Little Sparrow finds Dolly backed with essentially the same line-up (instead of Sam Bush, Chris Thile of Nickel Creek handled the mandolin spot) of bluegrass all-stars that propelled The Grass Is Blue into the consciousness of mainstream America. The majority of the back-up singers are also back to support Dolly's strong vocals. This consistency helps pick up where The Grass Is Blue left off. The addition of Irish supergroup Altan on several tracks, as well as an eclectic range of material, Little Sparrow forges a different identity than its predecessor while still maintaining a link to everything that made it successful. "Little Sparrow", "Bluer Pastures", and "Marry Me" are newly penned Parton songs that sound as classic as the best of her work from thirty years ago. Her spin on Collective Soul's "Shine" and Steve Young's "Seven Bridges Road" showcase Dolly at her interpretive best. The jazz-grass intro to Cole Porter's "I Get A Kick Out Of You" will drop your jaw and her Blue Mountain remakes of her hits "My Blue Tears" and "Down From Dover" are incredibly beautiful. Little Sparrow announces to the world, in a BIG way, that Dolly is making some of the best music of her incredible career.
