Dolly Parton's last-ever recorded song featured in collaboration on U2's upcoming album Carnaval De Luz
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By ADAM S. LEVY, US SENIOR SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
The late Dolly Parton's final recorded song, Torn, is a collaboration featured on the upcoming U2 album Carnaval De Luz.
Interscope Records said in a news release on Thursday that the record, which comes out November 13, features 'what has sadly turned out to be her last recorded vocal performance' in the wake of her August 25 passing at the age of 80.
U2 frontman Bono, 66, said that Parton had recorded her vocals this past June while battling cancer.
'When she got ill, she got out of her bed to sing this song,' Bono told Rolling Stone. 'And you can hear that. And I can't even listen to it now.'
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both parties for further comment on the story.
Bono said he had made past efforts to work with Parton on a song in the Irish folk genre, but she had a different idea.
The late Dolly Parton's final recorded song, Torn, is a collaboration featured on the upcoming U2 album Carnaval De Luz. Pictured last year in Nashville
'She said, "That’s a little too Irish for me,"' Bono told the outlet. 'But she said, "I got this song. It’s called Torn, and do you wanna see where you can take it somewhere else, maybe?"'
Bono enlisted the help of Snow Patrol's Johnny McDaid to restructure the song's lyrics, at which point Parton signed on, delivering a performance that impressed the rock icon.
Bono said of Parton, 'She sang her heart out and I cannot believe that's an 80-year-old woman.'
The album's producer Garret 'Jacknife' Lee said that Parton 'was thrilled with' the finished product.
'She was so proud of her vocal and the recording,' Lee told the outlet. 'We were very nervous that she might not approve, or would be uncomfortable with it, but she loved it.'
Parton had a long association with Bono, who wished her a happy 80th birthday earlier this year in a tribute with bagpipe players and a cake that read, 'Happy Birthday... Love, Bono.'
Parton posted a clip on Facebook of the special moment, captioning the post, 'Now that's what you call a surprise! This old bag sure feels the love!'
She added, 'Thank you, Bono and U2 for making my birthday extra special.'
U2's The Edge and Bono pictured at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival
Bono and The Edge, pictured in Chicago this past June, are primed to release their first
Bono told the outlet that he's continuing to process Parton's passing.
'It’s very moving to have had these intimacies with such a figure,' he said. 'The fact that they’re not there now, in any way you can call back, other than through her songs, is very sobering.'
Carnaval De Luz, which arrives November 13, marks the first album with new musical material from the band in a nine-year span.
The latest news comes Thursday after a dispute between Parton's estate and her nephew Bryan Seaver made headlines this week.
Seaver has been fired from his position as the security chief for Parton's properties and had a temporary restraining order filed against him by the late singer's longtime manager Danny Nozell.
Parton's sister Stella indirectly referred to the issue in a Facebook post on Thursday, saying that 'all families have the same struggles since we are all living in this world having a human experience!'
Stella added, 'We are still intact and moving forward because our children and grandchildren look to us for strength and guidance during this difficult time of loss and confusion for them as well.'
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