Here's why Dolly Parton is the epitome of a modern woman
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Not long after turning 70, Dolly Parton broke the kind of news you don't often hear from a septuagenarian: The country music mega star is heading out on a 60-city North American tour this summer, visiting a cluster of Canadian cities and releasing a double box set with new music and a slew of hits. It was the farthest thing from retirement (Dolly's said herself she'd sooner die on stage). And I. Am. Stoked.
As Chatelaine's resident country music fan, I live my Dolly love out loud. She's my role model as an entertainer, a musician, a businesswoman, a feminist and a human being. So maybe just to get me to stop talking about her all day, my editors have let me share exactly why Parton deserves the love of her many fans — and some serious cred as a modern woman ahead of her time. There's a reason the Guardian this week nominated her as a dream candidate for U.S. president (far from the first time that suggestion's been made). Here's more evidence of her greatness:
She is a talented and prolific songwriter
Typically, quality is valued over quantity — but with Dolly Parton, you get both. She's written more than 3,000 songs since age seven (when she began seriously writing music), many of them reaching profound depths ("Down from Dover" deals with miscarriage and the mistaken belief the baby's father was coming home while "Jolene" nails the jealousy and fears wrapped up in would-be infidelity). Parton says she writes every day, whether it's a song or an idea. Talk about commitment to craft.
One of her first solo singles was a kiss-off to sexist double standards
Back in 1968, it was commonplace for a guy to hook up with a young woman and then ditch her for a virginal bride. With her first solo single on RCA Victor, Parton called out that double standard with plainspoken logic and a melody that had people take notice. "Just Because I'm a Woman" peaked at number 17 on the U.S. country charts that year. With just one song, Parton artfully made the sexual revolution accessible to the wholesome Grand Ole Opry crowd.
She's been married to the same guy for 50 years
Parton and Carl Dean have been a team since they first met at a laundromat the day she arrived in Nashville in 1964, the key to their partnership being an uncompromising support of one another's dreams. While Dean is quite happy running his asphalt business out of the limelight in Nashville, Parton's ambitions as an entertainer are endless — whether it's making hit records, building her Dollywood empire, starring in movies or writing musicals. He's respected that ambition for all of their years together. In May, the pair will mark 50 years married by renewing their vows with a big wedding, given that her burgeoning music career had them pretty much elope in 1966 to stay out of the Nashville papers. That ain't really Dolly's style, so now she's setting it right.
She defies shallow expectations with humour
If you don't know much about Dolly Parton, you probably at least know about her twins. It takes grace to weather sexist objectification, but a truckload of sass to also exploit it with winking humour. Through years of plastic surgery, cinch-waisted outfits, jokes about her boobs and being referred to as "the prettiest, sang-inest, songwriting-ist little blondes in country music," Parton has defied expectations by raking in millions of dollars through her entertainment ventures and amassing an enviable songbook. "Just because I'm blonde, don't think I'm dumb, 'cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool," she sang in her 1967 hit "Dumb Blonde," calling out snap judgments before critics had a chance to open their mouths. The title track of her 2008 album Backwoods Barbie echoed the same sentiments 50 years later: "I've always been misunderstood because of how I look. Don't judge me by the cover 'cause I'm a real good book."
She wrote the anthem for women clerical workers by clacking her nails together
When Jane Fonda learned about American office workers' burgeoning fight for labour rights, she called up Dolly Parton to appear in what would be her feature film debut, 9 to 5 — a Hollywood flick to shine a light on that struggle. Parton didn't just steal the show, she wrote the theme song for working people everywhere. "[Costar] Lily [Tomlin] and I often reminisce about the morning that Dolly showed up with her long nails — it was so funny watching her try to type — she said 'I think I've got the song.'" Fonda told PBS documentary American Masters. " Using her nails as a washboard, she started singing '9 to 5.' Lily and I just looked at each other and we had gooseflesh all over our bodies. And it became the anthem of the movement of women office workers."
She turned down Elvis Presley — and made millions as a result
Parton's departure from The Porter Wagoner Show to pursue solo stardom was a controversial move, only slightly salved by the heartfelt goodbye she wrote for her longtime partner and mentor. "I Will Always Love You" hit the top of the country charts in 1974 and caught the attention of one Elvis Presley, who wanted to cover it. But when Parton was told it was "standard procedure" to sign over half of the publishing rights to Presley's team, she refused. Presley never covered the song — but years later, pop diva Whitney Houston did. The song sold millions of copies, resulting in a windfall of royalties for Parton.
She's lifted up her hometown
As Parton's star rose to meteoric heights, she brought her impoverished town of Pigeon Forge, Tenn. along with her. The Smoky Mountain spot always featured in Parton's songs, but was itself lifted out of poverty and transformed into a vacation destination thanks to Parton's advocacy and investments. Her theme park Dollywood employs hundreds of local people; the town of 6,000 sees millions of tourists every year as one of the most popular tourist destinations in America.
Dying to hear some Dolly now? Here's a classic:
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