Dolly Parton Run, Rose, Run LP

The 12 songs on Run, Rose, Run were inspired by the novel of the same name co-written by Dolly and famed author James Patterson. The tracks inspired by the book's storyline feature country and bluegrass artists such as Joe Nichols, Rhonda Vincent, The Isaacs, and Dailey & Vincent.

Thankfully, the Run, Rose, Run album doesn't require even passing knowledge of its printed cousin, working quite well as a standalone album in its own right. It helps that Parton uses her fictional framework as an excuse to revisit many of the styles and sounds that lie at the core of her legacy: bittersweet ballads, galloping bluegrass, anthems of empowerment and defiance, barroom duets, and cosmopolitan pop, including the show-stopping closer 'Love or Lust,' a song that would be ideal for closing sets in Vegas....[The songs are] sturdily and carefully crafted crowd-pleasers, hitting their marks expertly and with flair....Perhaps cloaking her personal experiences in the guise of a fictional narrative allowed Parton to allude to her past...but no matter the inspiration, these moments are the grace notes that help make Run, Rose, Run a satisfying listen on its own terms.