Dolly Parton on how her first Christmas album in 30 years became 'perfect time to spread some extra joy’

EXCLUSIVE: Dolly Parton has released her first Christmas album in three decades -- and she's now explaining why she chose 2020 to deliver another festive record to her fans.

Speaking with Fox News, the 74-year-old country music icon noted that a holiday album has been on her mind for some time.

"I've been wanting to release a Christmas album for a while now because I just love Christmas and though we started recording before the pandemic, this year became the perfect time to spread some extra joy," she shared.

Parton continued: "I think the spirit of Christmas and what it truly means can spill out into our families and make this a better Christmas than ever. Hopefully, 'A Holly Dolly Christmas' will make everyone feel holly and jolly this season."

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Parton last released "Home for Christmas" in 1990 and “Once Upon a Christmas” with the late Kenny Rogers in 1984.

In the 12-track "A Holly Dolly Christmas," which is out now, Parton includes several Christmas classics as well as many tunes written by Parton herself. She also collaborates with her brother, Randy, as well as goddaughter Miley Cyrus, and Miley's father, Billy Ray Cyrus, among others.

Of teaming up with her loved ones and pals, Parton gushed: "It was so exciting to gather all of this talent to sing on my album - virtually of course."

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"I have so many memories of singing with my family as a kid, so singing all these wonderful duets with my friends was very special, especially singing with my brother, Randy, on 'You Are My Christmas,'" she added.

Parton previously explained how she was able to record the album amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

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“We were working in our little circle with our masks and with our gloves and we had our engineer and we just had the very few people that we had to have when we were in there when I was singing,” Parton told Billboard in August.

"We've been very smart, very careful, because we're trying to protect ourselves and I'm an older person. I'm not out to get it if I don’t [have] to, I'm hoping I can outrun all that. We've been all very, very smart, but it didn't slow us up."