Little Sparrow
Inspiration takes wing onLittle Sparrow. With its soaring harmonies and sprightly acoustic arrangements, Dolly Parton's second bluegrass-oriented album (following 1999'sThe Grass Is Blue) recalls the unaffected purity of herCoat of Many ColorsandJolenedays in the 1970s. Rarely does a veteran artist sound so renewed, as Parton applies her bittersweet trill to a selection that extends from a majestic reading ofCollective Soul's "Shine" through a banjo-driven breakdown onSteve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" and a breezy romp through Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick Out of You." Original material such as "My Blue Tears" and "Mountain Angel" brings out the best in Parton, though the overly precious title cut and the girlish "Marry Me" don't fare as well. With the support of vocal acolytes includingAlison Krauss,Rhonda Vincent,Claire Lynch, andMaura O'Connell, Parton sounds like she's leading a heavenly choir.--Don McLeese