Remembering Dolly

'If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours.'

Legendary country singer Dolly Parton passed away this week at the age of 80. Beyond her iconic career as a singer-songwriter, Parton was an author, actress, businesswoman, and philanthropist. One of her most impassioned causes was that of literacy. She was known for her endless positivity and her crackling wit. The world will miss her. And so will we. 

A hardscrabble start

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!

Born on January 19, 1946, the fourth of twelve children, in a one-room cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Her father famously paid the doctor who attended her birth with a sack of cornmeal. Despite the family's poverty, Parton described a happy childhood. Parton credits her mother, who sang frequently, with instilling her love of music and Parton learned how to play a variety of instruments from visiting aunts and uncles.  

Parton began writing her own songs at just five years old and started singing on the radio and on TV at ten. Her uncle, Bill Owens, was a key mentor to Parton, buying the young musician her first guitar and helping her to secure gigs. He also became her cowriter on many songs over the years. 

As a young teen in 1959, Parton made her recording debut and appeared at the Grand Ole Opry. A few years later, she secured a songwriting deal. In 1964, she became the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Parton moved to Tennessee the very next day to pursue her music career.  

Her climb to the top

I never tried quitting, and I never quit trying

In 1967, Parton secured a spot as the "girl singer" on The Porter Wagoner Show. Over the next several years, she released a series of popular duets with Wagoner. After initially underperforming, her solo singles began to climb the country music chart in the early 1970s. In 1973, she finally topped the chart with "Jolene" in 1974. As her success began to eclipse Wagoner's, Parton decided it was time to part ways with Wagoner and focus on her solo career. Her hit song, "I Will Always Love You," was a tribute to him. 

In the late 1970s, Parton's music began to gain traction with a broader audience with a string of crossover hits. A variety of pop stars covered her songs, including Olivia Newton-John, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Rondstadt. Parton went on to collaborate with Harris and Rondstadt on the acclaimed 1987 album, Trio.  

In 1980, Parton starred in the feature film 9 to 5 alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The theme song, also titled "9 to 5", topped both the country and pop charts, cementing her status as a household name. Her career has seen ups and downs, but Parton has worked steadily, putting out more than fifty albums and appearing in hit films including The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), Rhinestone (1984), Steel Magnolias (1989), Straight Talk (1992), Gnomeo & Juliet (2011), and more.  

The persona, the look, the swagger

It costs a lot of money to look this cheap

"A country girl’s idea of glam," is how Parton described her iconic look in lyrics from her 2008 song, 'Backwoods Barbie'." She never paid much heed to detractors about her choices around clothes, plastic surgery, wigs, or makeup. She was always ready with a witty quip to deflect criticisms, such as, "I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb—and I'm not blonde either." Indeed, Parton was true to herself every step of the way and her larger-than-life persona was arguably a large part of her success, especially when combined with her enormous talent and unyielding work ethic.  

Parton promoted positivity and inclusiveness above all else, steering clear of taking political or puritanical positions of any sort. She walked a careful line between her traditional roots and her vocal support of alternative ways of being, both in the world and in country music. When asked in 1997 about her ability to maintain ardent fan bases within both the religious right and the gay community, she responded, "It's two different worlds, and I live in both and I love them both, and I understand and accept both."  

Her lasting legacy

Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life

Along with her prolific career and her many business ventures, including Dollywood, a consortium of Tennessee-based theme parks and resorts, Parton has championed a variety of causes, education and literacy being chief among them. In 1988, she founded the nonprofit Dollywood Foundation with the initial aim to improve education outcomes among children in her home county. These early efforts helped decrease the dropout rate of Sevier County, Tennessee, from 35% to 6% and contributed to further initiatives to help sustain the improvement.  

Parton's literacy program, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library was founded in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. It mails one book per month to each enrolled child from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten. The program serves around 850,000 children across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, and Ireland.  

Over the decades, the Dollywood Foundation has supported many other initiatives, including healthcare and medical research, disaster relief, animal welfare, LGBTQ+ advocacy, and more.  

Her books

Writing’s just as natural to me as getting up and cooking breakfast.

In addition to songwriting, Parton penned several books, including children's literature, memoirs, cookbooks, and even Run, Rose, Run, a thrilling novel she cowrote with James Patterson drawing from aspects of Parton's own life experience. Here are a few more that we have on our shelves. Note: While many of these are currently out of stock, we're working to get more.  

Children's books: 

• Coat of Many Colors: 10th Anniversary Edition—Although we had no money, I was rich as I could be, in my coat of many colors, my mama made for me. This moving picture book was based on a signature song about Parton's childhood. (Ages 3–7)  

• Billy the Kid Makes It Big—Based on Dolly's actual god-dog, this is the story of French bulldog Billy the Kid who has a talent for barking to the beat of country music. The series continues with Billy the Kid Dances His Heart Out and Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas. (Ages 4–7) 

• I Am a Rainbow—This whimsical picture book encourages children of all ages to talk about their feelings and respect the feelings of others. (Ages 3–5) 

Memoirs: 

• Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business—In this autobiography, Dolly tells the rags-to-riches story of her life as only she can--with honesty, insight, and an unfailing sense of humor. 

• Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics—In her own words, this volume explores the songs that have defined Parton's journey. Illustrated throughout with photos from her archives. 

• Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones—The artist shares the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style. 

Food and lifestyle: 

• Good Lookin' Cookin'—Pull up a chair to a year of meals, friends, and fun with the Partons, as Dolly and her sister (and favorite cook) Rachel share beloved, crowd-pleasing recipes and family stories. 

• Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You—Expanding on the popular commencement speech Dolly Parton gave at the University of Tennessee, this inspirational book shares her heartfelt hopes and dreams for everyone. 

This tribute barely scratches the surface of Dolly Parton's mountain of achievements, awards, and accolades. Her outsized impact as an artist and a positive force in the world is impossible to quantify. Let us just say that we will miss her and we're grateful she was here.   

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon