It’s impossible to think about classic country music without Dolly Parton coming to mind. She’s one of the industry’s legends, and when you hear her sing, it’s not hard to see why. So when she teamed up with fellow music greats Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, I knew that I was about to hear something amazing… but I had no idea just how incredible their performance would be.

We’ve shown you before that there are many things about Dolly Parton that most people don’t know, but even though I’m a huge country music fan, I had no idea this performance ever happened! Like many vintage country songs, such as George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” the song this trio performs really has a way of tearing at your heart. The tune, called “The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile)” is about a mom whose son is in jail. She can’t get him out, but she visits him and gives him a smile that makes things better, at least for the moment.

What I love most about this song is that it’s so open to interpretation. The lyrics talk about the mom being sent down from heaven, and whether you believe that the mother literally came down from heaven to visit her son or he’s just remembering the time he had with her before she passed away, there’s no denying that the idea of your loved ones watching over you even after they’ve died is comforting to those who have lost their moms. What a beautiful song sung by three legendary women!

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