"I'm not near where I dream of being." ~ Dolly Parton, in a 1977 ABC TV interview
Dolly Parton, a completely unique musical talent and celebrity presence, died today at age 80. To say we've lost an American icon is a weak statement, but it's a start.
No matter how outlandish her appearance might have been, Dolly Parton was as real as they come. Whenever she spoke, she was honest, guileless, always cheerful, often surprising and sometimes even shocking in her openness.
Dolly Parton, "Queen of Country," achieved the goal of her music crossing over into pop culture with such film hits as the theme song for1980's 9 to 5 (in which she also starred) and her classic I Will Always Love You, which became a massive hit for Whitney Houston from 1992's The Bodyguard movie soundtrack. Dolly wrote the song in 1973 and had a well-established tradition of closing her concerts with it.
One of my favorite anecdotes about Dolly is that, upon hearing Houston was objecting to Dolly singing that song so often, was "I wrote it, it's my song, and I'll sing it any dang time I want." Or words to that effect. As noted, Dolly was real.
Her music has resonated worldwide for more than half a century. She not only wrote her own music, over 3,000 songs; she sang those songs and played guitar accompaniment, too. Among her many roles, Dolly was a singer, musician, actor, comedian, philanthropist, businesswoman, and founder of the theme park Dollywood. It's important to note that she was also a dedicated Christian and devoted to her large extended family. Dolly would probably have mentioned those qualities first.
Her hair, nails, and some notable body parts might have been fake, but Dolly was genuine. She embodied our true American ideal, a rags-to-riches story that stretched from the poverty of an Appalachian cabin to worldwide wealth and fame. Dolly worked hard and earned her way up, something worth remembering in our modern age of entitlement. By her own talent, effort, and determination, she got to where she dreamed of being. Rest in peace, Dolly. You deserve it.
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| The rude interviewer thought she could rattle Dolly Parton. Dolly's grace and charm did not waver. |
