé) (Dolly Parton) 3:39
Christmas on the Square (Dolly Parton) 3:15
Circle of Love (Dolly Parton) 3:43
All I Want for Christmas Is You (duet with Jimmy Fallon) (Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff) 4:05
Comin' Home for Christmas* (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 4:29
Christmas Where We Are (featuring Billy Ray Cyrus) (Jada Star Roberts, Barry Jobe) 3:11
Pretty Paper (duet with Willie Nelson) (Willie Nelson) 3:34
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (Tommie Connor) 2:44
You Are My Christmas (featuring Randy Parton) (Dolly Parton) 4:14
Mary, Did You Know? (Mark Lowry, Buddy Greene) 4:27
* Previously released as a standalone single in 2009.
Amazon Exclusive streaming edition bonus tracks ? 13. The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32 ? 14. Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29
8-track edition bonus track ? 13. The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32
Bonus Version bonus track ? 13. I Still Believe (Performed live on A Holly Dolly Christmas TV Special) (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 3:50
2021 Deluxe Edition bonus tracks ??? 13. I Still Believe (Performed live on A Holly Dolly Christmas TV Special) (Dolly Parton, Kent Wells) 3:50 ? 14. Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29 ? 15. The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32
2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition bonus tracks 13. Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29 14. The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32 15. Baby, It's Cold Outside Rod Stewart featuring Dolly Parton (Frank Loesser) 3:50 16. Something Bigger Than Me (Steve Dorff, Marty Panzer) 3:56 17. A Smoky Mountain Christmas (Dolly Parton) 2:10 18. (I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa (Bill Owens) 2:13 19. Wrapped Up in You (Dolly Parton) 2:33 20. Silent Night (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr) 3:13
Notes: Tracks 13 and 14 were previously released on the Amazon Exclusive streaming edition, 8-track edition (13), cassette edition (14), and the 2021 Deluxe Edition of the album. Track 15 was originally released on Rod Stewart's 2004 album Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III. Tracks 17-19 are the recordings featured in the 1986 TV movie A Smoky Mountain Christmas, but this marks their first commercial release. Tracks 16 and 20 were originally released on the 1997 soundtrack album Annabelle's Wish.
2025 5th Anniversary Collector's Edition bonus tracks ? 13. Three Candles (Dolly Parton) 2:29 14. The Wish Book (Dolly Parton) 1:32 15. Baby, It's Cold Outside Rod Stewart featuring Dolly Parton (Frank Loesser) 3:50 16. Something Bigger Than Me (Steve Dorff, Marty Panzer) 3:56 17. A Smoky Mountain Christmas (Dolly Parton) 2:10 18. (I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa (Bill Owens) 2:13 19. Wrapped Up in You (Dolly Parton) 2:33 20. Silent Night (Franz Xaver Gruber, Joseph Mohr) 3:13 21. The Magic of Being Together (Dolly Parton) 2:34
Notes: Tracks 13 and 14 were previously released on the Amazon Exclusive streaming edition, 8-track edition (13), cassette edition (14), and the 2021 Deluxe Edition of the album. Track 15 was originally released on Rod Stewart's 2004 album, Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III. Tracks 17-19 are the recordings featured in the 1986 TV movie A Smoky Mountain Christmas, but this marks their first commercial release. Tracks 16 and 20 were originally released on the 1997 soundtrack album, Annabelle's Wish. Track 21 was previously released on the 2025 digital only compilation album, The Dollywood Collection: Celebrating 40 Years of Music & Memories.
Dolly released "Comin' Home for Christmas" as a single in December 2009, but no mention of a Christmas album was made for almost seven years. She first mentioned that she was working on a new Christmas album during a Facebook Live Q&A in August 2016. She said that the album would be released in 2017 and would feature songs that she had written for the NBC TV movie Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. The title song from the movie, "Circle of Love," was recorded by Jennifer Nettles, who played Dolly's mother in the film, for her 2016 Christmas album, To Celebrate Christmas. The song was also recorded by Dolly's niece Heidi Parton for her 2017 album, This Kind of Love. The album's release was delayed due to the release of Dolly's first children's album, I Believe in You, in 2017 and the Dumplin' soundtrack album in 2018. The album's release was mentioned again in April 2020 by Dolly's creative director Steve Summers, who mentioned in a YouTube livestream with Linda Perry that his team was working on preparations for the album photoshoot and that it would be coming out in 2020. Dolly prematurely announced the album's title in addition to two song titles and a few of the guest artists during an interview with Eddie Stubbs on WSM in July 2020. Following the broadcast, the interview was posted to WSM's SoundCloud page, but was deleted by mid-afternoon the next day.
Recording The album was recorded at various studios from 2009 to 2020.
Sound Stage Studios (Nashville)
?Kent Wells Productions (Franklin)
Dark Horse Recording (Franklin)
Paragon Studios (Franklin)
The Jazz/Pop Sweatshop (Vancouver)
Adventure Studios (Nashville)?
Velvet Apple Studios (Nashville)
Little Big Sound (Nashville)
Monk Music Studios (East Hampton)
Quad Studios (Nashville)
Pedernales Recording Studio (Spicewood)
The album was formally announced on August 12, 2020, and was made available for pre-order the following day. It was released October 2 on CD, digital download, and streaming. Target stores offered an exclusive version of the album featuring an alternate cover. An enhanced version of the album was made available for streaming on Spotify featuring exclusive video content. An Amazon Exclusive edition of the album featuring two bonus tracks was made available for streaming on October 6. The album was released November 13 on LP after its release was pushed back from October 2 due to a manufacturing delay. The LP version was released on opaque red, green, and gold vinyl on Dolly's website. The LP was released on transparent white vinyl exclusively on Amazon in the UK (later released in the US to Walmart store in 2021) and peppermint colored vinyl by Magnolia Record Club. It was also released on cassette and 8-track on November 13, each featuring one bonus track, available exclusively through Amazon. A "Bonus Version" of the album was released for digital download and streaming on December 4 with one bonus track, a live recording of "I Still Believe," from the CBS TV special A Holly Dolly Christmas.
A Deluxe Edition of the album was released to digital music retailers and streaming services on October 29, 2021, featuring alternate artwork and all three bonus tracks: "I Still Believe," "Three Candles," and "The Wish Book." An Ultimate Deluxe Edition followed on October 14, 2022, featuring "Three Candles," "The Wish Book," "Baby, It's Cold Outside" with Rod Stewart from His 2004 album Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III, "Something Bigger Than Me" and "Silent Night" from the 1997 soundtrack album Annabelle's Wish, and three tracks from Dolly's 1986 ?TV movie, A Smoky Mountain Christmas, marking their first commercial release. The 2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition was released on white vinyl, CD, digital download, and streaming. Walmart offered an exclusive white vinyl pressing of the standard album in 2022. The standard version of the album was reissued on silver vinyl in 2023. The standard 12-track album was reissued on November 21, 2025, as a picture disc vinyl to celebrate its fifth anniversary. An HSN-exclusive 5th Anniversary Collector's Edition CD was released in 2025 featuring all tracks from the 2022 Deluxe Edition plus an additional bonus track, "The Magic of Being Together," which was previously released in March 2025 on the digital only compilation album, The Dollywood Collection: Celebrating 40 Years of Music & Memories.
The album debuted and peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 chart with 27,000 equivalent album units of which 26,000 were pure album sales. The album also debuted and peaked at number one on both the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and the Billboard Top Holiday Albums chart. In Europe the album peaked at number 11 on the Scottish Albums chart and number 16 on the UK Albums Chart.
The album has sold 171,000 units in the United States as of December 2020.
The album was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. ?It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on November 7, 2025, for 500,000 album equivalent units.
Personnel
?Tom Hoey – drums, percussion Steve Turner – drums, percussion Michael Davis – keys, B3, orchestrations, percussion Kent Wells – electric guitar, nylon string guitar, guitars, percussion, banjo, programming Roy Agee – tenor trombone, bass trombone, orchestration ?Dennis Crouch – upright bass ?Gary Lunn – bass, upright bass Steve Mackey – bass Lloyd Green – steel guitar Tom Rutledge – acoustic guitar ?Richard Dennison – piano, background vocals Paul Hollowell – piano, B3 David Angell – violin Monisa Angell – violin Wei Tsun Chang – violin Janet Darnell – violin David Davidson – violin, viola, orchestration Chris Farrell – viola ?Paul Nelson – cello Stefan Petrescu – violin ?Carole Rabinowitz – cello Sarighani Reist – cello Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin Karen Winkelmann – violin Michael Bublé – lead vocals Billy Ray Cyrus – lead vocals Miley Cyrus – lead vocals Jimmy Fallon – lead vocals Vicki Hampton – background vocals Aaron McCune – background vocals Willie Nelson – lead vocals Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals Dolly Parton – lead vocals ?Heidi Parton – harmony vocals Randy Parton – lead vocals Darrin Vincent – background vocals Rhonda Vincent – mandolin, background vocals Sam Levine – saxophone, flute, clarinet, orchestration Jimmy Mattingly – fiddle, mandolin
Production Lakieta Bagwell-Graves – background vocal arrangement ?Michael Bublé – vocal arrangement Steve Chadie – engineer ?Joey Crawford – engineer Cynthia Daniels – engineer ?David Davidson – orchestral arrangement ?Jim DeMain – mastering ?Richard Dennison – producer, vocal arrangements Kyle Dickinson – editing, assistant engineer Kat Elfman – production assistant Ryan Enockson – engineer Jamie Graves – vocal recording Paul David Hager – Miley vocal engineer Chris Latham – editing, vocal editing? Kam Luchterhand – assistant engineer Parker Lyons – assistant engineer Andrew Mayer – assistant engineer Joel McKenney – assistant engineer Patrick Murphy – tracking engineer Mark Needham – mixing Dolly Parton – executive producer Taylor Pollert – orchestra engineer Tom Rutledge – producer, engineer Cody Simpson – Miley vocal tracking engineer Tyler Spratt – editing Adam Wathen – assistant engineer ?Kent Wells – producer, overdubs Kevin Willis – engineer, editing, tracking enginee
Other personnel Hillary Adcock – seamstress Stacie Huckeba – photography Iisha Lemming – master draper Vance Nichols – set design Riley Reed – seamstress Cheryl Riddle – hair ?J.B. Rowland – art direction Rebecca Seaver – production Steve Summers – costume designer Amazon Exclusive streaming edition bonus tracks This section includes credits for "The Wish Book" and "Three Candles" Richard Dennison – keyboards, piano, harmony vocals, background vocals, producer Vicki Hampton – background vocals Tom Hoey – drums, percussion Jimmy Mattingly – mandolin Patrick Murphy – recording engineer Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals Dolly Parton – lead vocals Tom Rutledge – bass, acoustic guitar, producer, recording engineer
Bonus Version bonus track This section includes credits for "I Still Believe"
Jim DeMain – mastering Richard Dennison – background vocals Kyle Dickinson – engineer Kat Elfman – production assistant Vicki Hampton – background vocals Paul Hollowell – piano, keyboards Even Hutchings – drums Chris Latham – editing Gary Lunn – bass ?Mark Needham – mixing Jennifer O'Brien – background vocals Dolly Parton - lead vocals Tyler Spratt – mixing assistant Adam Wathen – assistant engineer Kent Wells – guitar, keyboards, programming, engineer Kevin Willis – engineer
2022 Ultimate Deluxe Edition bonus tracks This section includes credits for "Baby, It's Cold Outside", "Something Bigger Than Me", "A Smoky Mountain Christmas", ?"(I'd Like to Spend) Christmas with Santa", "Wrapped Up in You", and "Silent Night".
Performance Ken Ashcer – piano, keyboards, synthesizer ?Roberto Cani – violin Bob Cranshaw – bass Franklyn D'Antonio – violin ??Brian Denbow – viola Bruce Dukoa – violin Stephen Erdody – cello Bob Getter – bass Julie Gigante – violin Steve Goldstein – piano Endre Granat – violin Janet Lakatos – viola ?Ana Landauer – violin Tim Landauer – cello David Low – cello Bob Mann – guitar, keyboards, synthesizer Edie Markman – violin Michael Markman – violin Jorge Moraga – viola Dan Neufeld – viola Simon Oswell – viola Dolly Parton – lead vocals Al Perkins – steel guitar Robert Peterson – violin David Platshon – drums Katia Popov – violin Barbara Porter – violin Steve Richards – cello Matt Rollings – piano ?Gil Romero – violin Nancy Roth – viola Allan Schwartzberg – bass Haim Shtrum – violin Rod Stewart – lead vocals Rick Vito – guitar David Walther – viola Kenneth Yerke – violin
Production John Allen – production coordinator Helen Atkinson – engineer ?Darwin Best – engineer ?Steve Buckingham – producer Raj Das – engineer Jim DeMain – mastering ?Steve Dorff - string arrangement Doug Epstein – engineer Bobby Ginsburg - recording engineer Steve Goldstein – producer Larry Herbstritt – string arrangement Bob Mann – arrangement Michael Markman – concertmaster Mark Needham – mixing ?Gary Paczosa - recording engineer Dolly Parton – executive producer ?Ryan Petrie – assistant recording engineer Matt Rowlings – producer Bill Schnee – strings recording engineer Michael Teaney – engineer Alli Truch – creative director Steve Tyrell – engineer Andy Zulla – mixing engineer
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artists A Holly Dolly Christmas (Ultimate Deluxe Edition)
