Few entertainers have achieved Dolly Parton’s combination of near-universal name recognition, multi-media success, almost-fawning respect of her peers, and—at the root of everything—remarkable artistic consistency over a long and varied career.
A shrewd businesswoman with a sparkling, self-effacing wit, Dolly created her larger-than-life persona from what might have been the blueprint of a Li’l Abner dream—hourglass figure, golden wigs, glamorous fashions, glittering jewelry, and a slightly ditzy “dumb blonde” act.
And it is an act. As the singer herself has noted, “I don’t mind dumb-blonde jokes, because I know I’m not dumb. And I know I’m not blonde ... ”
Her blend of talent, image, intelligence, and sincerity has allowed Dolly the rare gift of appealing to men as an icon of femininity, even as women innately see her as a fun-loving, gal-next-door confidante.
Such across-the-board appeal has expanded her success well beyond recordings and concerts to include books, film, cosmetics, and her Dollywood entertainment complex, while her personality and razor-sharp repartee make her a cherished, first-call guest on talk shows.
Still, it all began with the music. A remarkable songwriter who imbues her honest, home-spun tales with poetic grace,
Dolly would have been a star tunesmith even if she’d had the face, figure, and voice of Ernest Borgnine.
Happily, she did not.
Her inimitable, acrobatic warble is one of the finest, most recognizable instruments in music, and fits with her lyrical gifts so perfectly that no one can deliver a Dolly Parton song as magically as the artist herself.
The fourth of Robert Lee and Avie Lee Parton’s 12 children, Dolly grew up in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Following her dreams, she moved to Nashville the day after high school graduation. She met Carl Dean that day; two years later, they were married.
The following year, Dolly became a regular on Porter Wagoner’s syndicated television show, and for the next seven years, she enchanted millions of viewers weekly.
In 1974, Dolly made a break with Porter (addressing the split with her breathtakingly bittersweet “I Will Always Love You”). Difficult as it was, the wisdom of the decision is borne out by history.
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, Dolly continues to perform and record with an exuberant vitality that has never waned. Just as importantly, her Dollywood Foundation has expanded her Imagination Library Program to more than 40 states, encouraging reading to preschoolers by providing a free 60-book library to participants.
Dolly took rein as Broadcast Music Inc.'s Icon of the Year in 2003. The following year Parton was honored with the Living Legend Award from the U.S. Library of Congress and yet another governmental award was bestowed upon her in 2005 when she received the National Medal of Arts.
More recently, Dolly is wrapped up in writing songs and lyrics for the Broadway musical of 9-5 and will soon begin touring to promote her newest album, Backwoods Barbie.
Fellow Opry member Marty Stuart said of her, “People and trends come and go. She remains steadfast and solid. She’s timeless, beautiful, and spiritual. The Bible says, ‘Many are called, but few are chosen.’ I think we all agree that she is a chosen one.”