The second of the bluegrass trilogy, Little Sparrow remains a fan favorite among Parton’s deep and dynamic discography. Where The Grass Is Blue adhered more strictly to the confines of traditional blue- grass music, Little Sparrow expanded upon that sound to make space for roots, gospel and folk music, coming together for what Parton, in a 2001 interview with the blog Country Standard Time, dubbed “mountain music.” The result- ing LP is warm and intimate, balancing traditional songs (“In the Sweet By and By”) with unexpected covers, like Parton’s Grammy-winning take on the 1993 Collective Soul alternative rock hit “Shine,” which won Best Female Country Vocal Performance at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards. Parton’s voice, which sounds as new as ever on Little Sparrow, is the LP’s unifying force, with her agile, versatile vocal finding connection points between even the most disparate tracks.