Dolly Parton Going Independent with Own Label. Returns to Country

Dolly Parton has started her own label, Dolly Records, and will release a new country album in February.

According to Parton's manager, David Nozell, "It's really the first mainstream country record Dolly has done in 17 years." The singer has had forays into bluegrass, gospel, R&B/blues and traditional folk over the past decade or so, but has not recorded any straight country.

Novell, who is also the GM for the label, says "She's going to be the only person on that label. We're not signing any other artists -- it's going to be strictly for Dolly Parton.

"She's a free agent right now so we decided to go around to the majors to at least see what kind of distribution deals they were bringing in, and didn't see anything I was interested in. To be honest, we have the finances the major labels have, and I put together a marketing plan that was way more extensive than any major has brought to me."

Parton recently had a major resurgence in the U.K. when she toured and her greatest hits album spent numerous weeks on the British charts. A promo record, imprinted with the Dolly Records label, was distributed last February with London's Mail on Sunday (see picture above).

The first single, Better Get to Livin', will be released to radio on September 24. The album will hit in February followed by a world tour.