QUICK TAKE | Dolly Parton’s Final Recording Is a Duet With Bono. Seven Things to Know About ‘Torn’

1. What was Dolly Parton’s final recording?

It was ‘Torn’, a country duet with U2 frontman Bono. Parton’s official website identifies the Nashville session as her last recorded vocal performance. She died on August 25, 2026, and the track came out on November 13.

2. What is ‘Torn’ about?

The song is about fractured family ties and the difficulty of choosing between people you love. Parton opens with a hum before singing about that divided loyalty. Heard after her death, the quiet entrance draws attention to the voice before the words tell you what the song is about.

3. Who wrote and played on it?

Parton shares the songwriting credit with U2 and Irish singer-songwriter Johnny McDaid. Jacknife Lee produced the album version, and Daniel Lanois plays pedal steel, the instrument whose sliding notes give the track a country sound.

4. What did Parton tell Bono after recording it?

In a June 2 message reported by CNN, Parton told Bono she had recorded several things and invited him to use what worked. She also told him she loved the song and thought it could become something special.

5. Where does the duet sit on U2’s new album?

It closes Carnaval de Luz, U2’s 16th studio album, released by Island Records. The band also chose ‘Torn’ as a single, giving the duet a release of its own as U2 returned with its first album of new songs in nine years.

6. Why are there two versions?

The album carries the Jacknife Lee production. A separate country version, billed as the ‘Kent Wells Version’, premiered on country radio on November 12, a day before the album came out. Both versions feature Parton and Bono.

7. Where can you hear it?

U2’s official album announcement links to the single and includes a YouTube player. The album version also appears as the final track on Carnaval de Luz. Look for the Kent Wells credit to find the country-radio version.