Dolly Parton Covers Tom Petty’s ‘Southern Accents’ For Country Tribute Album

Dolly Parton is among the country stars who reimagined Tom Petty songs for Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration Of Tom Petty, a forthcoming tribute album set for release on June 21 via Big Machine Records in partnership with the Petty Estate. Parton’s version of “Southern Accents” has been shared along with an accompanying video as the latest preview of the 20-track compilation.

Petty Country includes covers from some of the late rocker’s closest friends and collaborators including George Strait, Steve Earle, Willie Nelson with Lukas Nelson, Marty Stuart and The Heartbreakers’ Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench. Contemporary stars Luke Combs, Chris Stapleton, Wynonna Judd, Carly Pearce, Lady A, Margo Price, Rhiannon Giddens, Thomas Rhett and Lainey Wilson also contributed to the album.

George Drakoulias (Barbie, The Black Crowes, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers) served as the excecutive producer of Petty Country with Randall Poster (Killers of the Flower Moon, Skyfall, Wes Anderson) and Scott Borchetta (Big Machine Label Group). Dierks Bentley’s cover of “American Girl” from the compilation arrived in February.

“Southern Accents” was originally released by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers as the title track to their 1985 studio album. The beloved composition was an auto-biographical effort that Petty called “one of the best songs I ever wrote.” Parton revised “Southern Accents” in beatuiful fashion.

The video for Dolly Parton’s version of “Southern Accents” was directed by Trey Fanjoy and includes home videos and professional footage of Petty from various points of his life. Watch the visual below:

Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration Of Tom Petty Tracklist

1. “I Should Have Known It” by Chris Stapleton
2. “Wildflowers” by Thomas Rhett
3. “Runnin’ Down A Dream” by Luke Combs
4. “Southern Accents” by Dolly Parton
5. “Here Comes My Girl” by Justin Moore
6. “American Girl” by Dierks Bentley
7. “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” by Lady A
8. “I Forgive It All” by Jamey Johnson
9. “I Won’t Back Down” by Brothers Osborne
10. “Refugee” by Wynonna Judd & Lainey Wilson
11. “Angel Dream No. 2” by Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson
12. “Learning To Fly” by Eli Young Band
13. “Breakdown” by Ryan Hurd feat. Carly Pearce
14. “Yer So Bad” by Steve Earle
15. “Ways To Be Wicked” by Margo Price feat. Mike Campbell
16. “Mary Jane’s Last Dance” by Midland
17. “Free Fallin’” by The Cadillac Three feat. Breland
18. “I Need To Know” by Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives
19. “Don’t Come Around Here No More” by Rhiannon Giddens feat. Silkroad Ensemble and Benmont Tench
20. “You Wreck Me (Live)” by George Strait