Owepar Records has released Miles Away, the debut solo album from Shelley Rená. As the cousin of Dolly Parton, Rená grew up as part of a historical music lineage as a member of the Owens-Parton family in East Tennessee.

Rená spent many years raising a family, doing session work, and performing on stage at Dollywood. She developed a creative partnership with keyboardist and producer Peter Keys (Parliament-Funkadelic, Yelawolf, Lynyrd Skynyrd). Miles Away is the result of their collaboration with 11 songs that focus on tradition while blending in elements of Neo-Soul, Rock, Funk, and Appalachian Gospel.

Rená co-wrote seven original song on Miles Away and also adds interpretations to tracks by Muddy Waters (“Can’t Be Satisfied”), Stevie Wonder (“You Haven’t Done Nothin”), Dolly Parton (“Blue Me”) and gender-flipped take on a Bill Withers classic (“Use Me”).

Additionally, “La Dee Dah” is a genre-bending song that “rejects small-town gossip.” The track features Hickhop-inspired rhymes from her cousin, musical artist and filmmaker Sabyn Mayfield.

As an album title, Miles Away presents a “symbol of the distance Shelley Rená has traveled to arrive at where she is right now.”