Dolly Parton

Welcome to Civics and Coffee. My name is Alycia and I am a self-professed history nerd. Each week, I am going to chat about a topic on U.S history and give you both the highlights and occasionally break down some of the complexities in history; and share stories you may not remember learning in high school. All in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee. 

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Hey everyone. Welcome back. 

And if you’re listening to this on release weekend then - happy holidays! 

I know we just began our journey into the Civil War, but I did mention I was still planning on mixing it up. Given that it is the holiday season I thought I’d do something a little fun. One of the earliest supporters of the podcast and dear friend, Shaydra, requested… well more like demanded I cover the national treasure that is Miss Dolly Parton. This appeal was reaffirmed after Thanksgiving when the 77 year old entertainer put everyone to shame with her amazing performance during the halftime show between the Cowboys and Washington Commanders.

A woman who has enjoyed a decades long career, Dolly Parton is quite literally the jill of all trades. Not only is she a musician, songwriter, and actress; she is also a successful businesswoman and philanthropist whose long list of accomplishments made me exhausted. 

So, this week I am diving into the life of Miss Dolly Parton. Grab your cup of coffee, peeps. Let’s do this. 

Born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, Dolly Rebecca Parton entered the world on January 19, 1946. Her father, a sharecropper who never learned how to read or write, was so poor that he was unable to pay the costs associated with Dolly’s birth, trading a sack of cornmeal for the doctor’s services. The fourth of twelve children, Dolly grew up in a one room cabin that was devoid of modern comforts such as running water, indoor plumbing, and electricity. A true testament to her boundless capacity for positivity, Parton credits her childhood and the lack of modern comforts as the source of her imagination. 

While her family was poor, Dolly was surrounded by music. Her mother, Avie Lee Owens Parton, was a singer and served as her daughter’s stenographer as young Dolly was writing songs before she could read or write. Her uncle, Bill Owens, guided Parton’s early interest in music, buying her a guitar and helping her book early appearances on a local radio show. A star in the making from a young age, Dolly recorded her first song, Puppy Love, at just 13 years old. Written when she was only 11, the budding artist had to travel thirty hours on a bus in order to make it to the studio. 

Still a minor, Dolly rode with her grandmother, Rena Owens, to Lake Charles, Louisiana where Goldband Records was located to record her song. The lyrics tell of a tale about the trials and tribulations of young love and was an early demonstration of Parton’s ability to write relatable music. Even more amazing was the fact that Parton was invited to record the single at all. 

As a genre, country music was, and to a certain extent still is, dominated by male artists. The industry was initially disinterested in supporting female musicians and though women like Patsy Cline and Kitty Wells enjoyed success early in the 50s, they remained the exception rather than the rule for at least the next decade. The artist who is attributed to really helping women break into the genre, Lorreta Lynn, was still about a decade away from achieving stardom. Regardless, Parton, with the help of her wannabe mini manager Uncle, continued to build credits, appearing on local television shows and becoming a regular on the Cas Walker radio show. 

Dolly even managed to snag a guest appearance at the Grand Old Opry the same year she released Puppy Love, playing alongside her Uncle. The man in black himself, Johnny Cash, introduced the youngster, saying quote: “We’ve got a little girl here from up in East Tennessee. Her daddy’s listening to the radio at home and she’s gonna be in real trouble if she doesn’t sing tonight, so let’s bring her out here” end quote.

Though not a fan of school, Dolly stuck with and became the first member of her family to graduate from high school in 1964. Immediately after, Parton packed her bags and headed to the country music mecca of the world, Nashville. Arriving with nothing but a bunch of dirty clothes, Parton stumbled into a laundromat where she met her future husband Carl Dean. The two would marry just two years later on Memorial Day, 1966 in Georgia. A budding artist, Dolly and Carl had to initially keep their marriage a secret as executives thought it would be easier to market her music if people believed she was single. 

Still a newlywed, Parton got a taste of the stardom to come when she joined the Porter Wagoner show in 1967. Wagoner, who was known as Mr. Grand Ole Opry, brought Dolly on to replace former duet partner Jeannie Seely. Together, the duo sang songs and bantered back and forth and the show proved to be a springboard for Parton, who was able to secure a deal with RCA records both as a solo artist and as a duet artist with Wagoner thanks to her role on the show. 

Parton’s true breakout success came in 1971 when her single Joshua hit number one on the country charts. She followed this up in 1974 with three straight hits with Love is Like a Butterfly, I Will Always Love You, and Jolene. A song that describes a woman who is worried about a beautiful redhead stealing her man, Jolene is based on real events. Parton later disclosed she was inspired to write the song early in her marriage to Dean when a bank teller flirted with her husband. Feeling a little insecure, Parton said of the woman quote: “she had everything I didn’t - like legs,” end quote. Proving that even strong, beautiful women like Dolly Parton have their doubts. 

As for arguably one of Parton’s most enduring hits, I will always love you was written as a goodbye to her co-host Wagoner. Parton left the show the same year, but continued to produce albums with him until 1976 when she made her professional break permanent. I will always love you was popular from the beginning. The king of rock and roll himself, Elvis Presely wanted to record the song, however Parton refused when Elvis’ manager demanded half ownership in the publishing rights. Of course, if you were around in the 90s then there is little chance that you haven’t heard the most famous cover of all time when Whitney Houston belted her version for The Bodyguard soundtrack. The single proved to be a commercial success, earning Parton roughly ten million dollars in royalties, a portion of which she invested in a black neighborhood in Nashville. In an interview about her decision, Dolly said she considers the complex the house that Whitney built. 

The mid-seventies was a time of professional accolades for Parton, who was named the Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association in 1978, and won the title of country’s female vocalist of the year in 1976 and 1976. She also briefly hosted a variety show named Dolly in 1976, welcoming artists of color in an early demonstration of her inclusivity. 

Always ambitious, Parton had bigger goals and decided to pack up stakes and head west, settling in Hollywood, California. This move initially angered fans, who thought Dolly was ditching country music for the glitter and glamor of California. However, that was not the case and as Parton famously quipped, she wasn’t leaving country music - she was taking it with her. She made her film debut in 1980, starring alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in the hilarious 9 to 5. If you haven’t watched it yet, I highly recommend it. It is definitely a movie of its era, but also so charming and witty and Parton fits in perfectly with the comedic genius that is Lily Tomlin. 

Dolly’s film debut also produced one of her greatest musical hits of the decade. Penning the movie’s theme song, 9 to 5 spent a couple of weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was nominated for an Oscar for best original song. Parton continued to build on her fanbase, incorporating more pop into her music. Doing so, one scholar asserts, quote: “widened country’s fan base,” end quote. 

Looking for a way to give back to her community, Parton opened a theme park in 1985. Known as Dollywood, the park is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee just outside of Knoxville. The park was the result of a joint venture between Dolly’s production company and Herschend Family Entertainment, who purchased the property in the 70s. The park has been part of the area for a number of years, originally opening in 1961 as Rebel Railroad. Back then, park guests would get to participate in a faux train robbery or attack by union soldiers, only to be saved by confederate military men. 

However, Dollywood took a different approach, mirroring the standard amusement park including things like thrill rides while offering a different experience by including local crafts and food. One of the unique experiences included is a replica of Dolly Parton’s childhood home. Built in collaboration with her brother, the model is designed to look exactly as it did during Dolly’s youth. As for the original childhood home, it too still exists. Though Parton’s parents sold the home, Dolly apparently purchased it later and restored it to its original condition. But if you are hoping to visit the property, you will be disappointed as it is currently protected by a fence. 

Dollywood has doubled in size since Parton got involved, taking up an estimated 150 acres. For comparison, the Disneyland resort in Anaheim, California is about 500 acres, but the Disneyland Park tops out at about 85 acres. With an annual attendance of around three million, Dollywood is the most visited ticketed experience in Tennessee and is the area’s largest employer, providing roughly 4,000 jobs. And if that wasn’t enough, Parton recently launched a new initiative where employees of Dollywood who wish to further their education can get a full reimbursement for the costs. 

Given its popularity, Parton has mentioned she would like to open more Dollywood’s in the future, infusing the regional identity and culture with the park much like the original. In yet another demonstration of her philanthropy, Parton uses portions of the profits from the theme park to fund scholarships for local students hoping to go to college. Speaking of philanthropy, Dolly has a long, well-established track record of putting her money to good use, such as funding initiatives to reduce high school dropout rates through her Dollywood Foundation and caring for bald eagles through her Eagle Mountain Sanctuary which she opened in 1991. 

She has also established several scholarship funds with her foundation, and in 2010 opened the Dolly Parton Center for Women’s Services, which provides things like mammograms to local residents. And during the earliest months of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Parton donated money to fund research to develop the Moderna vaccine. 

However, no mention of her philanthropic efforts is complete without discussing her organization Imagination Library. Established in 1995, the nonprofit seeks to improve childhood literacy through distributing free books to children. The initiative originally began small, with Parton initially only distributing books to the children of her home county. The organization has since expanded significantly, operating in several countries including Ireland and Canada, and shipping roughly two million books every month. The program guarantees children receive one new book every month up until the age of five and it all stemmed from Dolly’s childhood. 

In honor of her father who never learned how to read or write, Parton thought it was important to foster literacy, saying quote: “ the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world,” end quote. To date, Imagination Library has distributed more than two hundred million books to nearly three million children. And the organization continues to expand throughout the world.

Circling back to her professional achievements, Dolly Parton received a star on the Hollywood walk of fame in 2004 and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. Breaking into the business originally through songwriting, it is estimated that Parton has authored over 5,000 songs, including Sinead O’Connor’s Dagger Through the Heart and Tina Turner’s There’ll Always Be Music. She has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and can even claim a Broadway credit as she wrote the score to the musical version of her Hollywood debut 9 to 5, which premiered on the great white way in 2009. 

And if you aren’t exhausted enough just yet, Parton is also involved in the restaurant business with interest in the Dixie Stampede and Lumberjack Adventure chains. And she shows no signs of slowing down as she demonstrated with her recent Thanksgiving performance and her latest album, Rockstar, which she released in November of this year. 

Her charm and influence even permeated the science world. In 1996, the first cloned mammal, a female Finn-Dorset sheep, was named in honor of Dolly Parton. When asked why they choose to honor the entertainer in such a way, scientist Ian Wilmut said quote: “Dolly is derived from a mammary gland cell, and we couldn’t think of a more impressive pair of glands than Dolly Parton’s,” end quote. 

For her part, Dolly is partial to butterflies, which acts as a sort of insignia. When asked why she gravitates toward butterflies, Parton admitted to seeing herself in them, saying quote: “they don’t bother anybody, they just go about their business, gentle but determined,” end quote. If there is a more apt quote to describe Dolly Parton, I haven’t found it. 

A woman who has challenged stereotypes to carve out quite an impressive career, Dolly Parton deserves her place as one of America’s most beloved individuals. She paved a path for fellow female country artists while remaining true to her roots. She once said her dream was to quote: “make as many people happy as I could in this life,” end quote. I think I can speak for many when I say, you succeeded, Ms. Parton.

A big thank you to friend and listener Shaydra for pushing for an episode on Dolly Parton. As usual, I always learn something new and it is a fun journey seeing where the research rabbit hole takes me. If you ever want me to cover a topic, let me know. I am available through the socials or via my website at www dot civics and coffee dot com. The website is where you can also see things like source material, transcripts, and ways you can help the pod. 

Finally, thanks to all of you for your continued support. I hope you all have a magical holiday season. 

I’ll see you next week.

Thanks for tuning and I hope you enjoyed this episode of Civics & Coffee. If you want to hear more small snippets from american history, be sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening and I look forward to our next cup of coffee together. 

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