Following the November release of the critically acclaimed, historical project Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA —Family, Faith & Fables — which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart — Owepar Records has launched the Smoky Mountain DNA Legacy Series. Across eight decades, the Owens-Parton family has been creating and recording great American music rooted in the family traditions of their East Tennessee mountain home. The Owepar Legacy Series brings to light some of the best of these rare and significant recordings of an iconic American musical family.

Today, Owepar Entertainment has announced the digital-only reissue of three albums – The Parton Family Sings “In The Garden, Bill Owens and the Kinfolk’s Songs Of The Smokie Mountains, Dorothy Jo Owens’ I Can Only Be Me – and for the first time ever, has released Mama Sings from Dolly’s mother Avie Lee Parton. Dolly serves as Executive Producer on all four albums, while her cousin Richie Owens, the multi-talented producer of Dolly Parton & Family: Smoky Mountain DNA, is the Reissues Producer.

Avie Lee Parton – Mama Sings
In March 1973, Dolly’s mother, Avie Lee Parton, recorded her personal arrangements of several traditional mountain tunes. The result was an outstanding showcase of Avie Lee’s striking, strong, and expressive voice filled with traditional Appalachian phrasing. Released for the first time ever, Mama Sings is a fascinating record of a unique American voice.

“Many people know of my mama, Avie Lee Owens Parton, from my song, ‘Coat of Many Colors,’ but my mama gave me a gift that was far more valuable than a colorful coat. She gave me the gift of music,” says Dolly. “If you’ve ever wondered where my music came from, this album tells the story, and I am so proud, happy, and honored to share this music and my mama’s voice with you.”

The Parton Family Sings In “The Garden”
In 1968, Avie Lee Parton formed a gospel quartet with three of her daughters – Willadeene, Stella, and Cassie. It was a continuation of a family legacy that began with her father, the Reverend Jake Owens, who had organized his own children into a singing group that performed at church, social functions and few appearances on Knoxville radio station WNOX in the 1940s.

Encouraged to record by a local newspaper editor, Avie Lee made a call to her brothers, Bill and Louis Owens, who had recently launched the Circle B record label and the Parton Family was soon on their way to Nashville. They recorded a dozen songs including traditional hymns, contemporary gospel songs, one original from Avie Lee, and two originals written by Avie Lee’s sister, Dorothy Jo Owens.

Originally released on the Circle B subsidiary Inspiration Records in 1968, the album features all four singers taking turns carrying the lead, but the most arresting moments are when they blended their vocals in close harmony.

Dorothy Jo Owens – I Can Only Be Me
Dorothy Jo Owens was playing guitar by the age of five and mastered her favorite instrument, the banjo, by the age of 11. She continued to perform through her teen years, but after marrying in 1946, she set her musical pursuits aside. Within a few years, she began to forge a career as an evangelist and gospel performer. As a woman making her own way in a male-dominated field, she became an inspiration for her young niece, Dolly Parton.

Dorothy Jo began to focus on her songwriting in the late 1960s and co-wrote several songs with Dolly including “Daddy Come and Get Me,” “J.J. Sneed,” and “Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man.” In the mid 1970s, she became a featured performer on the live country music radio show, The Wheeling Jamboree, and recorded gospel albums with the Pell Brothers and the Walter Bailes Singers — while continuing to write secular country songs. In 1983, she recorded three of her country compositions at The Refuge, a small Nashville studio built and operated by Louis’ son, Richie Owens. A few months later, she recorded five more songs at Pollyfox Studio and the result was the album I Can Only Be Me. The album was originally released 1983 by the Nashville-based independent label, Express Records.

I Can Only Be Me is rare glimpse into the artistry and talent of the woman Dolly Parton has called her “hero.”

Bill Owens and the Kinfolk – Songs Of The Smokie Mountains
By the 1960s, several members of the Owens extended family were pursuing careers in music including Dorothy Jo (b.1929), John Henry (b. 1931), Louis (b. 1933), and Bill (b. 1935), along with their niece, Dolly Parton (b. 1946). In 1964, Bill moved to Nashville and Dolly soon followed him. By the end of the year Dolly was recording pop songs for Monument Records, and both Dolly and Bill were staff songwriters for Monument’s publishing company, Combine Music.

In early 1966, Bill persuaded his older brother Louis to move his family to Nashville, and the Owens brothers were soon booking live appearances as “The Kinfolks” along with producing and recording a number of singles which they self-released or sold to various independent labels including REM Records.

In 1967, Bill Owens’ songwriting career was on the rise, and his niece Dolly was on the edge of stardom. Although Bill was making it in Nashville, his desire to honor his roots and family musical traditions led to Songs of the Smokie Mountains. The album features 16 recordings of traditional mountain songs and hymns with Bill on guitar and vocals, his sister, Dorothy Jo Owens on banjo and vocals, and their father, the Rev. Jake Owens on fiddle and vocals. The result was the same type of family musical jam session Dolly and her siblings grew up hearing on the front porch of their Tennessee mountain home. Originally released on REM Records in 1967, the album became a sought-after collectible by traditional folk music fans and is now available in this new edition.

The Smoky Mountain DNA Legacy Series releases are available through the Smoky Mountain DNA Shop.