The amazing combination of powerhouse vocalists Steve Perry and Dolly Parton teaming up for a collaboration is finally happening, and it’s exceeding all expectations. In a recent interview with Louder Sound, Steve Perry couldn’t contain his excitement as he talked about working with Dolly Parton, mentioning that she’s giving her all and singing with incredible passion.
The anticipation has been growing ever since Steve Perry shared a photo on social media of himself in the studio, accompanied by his sound engineer, Chris Lord-Alge, announcing their collaboration on a fresh version of the timeless hit “Open Arms.” Perry’s enthusiasm for the project was palpable, mentioning that the track was going through its final mixing session.
During a recent interview, Perry opened up about the collaboration and his overall approach to music. He admitted to having plenty of his own new music in his studio but confessed to being a bit selective, only pursuing projects that resonate with him emotionally. When it came to the duet with Dolly Parton, Perry couldn’t stop praising the outcome, emphasizing how fantastic it sounds and how Dolly truly pours her heart into it.
Perry’s said about Parton:
“I’ve still got so much [of my own new] music backed up in my studio, but the truth is that I’m a bit lazy. Right now, I’m only doing things that I can really emotionally connect with. Anything else, I kind of pull away from. The duet between Dolly and I on ‘Open Arms’ has just been mixed by Chris Lord-Alge, and it sounds great.
Dolly told me she had always loved the song and wanted to sing it on an album. Open Arms has been recorded many, many times down the years, but, honestly, she killed it. Dolly is singing her tush off.“
As we eagerly await the release of this thrilling collaboration, let’s take a moment to appreciate the rich history of “Open Arms.” Originally featured on Journey’s seventh album, 1981’s “Escape,” the track was co-written by Perry and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain. Now, brace yourselves for a rendition of the song by the dynamic duo of Steve Perry and Dolly Parton. It’s going to be extraordinary.