Beyoncé Unveils “Cowboy Carter” Tracklist With Nods To Dolly Parton & Willie Nelson
Beyoncé continued her Cowboy Carter rollout by sharing the album’s tracklist on Wednesday (March 27). The song titles referenced country legends Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson, which made fans speculate about possible collaborations.
Cowboy Carter featured a track titled “Jolene,” which will presumably be a cover of Parton’s classic single. Earlier this year, Parton endorsed Beyoncé’s country music pivot.
“I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album,” Parton wrote. “So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album!”
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tracklist included a tribute to Linda Martell, the first Black woman to play the Grand Ole Opry. Martell was also the first Black woman to reach the Top 20 of Billboard’s country charts.
Cowboy Carter will drop on Friday (March 29). Beyoncé explained why she recorded a country album ahead of its release.
“This album has been over five years in the making,” she wrote on Instagram. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
She added, “The criticisms I faced when I first entered this genre forced me to propel past the limitations that were put on me. act ii is a result of challenging myself and taking my time to bend and blend genres together to create this body of work.”
View the Cowboy Carter tracklist below.
A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)