The incomparable Dolly Parton, pictured above with massively "big hair" and looking so young, presumably from the 1960s.
For an even better experience, go HERE and watch her perform "I Will Always Love You." (image credit here).
Reposted from 2008 to add this photo of Dolly with her husband Carl Thomas Dean, to whom she has now been married for over 50 years -
- and this comment from the discussion thread at the OldSchoolCool subreddit source:
“The only bipartisan thing people in Tennessee agree on is that you don’t talk shit about Dolly.”Related: 100,000,000 books donated
Reposted once more. (TYWKIWDBI doesn't like to cover celebrities, but we make an exception for Dolly Parton). In this video she answers the question "How long does it take you to do your hair?"
Addendum: Dolly contributed $1 million toward the development of Moderna's covid vaccine.
Reposted from 2020 to add this example of why Dolly Parton is one of the few exceptions to the permaban on celebrities in TYWKIWDBI.
The country singer’s company recently announced that her theme parks will pay for its employees to pursue a college degree.Starting 24 February, employees at Dollywood who pursue a college degree will have their tuition, associated fees and books 100% covered by the Dollywood theme park.The offer also includes all 11,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees that work at any of the 25 amusement parks and attractions under Herschend Enterprises, Dollywood’s parent company, including Dollywood.Under the Grow U program, the new education pilot initiative, employees can register for a higher learning program on their first day through 30 offered learning partners, with subjects ranging from marketing, technology and other studies.
Tuition, fees, and books. 100%. Every employee. Starting on day 1.
The world needs more Dolly Partons.
Addendum: And let's bring this post full-circle by closing with this photo of a 13-year-old Dolly Parton with regular hair (via).
Addendum: Norah O'Donnell interviews Dolly for 20 minutes re fashion and spirituality:
This is awesome, nothing compares to the hair. Also, I adore your blog.
ReplyDeletei love yew soo muchy!....
ReplyDeletePMJ did a cover of Jolene... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s60lYl_TeNo
ReplyDeleteI am the same age as Miss Dolly Parton and I have loved her as long as I can remember. There is no one even remotely like her. (Your blog is a never-ending source of wonder. Thank you so much.)
ReplyDeleteUnless I'm mistaken that picture of Dolly and her husband was taken in my parents' old neighborhood. They never got to know Dolly well but were close friends with Carl Dean for many years.
ReplyDeleteI remember a time he came to visit. He pointed at my brother and said, "He looks like his daddy." He pointed at me and said, "He looks like his mama." He pointed at our dog and said, "That looks like my wife."
Only Carl Dean could get away with a joke like that about Dolly Parton.
Physiognomy is a wonderful thing, we should all trust it more than we do.
ReplyDeleteCompare that top photo of Dolly with one of Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, they could be sisters.
And both have that inbuilt humanity, intelligence and common sense.
Either of them would make a great president for your country, although AOC is still a tad young, given your propensity for electing rather old people.
But regarding physiognomy, and my apologies as I sully this post, now look at Trump and what does your subconscious tell you ?
Getting on for a few million years of reading other people now, we really need to listen to our brains more.
I see where you're going with this, but... 1) correlation does not imply causation, and 2) your small sample size would indicate observer bias. Much as I'd love to agree with your assessment, it simply doesn't hold up to logical scrutiny.
DeleteLol, I just read the other comments, seems I forgot to praise your blog.
ReplyDeleteI heap kudos on you now.
I will add (a bit tongue-in-cheek) that East Tennesseans don't talk smack about Dolly or guns. Or the Church of God (her grandfather was a preacher in that denomination--as is my dad and I). The Church of God Home for Children (it has now been renamed) is in Sevierville, Tennessee (Dolly's birthplace). Dolly has been very generous to the denomination, even though she is not a member.
ReplyDeleteI have heard her in interviews speak of going on fasts and the such, which is something that surely came down to her from the religious leanings of her family. And her repertoire also includes a number of religious songs (she even sang a duet with Dottie Rambo).
In any case, while there are some things I don't see the same way Dolly does, indeed, we all consider her a treasure. If she ran for governor or president, not only would she probably win, she'd probably be able to bring about world peace, since it seems the whole world likes her.
Oh, and gravy and biscuits. Tennesseans pretty much agree that it's good eating.
Aaron S, I hope you're already familiar with the series of podcasts called "Dolly Parton's America." If not, listen to this introductory episode now -
Deletehttps://tywkiwdbi.blogspot.com/2019/11/dolly-partons-america-explained.html
- then go to Radiolab and download the series. Its a joy to listen to.
Dolly Parton is to country musicians as Jimmy Carter is to Presidents.
ReplyDeleteIt was in the late 80s the first times I watched Letterman that he had her on the show, and introduced her as "the woman with the biggest............hair in showbiz!"
ReplyDeleteMy mom had to explain that one. She seemed nice to 9-year-old me.
As an aside, Dolly Parton's America is fantastic, and some of the best work that Jad Abumrad and his team have ever done. I think it's time for me to re-listen to the whole thing.
Oh the humanity: this post has been censored by my (free version) of Feedly reader...
ReplyDeleteWhy, oh why?
My husband was asking today if there were any nice billionaires out there in the world. (He'd heard about the "interestingly shaped" rocket and the latest "I'm richer than you" snub between Bezos and Musk.) We decided Gates was as close as they come, but that Dolly was literally in a class by herself- literally. She may not be a billionaire, but very few people have achieved what she has and made such a point of giving back and using it to make the world a better place. (Or done it so humbly and without trumpeting those good deeds to the entire media world.)
ReplyDeleteI grew up near the Tennessee border and no matter who you were or what your politics or taste in music or anything else, YOU DO NOT badmouth Dolly!!
I agree that Dolly gives back with her money to many, many folk, and that she has a lovely voice, but I still think of her as the biggest silicone woman in the world...
ReplyDeleteHope we can still be friends!
Without a doubt, especially given the fact that she'd probably agree with you: https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/dolly-parton-unique-style-glamorous-trash.html/
DeleteIt’s a great program, but I’m trying to figure out how it works
ReplyDelete“...who pursue a college degree will have their tuition, associated fees and books 100% covered...”
“...through 30 offered learning partners, with subjects ranging from marketing, technology and other studies.”
“...also committed to partially funding 150 additional degree programs that include art design, engineering and hospitality, covering up to $5,250.”
So they’ll cover everything through those 30 learning partners and if you chose a different learning partner(school?) they’ll pay up to $5250. I wonder if that’s total or per year?
Mr Dean got the Brass Ring for sure.
There are many "Jolene" by DP videos on YT - you just have to pick one.
ReplyDeleteThank you, anon. My problem is not availability of product, but lack of time for repairing linkrot on 14-year-old posts.
Delete