Dolly Parton, the iconic singer-songwriter, marked her milestone 80th birthday on Monday, January 19, with a joyous celebration that included both new music and her signature wit. To commemorate the occasion, Parton shared a video on Instagram, announcing a fresh rendition of her 1977 song, “Light of a Clear Blue Morning,” and engaging her fans with humor about reaching this significant age. She quipped, “Well, hey there! It’s Dolly, and I’ve made it! I’m 80 years old. Can you believe that? Anyway, what do you give somebody that’s 80 years old? Well, you don’t take gifts. You give things.”

Parton revealed her birthday gift to the world: a new version of her song, now 50 years old, featuring a stellar lineup of collaborators. She stated, “I’m gonna give you the gift of a bunch of friends that stopped by to help me sing on a song called ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning,’ a song I wrote years ago. In fact, it’s 50 years old. We did a new version of it, Kent Wells producing it, and then I’m giving you the gift of Queen Latifah, Reba McEntire, Miley Cyrus and Lainey Wilson, with David Foster playing the piano.” The original recording of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” was featured on her 1977 album, New Harvest… First Gathering, and notably reached No. 11 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart in June of that year.

In her Instagram message, Parton expressed the timely relevance of the song, noting that the new version “really lifts us up this day and time,” adding, “Lord knows we could use that, right?” Beyond its uplifting message, the initiative carries a significant charitable component. Net proceeds generated from the new recording of “Light of a Clear Blue Morning” and its accompanying music video are designated to benefit the pediatric cancer research program at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville.

Parton continued to entertain her audience with self-deprecating humor about her age and renowned appearance. She joked, “Anyway, thank you for all the birthday wishes. And I hope I live another 80 years, but I hope I’ve still got my plastic surgeons in line.” With a laugh, the “Jolene” singer playfully added, “Oh Lord, I’ve outlived so many plastic surgeons. Well, happy birthday to me!” These comments echo previous statements she made in a 2020 interview with 60 Minutes, where she discussed her plastic surgery. According to People, Parton shared, “I’ve had about all the nips and tucks I can have.” She also embraced her distinctive look, stating, “The good part with me though, I have my own look. I look kind of cartoonish and cartoons don’t really age that much.” She confidently concluded, “Even when I’m 90, I’ll probably look about the same way — just with thicker make-up and bigger hair.”