Dolly Parton’s first posthumous song released two weeks after her death

Dolly Parton’s first posthumous song has been released two weeks after her death.

The country music star died aged 80 on August 25 following a “brief battle with cancer”.

The song, Bound To Ride, was recorded by Parton in 2022 and features on a Stanley Brothers tribute album which is due for release on October 16.

Parton recorded her vocals for the song, popularised by The Stanley Brothers in 1964, in her private studio during a Covid surge as she did not want to take any chances travelling.

Parton recorded her vocals for the song in her private studio during a Covid surge in 2022 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

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The song will be featured on the album Where The Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years Of The Stanley Brothers.

The album is produced by husband and wife Garry West and Alison Brown as a nod to Carter and Ralph Stanley, known for their work in the bluegrass music genre which was beloved by Parton.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about Parton’s contribution, West said: “I call it the full Dolly. We didn’t know what we would get back, and she really did over-deliver.

“We were shocked. We couldn’t have gotten anything better.”

Other performers featured on the album include Willie Nelson, Steve Martin and Ed Helms.

Over the course of her career, which spanned more than 60 years, Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide and wrote more than 3,000 songs, including hits Coat Of Many Colours and Joshua.

Dolly Parton sold more than 100 million records worldwide over the course of a career which spanned six decades (Yui Mok/PA)

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She was a savvy businesswoman with an empire that included a theme park, aptly named Dollywood, and was also a pioneering philanthropist.

Her Imagination Library, a book-gifting programme devoted to inspiring a love of reading in children, has given more than 300 million books to youngsters across the world.

Tributes poured in from around the world following her death, including from some of the biggest names in music like Miley Cyrus, Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Taylor Swift and Beyonce.