Dolly Parton honored the legacy of Tom Petty by giving new life to his lesser-known chestnut “Southern Accents”. Parton’s rendition of the title track to Petty and The Heartbreakers‘ 1985 album will appear on the upcoming tribute, Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty.
The original version of “Southern Accents” is a classic Petty down-on-your-luck reflection of truisms. Lush string arrangements and delicate grand piano emphasize Petty’s “own way of talking” in the story of a Florida orange picker. Rather than just redoing the original, Parton instead turns it into a soaring country ballad. The country icon’s trademark confidence carries her rendition from the comical opening stanza to the closing crescendo as she belts “I ain’t ashamed!” in the ad-libbed ending.
Meanwhile, the music video directed by Trey Fanjoy utilizes archival footage from throughout Petty’s life. As Parton hits the line “For just a minute there he was standing there, with me,” we see Petty’s live videos flash on screen, and for just a minute it was all so real.
“I was fortunate enough to get to know Tom over the years,” Parton said in a statement. “He’s such an iconic artist and important songwriter. I’m so honored to be a part of this special album and to be able to share my version of one of Tom’s best songs, ‘Southern Accents.’”
The 20-track Petty Country will feature country stars and rising artists honoring the late singer-songwriter who passed away in 2017. Other contributors include Willie and Lukas Nelson, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Luke Combs, Wynonna Judd and Lainey Wilson, Margo Price, Steve Earle, Marty Stuart and more tackling some of Petty’s biggest hits and other deep dive favorites.
Check out Dolly Parton’s version of “Southern Accents” by Tom Petty from the upcoming country tribute album, available here for pre-order.
Dolly Parton — “Southern Accents” (Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers) [Official Video]