Backwoods Barbie

Album information

The album contains nine Parton originals.

"Better Get to Livin'" was the lead off single from the album, released to country radio in September 2007. It peaked at No. 48 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Parton performed the tune on the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars at the end of September and again at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade A music video was released, employing the talents of comedian and satirist Amy Sedaris. It enjoyed moderate success on CMT's weekly countdowns.

The second single was "Jesus & Gravity", which also charted (peaking at #56). Parton performed the song live on an episode of the seventh season of American Idol. The week was a tribute to her work as a singer and songwriter. It yielded yet another video, directed by Steven "Flip" Lippman. He had previously directed the video for "Better Get to Livin'".

"Shinola" was released as the third single but failed to chart. A music video was released containing footage from Parton's sold out engagements at London's O2 Arena and Belfast's Odyssey Arena on her 2008 Backwoods Barbie Tour. The video was a success on CMT's digital cable channel, Pure Country, peaking at number one. It uses a lyric that plays on the colloquial phrase "You don' know shit from Shinola.

Fourth single "Drives Me Crazy" was released solely to Adult Contemporary stations.

The title track, and fourth country single (fifth overall), was originally written for the score for the "9 to 5" musical (based on the 1980 film, in which Parton had costarred) that had its world premiere at the Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre in September 2008, and subsequently ran in Broadway during 2009. A video was released, directed by acclaimed music video director Trey Fanjoy. It alternates between Parton in her Tennessee Mountain Home, (filmed at the Disney Ranch in California) and on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard, being joined by various street performers. The video debuted at No. 17 on CMT's Top Twenty Countdown in April 2009. The video was also ranked No. 40 on GAC's Top 50 Videos of the Year.

The album includes covers of the Smokey Robinson classic "The Tracks of My Tears" and "She Drives Me Crazy" by the Fine Young Cannibals.

It peaked on the Billboard Country Albums chart at No. 2 and also reached No. 17 on the main Billboard album chart. It was Parton's highest-ever debut on the latter chart; it sold about 27,000 copies in its first week.

Parton toured extensively during much of 2008 to promote the album on the Backwoods Barbie Tour touring the United States, Canada and Europe.

Several retailers offered special editions of the CD with bonus live tracks recorded on her 2006–2007 European Tour. In March 2009, Cracker Barrel released an exclusive Collector's Edition of the album with three additional previously unreleased tracks chosen by Parton from her extensive catalog. This reissue caused the album to re-enter the Billboard Country Albums chart at No. 9, the Billboard Albums Chart at No. 40, and the Billboard Independent Albums Chart at #3.

Track listing

All tracks written by Dolly Parton except as noted.