Bono Had “No Idea” Dolly Parton Was So Ill When She Recorded Her Final Track With U2

By Lisa Wright

Bono has revealed that he had "no idea" Dolly Parton was nearing the end of her life while U2 were working with her on what would become her final recorded performance.

The country music icon appears on Torn, the closing track of U2's upcoming album Carnaval de Luz. Following her death in August, the song has taken on a special significance as it features Parton's final ever vocal recording.

The band's frontman explained that although they knew she had been dealing with health issues, they were unaware of just how serious her condition had become.

"We knew she was ill, but we had no idea that it'd be her last vocal," Bono tells the BBC. "That was a real shock. A shock for us because we'd been working with her, but a shock for anyone who loves music."

Reflecting on the moment he heard about her passing, the Elevation singer continued: "I remember I was with Michael Stipe in a car when the news came in, and he actually fell down and started sobbing. He just could not believe it.

"Probably the only thing that people can agree on in the entire world right now is Dolly Parton. Whether you're gay or straight or conservative or liberal, she was ready for you to fly at her show."

Bono also shared how the unexpected collaboration first came together, explaining that he had sent Parton a set of bagpipes for her birthday. She subsequently agreed to hear some of the band's demos and explore the possibility of working together.

"We had some folk songs we were playing, there was one called Lifelong, and I remember her saying, 'You know, that's a little too Irish for me'," the rocker remembers. "So she said, 'Look, I've started a song called Torn. You can take it where you want, and I might like where you take it'. And she did."

U2 later worked on a new version of the track alongside Snow Patrol's Jonny McDaid, reshaping it to reflect the political disagreements and divisions that have been driving families apart.

Carnaval de Luz is scheduled for release on 13 November.