Personnel: Dolly Parton (vocals); Bryan Sutton, Steve Buckingham (guitar); Jerry Douglas (dobro, background vocals); Jim Mills (banjo); Sam Bush (mandolin, background vocals); Stuart Duncan (fiddle, background vocals); Barry Bales (bass, background vocals); Alison Krauss, Patty Loveless, Dan Tyminski, Alan O'Bryant, Claire Lynch, Rhonda Vincent, Keith Little, Darrin Vincent, Louis Nunley (background vocals).

Recorded at The Sound Kitchen and The Dog House, Nashville, Tennessee. Includes liner notes by Jerry Douglas, Steve Buckingham, Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Jim Mills and Barry Bales.

THE GRASS IS BLUE won the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. "Travelin' Prayer" was nominated for the 2001 Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Despite Dolly Parton's status as a bona fide country legend, it's surprising to see a singer who's journeyed to the heights of crossover mainstream pop putting out a hardcore bluegrass album on an independent label. But that's just the kind of left hook that attests to Parton's continuing artistic viability. Parton's accompanied by some of the finest bluegrass musicians in the world, including dobro wizard Jerry Douglas, mandolinist Sam Bush, and ace fiddler Stuart Duncan, all of whom have successful solo careers. To her credit, Parton plays it entirely straight here, without a hint of crossover; no drums, no electric instruments, just pure bluegrass matched by the purity of the marvel that is Dolly's crystalline voice. Hot picking naturally abounds, all in support of Parton's highly effective, no-frills delivery of bluegrass classics and her own compositions.

Rolling Stone (2/3/00, p.62) - 3.5 stars out of 5 - "...with curled-tongue abandon [Parton] re-tackles bluegrass, country and traditional songs with brio..."

Entertainment Weekly (10/29/99, p.115) - "...inspired writing and enlivened covers. Surrounded by an A team of accompanists and singers...she holds her own as a pure mountain talent." - Rating: B+

Q (1/00, p.122) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...an album of traditional, downhome bluegrass. The rapid-fire rhythms and dancing melodies are well-suited to Parton's vibrato....a fresh, fitting new direction."

CMJ (11/1/99, p.28) - "...an exciting release....displaying Parton's sweet yet powerful voice...also showcases her formidable compositions....one of the best and most appealing bluegrass albums of 1999."

Dirty Linen (2-3/00, p.75) - "...[Parton] converts back to the music of her youth for a full-length bluegrass CD....[Her] self-penned compositions, among which is the moving title cut, are allowed some of the overdue spotlight."

Mojo (Publisher) (12/99, p.125) - "...Rarely has this entertainment icon sung more beautifully."