Kelly Clarkson Covers Dolly Parton’s ‘Hard Candy Christmas’

Kelly Clarkson just shared a cover of an iconic Dolly Parton song and fans can’t get enough. The superstar performed…

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

December 17, 2020

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2:38 pm

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Kelly Clarkson; Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal

Kelly Clarkson just shared a cover of an iconic Dolly Parton song and fans can’t get enough.

The superstar performed “Hard Candy Christmas” during the “Kellyoke” segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday (Dec. 17). Clarkson’s pristine vocals shined as she crooned the emotional lyrics while accompanied by a socially distant band and backup vocalists.

“Me, I’ll be just fine and dandy/ Lord it’s like a hard candy Christmas/ I’m barely gettin’ through tomorrow/ But still I won’t let/ Sorrow bring me way down,” Clarkson sang on a beautifully decorated holiday set.

“Hard Candy Christmas” originally appeared in the musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Parton recorded the song and released it as a single in late 1982. The track was also included on Once Upon a Christmas, the country icon’s holiday album with Kenny Rogers in 1984.

https://youtu.be/7TpRVH42azs

This performance is one of several country covers Clarkson has shared in recent weeks, following Billy Currington’s “Let Me Down Easy,” Faith Hill’s “It Matters To Me,” Pam Tillis’ “Maybe It Was Memphis,” Wynonna’s “No One Else On Earth” and Jo Dee Messina’s “Heads Carolina, Tails California.

Previous “Kellyoke” segments have featured covers of Blake SheltonJohnny Cash, Lady A, Rascal Flatts, Travis Tritt, Shania Twain, Carrie Underwood and Kelsea Ballerini (just to name a few).

Click above to watch Kelly Clarkson perform “Hard Candy Christmas.”

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.