I’ve been procrastinating about writing this post for nearly two months. But now, with a fresh pour of Community Coffee’s recently released Cup of Ambition dark roast, being sipped from my “Poured Myself a Cup of Ambition” mug that was anonymously gifted to me, I think there’s no time like the present to finally write about Dolly Parton.
And it’s practically newsworthy, as I can remind you that the Country Music Association will broadcast a two-hour tribute to Dolly tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 9-11 p.m.
I need to tell you from the get-go that I have never been much of a country music fan. For no particular reason, it’s a genre that just never did much for me. There were the occasional individual songs that grabbed me, and there were artists that seemed more appealing than others, but my stock response, when asked what kind of music I liked, was “anything but country and rap/hip-hop.”
Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald? A-OK. Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Patsy Cline? All over that! Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, The Platters? Count me in. The whole British Invasion? Spot on. The Beach Boys, Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janice Joplin, CCR? I’m there. Simon and Garfunkel, The Mamas and The Papas, The Monkees? Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Woodie Guthrie, Joni Mitchell, Pete Seeger? All on my playlist. Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Eagles, Pink Floyd? Yep.
I could work my way through all the decades but you get the picture. I have eclectic tastes when it comes to music and I'm proud to say I appreciate the new artists of each generation. Hell, I’d even consider myself a Swifty.
But then there’s Dolly.
Dolly Parton did it all, and she did it all by design, all the while making it look effortless and accidental. Her awe-shucks self-deprecating sense of humor, her undeniable singing ability, her distinct body type and over-the-top costumes all blended to create a performer we’ll probably never see again. Throw in her pure heart, her sense of caring, her extremely generous philanthropy and her business sense, and I’m pretty sure you have the most perfect human being any of us will ever know of.
And I say all of that without getting to the real meat and potatoes of Dolly, like what an absolutely fabulous writer she was. Her lyrics were pure genius and I’m sure more than a few of her fellow artists wished they had written any number of her hits. Her songs hit so many on so many levels.
While there were Dolly songs that I enjoyed over the years, I never really followed her career, mainly because, well, the whole country thing. I didn’t really go for the persona she created. The big hair, the big boobs and the over-the-top makeup almost made me feel sorry for her — sorry that she felt she needed to do that to be successful. It was a look that I thought degraded her and didn’t help women in general.
It was only later in my life that I realized what a genius she truly was. She embraced her chosen look and identity and used it to become a very wealthy woman. But here’s where she differed from many other wealthy people. She gave away much of her wealth, using her money to provide a better quality of life for people all across the world.
Nearly two months after her death on Aug. 25, Dolly is still very much in the news cycle, a true testament to how much she was loved and how much people don’t want to let go. Not a day goes by when I don’t see a new post, a new tribute, a new reminder to support her Imagination Library, a reference to happenings at Dollywood or a video of a current artist or band remembering her in their performances and concerts. In short, Dolly has not fallen from the news cycle, while the death of a sitting U.S. senator was barely a blip on the news radar, in comparison. The last death I remembered with more media staying power than usual was that of Jimmy Buffett, and that lasted about a week or so.
As a superficial fan of Dolly, I remember being overwhelmed by the breadth and depth of the outpouring for her. Accolades and tributes came from literally every walk of life, from unknown blue-collar workers to blue-blood royalty; from garage band members to Grammy-winning headliners; from local podcasters and bloggers to network news anchors and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists; and perhaps most importantly, those closest to Dolly — family members, friends, crew members and other employees — those who knew her best and knew she was the real thing.
The Cuppa Cuppa Cake recipe from “Steel Magnolias” went so viral that I wondered if the sale of canned fruit cocktail went up significantly. A movement to name Sept. 25 (9-2-5) Dolly Parton Day grew immediate steam and California’s state legislature approved a bill to do exactly that. Alabama approved a vehicle license plate featuring Dolly’s likeness and her Imagination Library. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced his state’s intention to rename Tennessee International Airport after the beloved entertainer. Her “9 to 5” costars Jane Fonda and Lilly Tomlin added their admiration to the mix.
“Simply put, Dolly Parton was an American original,” former President Joe Biden wrote in his published tribute. “She was an inspiration to millions. She was a relentless advocate for women and for equality.
“But perhaps most importantly, Dolly treated everyone with kindness and respect. She lived her values with a flair and vitality for life that was uniquely her own.”
Hillary Clinton summed Dolly’s life up with, “Dolly Parton did all the good she could, for all the people she could, for as long as ever she could.”
Dolly Parton was a true “American icon” who started life as a “little girl from up in East Tennessee” to become a global superstar, according to Kamala Harris.
Musicians Brandi Carlisle, Cris Williamson, John Baptiste, Bono, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Pink and Kacey Musgraves were just a few who instantly shared their thoughts of and thanks to Dolly. Comedians, athletes, business executives, politicians from all levels of service and royals from around the world all weighed in with their thoughts and condolences. The University of Tennessee announced its football team would honor Dolly throughout the season with Dolly stickers on the backs of their helmets. A meme, portraying Dolly in a floor-length coat of many colors, declared her "Saint Dolly Rebecca Parton, Patron Saint of Appalachia."
The days after her death blended into weeks and now months, and she’s still being remembered, still being mentioned, still being loved and thanked. I don’t ever remember anyone capturing this much bandwidth for so long after death. That longevity alone points to her value and importance while she was alive.
I admit to learning far more about Dolly after she died, and will also admit that my admiration of her grew and grew as I learned more and more. I read a post made by a woman who talked about how well Dollywood employees were treated. This woman said her son, who had faced hiring difficulties because of disabilities, got a Dollywood job paying $17 an hour with full benefits. More important than the pay and benefits, the grateful mom said, was the sense of belonging and accomplishment her son gained.
Dolly provided college tuition to employees and she constantly let them know how much she appreciated them and what an important role they played in her success. Truck drivers, sound and lighting crew members, costumers and park employees all made it happen, and she was grateful.
Something else that struck me, and something I hadn’t really paid attention to previously, was Dolly’s amazing writing. That woman was a writer. She dug deep, pulled out the words, strung them together in the exact right order and then picked at our brains, our hearts and our emotions with them.
In a nutshell, Dolly Parton did it all.
And it apparently never went to her head. She was born a poor girl in hardscrabble Appalachia, and grew up with faith, family and personal values that shaped and guided her entire life. When she died, in her mind, she was still that same little girl from Appalachia, surrounded by the same faith, family and values that had been her lifelong compass. The only thing that changed was the money, and she sure did her best to spread that around.
If there’s anything that any of us could do to honor Dolly, my guess would be for each of us to try to be a little bit more like her.
Watch tonight:
“CMA Presents I will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton”
9-11 p.m.
ABC and Disney+
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