1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: I guess what mango was that. Well, all right, so 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: you remember how a while back I told you that 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: we'd won this big prize in an event we went to. 4 00:00:09,000 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: In fact, the whole family had won a trip to Dollywood. Yeah, 5 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: of course I do. I feel like every month I 6 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: ask you when you guys are gonna make the trip. Well, 7 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: you know, it just didn't feel right to go until 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: I felt like it was an expert on all things 9 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:24,639 Speaker 1: Dolly Parton. I mean, it's not like you have to 10 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: know everything about Dolly to ride a roller coaster, but 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: it just seemed like a good excuse to learn more 12 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 1: about somebody who's been such a superstar for you know, 13 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 1: not only our entire lives, but several decades before that. Yeah, 14 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: and and we've actually been talking about doing this episode 15 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: for a while now. Dolly Parton's obviously a legend. I 16 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: think what I find most fascinating about her is that 17 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: it's really difficult to find an artist who has appealed 18 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: to so many different types of people for so many decades. 19 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:52,680 Speaker 1: It's really impressive. So, you know, in preparation for my 20 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 1: family trip to Dollywood, because that's really what this is 21 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: all about, we thought you know today was the day 22 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: to talk about how Dolly became Dolly, and how she 23 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: found inspiration for some of her most well known songs, 24 00:01:04,920 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: and of course which African nation came to love Dolly most. 25 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: So let's dive in. Hey there, podcast listeners, Welcome to 26 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and as always I'm 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: joined by my good friend Manges Ticketer and on the 28 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: other side of the soundproof glass wearing this ruby rhine 29 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: stone vest and the biggest blondest wig. I really think 30 00:01:44,920 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: it's the biggest one I have ever seen. That's our 31 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: friend and producer Tristan McNeil. And you know, I do 32 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,560 Speaker 1: have to give him credit for his boldness because that's 33 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: a tough look to pull off, and believe me, he 34 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: does not pull it off. But it is a lovely attribute. 35 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,880 Speaker 1: So Tristan, I'm sure Dolly would be more than honored well. 36 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: And when you get down to it, that's really what 37 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,799 Speaker 1: today's episode is all about. It's honoring Dolly Parton because 38 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: at this point it's safe to say that Dolly is 39 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: something of an American icon. I mean, just think about it, 40 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: like she's been in the spotlight for the better part 41 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 1: of six decades now, and during that time, she's made 42 00:02:20,480 --> 00:02:22,359 Speaker 1: a name for herself, you know, not only as a 43 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: prolific singer and songwriter, but as a businesswoman, a humanitarian, 44 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: and of course even a theme park owner. But you know, really, 45 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: the thing that earns Dolly her American icon status is 46 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 1: the fact that she achieved all of her success in 47 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:40,079 Speaker 1: spite of, or perhaps because of, her markedly humble beginnings. 48 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: So today we're going to look past that platinum, blonde 49 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: wig and any of the gaudy outfits that make Dolly 50 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: so instantly recognizable, and instead we're going to focus on 51 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: that highly skilled performer beneath all of that glitz and glamour. 52 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: That's right, and before we get into just how humbled 53 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: all these beginnings, where I thought I'd give some perspective 54 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 1: by running down a few of her major accomplishments. So 55 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 1: for starters, she's been dominated for forty seven Grammy Awards, 56 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 1: eight of which she's won. She's also been nominated for 57 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: two Oscars, two Emmy's and one Tony definitely E gotting there. 58 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: She's uh in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, She's in 59 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 1: the Grammy Hall of Fame. She's also in the Country 60 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: Music Hall of Fame. And and lastly, she's composed more 61 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: than three thousand songs in her life and hold over 62 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: a hundred million albums worldwide. That's just phenomenal. It's just incredible. 63 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: When you lay it all out like that, it's hard 64 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: to think of anyone who's pulled off anything of of 65 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: that magnitude in the music world. But you know, maybe 66 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,760 Speaker 1: what's most impressive to me is that even at seventy two, 67 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 1: Dolly really shows no signs of stopping. Not only she's 68 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 1: still recording and touring on a regular basis, I mean 69 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: she's still breaking records and racking up awards. Just looking 70 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: at a couple of these records. It was just this 71 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: past January, Dolly was recognized for not one, but two 72 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: Guinness World Records. Now, the first of these was for 73 00:03:57,520 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: being the female artist with the most hits on Billboard 74 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: Hot Country Song Chart. This is a whopping one hundred 75 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: and six one six songs that hit that chart. But 76 00:04:07,720 --> 00:04:09,920 Speaker 1: the second of these records was for having the most 77 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: decades with a top twenty hit on the same chart. Now, 78 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: all told, Dollies landed twenty top hits on the chart 79 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:19,679 Speaker 1: that are spread out across six decades, and that's actually 80 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 1: enough to beat out other country legends like George Jones, 81 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:27,360 Speaker 1: Reb mc attire and even Elvis himself. That's crazy. So obviously, 82 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:29,240 Speaker 1: now we have an idea of where Dolly is today, 83 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: I think we should take a little time to talk 84 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: about where she started. And that's this rural town in Tennessee. 85 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: It's called Locust Ridge, just next to the Smoky Mountains 86 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:40,040 Speaker 1: National Forest. And this is important because the concept of 87 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,479 Speaker 1: home has really been the driving force behind Dolly Pardon's 88 00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: entire career. I mean, it's something I think we'll see 89 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: throughout the show today. But it wasn't just the location 90 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: that made Dollies earlier so formative. Like her family was 91 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: dirt poor. I mean she used that phrase all the time, 92 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: and so much so that when Dolly was born in January, 93 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: her dad she persuaded the local doctor to deliver her 94 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: by giving him a big sack of oatmeal, like that's 95 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: what he traded. I mean, I like oatmeal as much 96 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: as the next guy. But let's be honest about this. 97 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: I mean, the doctor really got the short end of 98 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: the straw on that one. I think. So there's at 99 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 1: least one person who might disagree with you on that. 100 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: So Dolly is actually the fourth of twelve children, and 101 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: one of her sisters, Stella Pardon, later wrote about their 102 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 1: father's deal with that same doctor. So this is what 103 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,080 Speaker 1: she wrote. Quote, Daddy paid Dr Thomas a sack of 104 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: meal to deliver Dolly. She was an expensive baby. Sometimes 105 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 1: we pay him with chickens whatever we had available. That's 106 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: pretty wild. I mean, I know I'm from generally the 107 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 1: same region of the country, but I've still always been 108 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 1: curious about these appellation exchange right, So a sack of 109 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: oatmeal is actually worth more than live chickens. So I 110 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: guess I stand corrected here, Mango. Well, honestly, life in 111 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: locus Ridge was kind of a raw deal all around 112 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,920 Speaker 1: for the Pardons. I mean, Dolly's father was a sharecropper. 113 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: He barely made enough money for the family to survive. 114 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,160 Speaker 1: He often had to barter for goods and services, just 115 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 1: like you know, delivering a baby or health services. The 116 00:06:05,680 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 1: um the fourteen Pardons all lived in a one room cabin. 117 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 1: There was no running water, no gas, no electricity, And 118 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:15,560 Speaker 1: you know that just sounds like a recipe for one 119 00:06:15,600 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: of the toughest childhood's imaginable, but possibly the worst part 120 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: of it for Dolly was that she and her siblings 121 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: had to bunk together, and these beds made of straw, 122 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: and it was usually like three or four kids to 123 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: each bed. I mean, that does sound incredibly uncomfortable, But 124 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: do you really think that was worse than not having 125 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,160 Speaker 1: running water? I mean, that seems pretty rough. So I 126 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: wondered about that too. But I actually found this quote 127 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 1: here from UH an interviewed Dolly did with Playboy. This 128 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,240 Speaker 1: is from eight and UH. After you hear it, I 129 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: think you'll change your mind on this. So this is 130 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: Dolly recalling her childhood quote. The kids peat on me 131 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,440 Speaker 1: every night. There were so many of us. We slept 132 00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,039 Speaker 1: three and four in the bed. I would wash every night, 133 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 1: and as soon as I go to bed, the kids 134 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:57,359 Speaker 1: will wet on me, and I'd have to get up 135 00:06:57,400 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 1: in the morning and do the same thing. That was 136 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: the only warm thing we knew. In the wintertime, that 137 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: was almost a pleasure to get pete on because it 138 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 1: was so cold. Lord, it was as cold in the 139 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 1: room as it was outside. We'd bundle up just to 140 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: go to bed. I mean, it's just heartbreaking to hear that. 141 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: You know, in light of all of that, it's maybe 142 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: no wonder that Dolly took to music at such an 143 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 1: early age as a way to soothe many of her troubles. 144 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: I mean, her first exposure to music was through her mother, 145 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: who was actually half Cherokee, and she played the guitar 146 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 1: and sang and and she was also exposed to music 147 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: through her grandfather, who was a songwriter and supposedly a 148 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: mean fiddle player in his own right. And so when 149 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: she was seven, Dolly's uncle gave her her first guitar, 150 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: and then she started writing some of her first songs, 151 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 1: and apparently she had a real knack for it from 152 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,960 Speaker 1: the very start. In this interview she did with Fresh Air, 153 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: Dolly reflected on how her mother was quote always fascinated 154 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaker 1: with the fact that I could rhyme so much stuff. 155 00:07:55,320 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: That's really sweet. And of course she's still a gifted writer. 156 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: You know, we mentioned earlier that Dolly Parton is semi 157 00:08:00,880 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: two years old this year. She's been performing for a 158 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,320 Speaker 1: solid six decades now. It's just unimaginable, but you know 159 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: that means that she was barely a preteen when she 160 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,720 Speaker 1: launched her professional career. In fact, just three years after 161 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,280 Speaker 1: receiving that first guitar. That's when Dolly was only ten 162 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: years old, she started performing professionally. She made appearances on 163 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,600 Speaker 1: local TV radio shows in Knoxville and and then two 164 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,760 Speaker 1: years after that she performed for the first time on 165 00:08:23,800 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: the Grand Old Oprey And by the time she graduated 166 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 1: high school, she'd actually cut recordings with three different record labels. Well, 167 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: there's no question that Dolly found her calling and chased 168 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 1: it full force from the very start. In fact, I 169 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: once heard her say in an interview that she graduated 170 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 1: high school on a Friday and then hit the road 171 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: for Nashville the very next morning. That's right, and obviously 172 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:45,920 Speaker 1: moving to Nashville paid off for Dolly in all sorts 173 00:08:45,960 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 1: of ways, not the least of which was romantically, because 174 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 1: on the very same day she arrived in Nashville, Dolly 175 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: bumped into her future husband at the Wishy Washy laundromette. 176 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: He was for a few years older than Dolly and 177 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: a complete stranger at the point, but she was taken 178 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: with him right away, and as she later explained, quote, 179 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, 180 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 1: he looked at my face a rare thing for me, 181 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 1: And two years after that the pair got married, and 182 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 1: I'm happy to say that they're still going strong some 183 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 1: fifty odd years later. I mean, talk about imat cute. 184 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: It doesn't get much cuter than the wishy washy laundromat 185 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: is the place where you meet your future husband totally. Also, 186 00:09:26,640 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 1: can I just say how hard it is to talk 187 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: about any aspect of Dolly Pardon's life without almost just 188 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: letting her tell the story. I mean, she has like 189 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 1: three different charming quotes for every single location, and I 190 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: am trying to be selective here, but I couldn't decide 191 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: between which of these quotes on marriage to include, so 192 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: I'm actually gonna go ahead and read both of them. 193 00:09:43,240 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: So this is from two fourteen, when the Today Show 194 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: asked Dollie about her seecret for staying married so long, 195 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:51,199 Speaker 1: and this is how she replied, we know each other 196 00:09:51,240 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: so well. I know every line in his face and 197 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:58,520 Speaker 1: he knows every hair in my wig. I just thought 198 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 1: that was so cute. And the quote is when she 199 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: and Called renewed their vows in two thousand sixteen, and 200 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:07,959 Speaker 1: this is what Dolly told the press. We're really proud 201 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,199 Speaker 1: of our marriage, it's the first for both of us 202 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: and the last, which is just so sweet. Uh yeah, 203 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 1: those are both pretty great quotes. And really, when you're 204 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: talking about someone who has a way with words like 205 00:10:18,040 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: Dolly Parton's, it's it's kind of a disservice not to 206 00:10:20,760 --> 00:10:24,040 Speaker 1: include at least a few of them. But so getting 207 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 1: back to Nashville, we we should mention that this is 208 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: where Dolly's career really started to take off. And you 209 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,320 Speaker 1: think about her first two years there. Dolly was under 210 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: contract with Monument Records. Now they tried to market her 211 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: more as a pop singer than as a country singer, 212 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 1: and Dolly actually went along with this arrangement. But on 213 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,960 Speaker 1: the side, she did start recording and selling her own 214 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 1: country songs, and she was mostly doing this around Nashville. 215 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: So you fast forward a couple of years. It was 216 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,520 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty six and Dolly caught the attention of listeners 217 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:56,840 Speaker 1: all over the country with a song called put It 218 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: Off Until Tomorrow. Then a year after that, she followed 219 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: it up with a song called dumb Blonde. Now, this 220 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: was a song she wrote about being underestimated based on 221 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:08,719 Speaker 1: her looks. It was her first solo hit to make 222 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 1: the charts, and it kind of marked the beginning of 223 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 1: this transition from more regional star to definitely more of 224 00:11:14,600 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 1: a national one, right, And I do think it was 225 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:18,719 Speaker 1: around this time that she started partnering up with that 226 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:21,080 Speaker 1: other country singer, right like I and I've got his 227 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: name in the notes, but it's like Porter or something, Yeah, 228 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: Porter Wagner. This was Mr grand Old Opry himself and 229 00:11:27,040 --> 00:11:29,640 Speaker 1: Porter host of this half hour country music show at 230 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: the time that was called, creatively enough, the Porter Wagner Show. 231 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,600 Speaker 1: And so it's fortunate that Porter was the host of it, 232 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 1: but he invited Dolly to come on to be a 233 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 1: regular performer on the show, and the two of them 234 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,440 Speaker 1: also recorded this whole slew of hit country songs over 235 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: the next eight years or so. And in fact, in 236 00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:50,040 Speaker 1: the late sixties and early seventies, Dolly was releasing it 237 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: was like three or more albums worth of new material 238 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,480 Speaker 1: every single year, and that colossal output was thanks in 239 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 1: no small part to that partnership with Wagner. So I 240 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: know the two went through separate ways in the seventies, 241 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 1: but did you get a sense of what caused that split, Like, 242 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:07,720 Speaker 1: was it over money or songwrites or what what was it? Honestly, 243 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,679 Speaker 1: you know, I think Dolly just became such a huge 244 00:12:10,679 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: star in her own right, and so she really just 245 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 1: wanted to focus full time on that solo career for 246 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: a while. And you know, as you might expect, that 247 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: decision created some bad blood between the two of them, 248 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: but they did eventually make up some time in the eighties, 249 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:26,200 Speaker 1: and they even performed together a few times after that. 250 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: But actually, I'm glad you mentioned the Songwrits because that's 251 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:32,600 Speaker 1: one of the first cases where Dolly showed what a 252 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: shrewd businesswoman she could be. And I say that because 253 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 1: early in her career, Dolly started her own publishing company, 254 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:41,640 Speaker 1: and she did this so she could protect the rights 255 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: to that ever growing catalog of songs, and so as 256 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,920 Speaker 1: a result, she owns just about every song she's ever recorded, 257 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: and that's of course netted her millions and millions of 258 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,520 Speaker 1: dollars and royalties over the years. That's pretty amazing. I 259 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 1: feel like I've heard stories of like Michael Stipe taking 260 00:12:57,720 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 1: Kirt Cobain or someone aside and telling them about managing 261 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,160 Speaker 1: their rights or whatever, and it's this recurring thing that 262 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: keeps happening. But you know, for Dolly Parton to do 263 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: that such a long time ago is just so smart 264 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 1: is It's impressing? But you know not, now that we've 265 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:13,360 Speaker 1: covered the basics in the first half of Dolly's career, 266 00:13:13,400 --> 00:13:15,440 Speaker 1: what do you say we slow things down and go 267 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: a little more in depth about a few of the 268 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: songs that really made her famous. I'm definitely for that, 269 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:36,599 Speaker 1: But first, let's take a quick break. You're listening to 270 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: part Time Genius, and we're talking about the life and 271 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: times of the Smoky Mountains song Bird, the Queen of Nashville, herself, 272 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: the Iron Butterfly. This is miss Dolly Parton. But don't 273 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: let any of those fancy nicknames for you, because despite 274 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: her fame and success, Dolly's never forgotten her modest roots. 275 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 1: Is that she found ways to channel them into her 276 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: music early on, you know, crafting songs that gave voice 277 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,440 Speaker 1: to these overlooked female perspectives. And this was, of course, 278 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: at a time when country music was largely still a 279 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 1: boy's club. Now, she took inspiration from the female country 280 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: pioneers that came before her. You think of names like 281 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,439 Speaker 1: Molly o Day, Kitty Wells, and of course Patsy Klein. 282 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: But then she took her place alongside them and became 283 00:14:19,880 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 1: this progressive messenger to rural and working class listeners. And 284 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: this would be male and female alike. Yeah, and I 285 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 1: think you were saying the way that Dolly's background informs 286 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: of music is just such a big part of her appeal. 287 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 1: You know, her ear music can be heartbreaking when it 288 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 1: focuses on the uglier sides of life, but she never 289 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: seems to dwell on those negative emotions and instead she 290 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:42,080 Speaker 1: sings about I guess learning from that pain, or you know, 291 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:45,040 Speaker 1: staying positive about what the future holds and when you 292 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:48,240 Speaker 1: get down to it. Obviously those are universal concepts and 293 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: in fact, there was this article a while back in 294 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: the Journal of Pop Culture and it talks about how 295 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: the people of Zimbabwe are apparently huge, huge Dolly parton fans. 296 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: That just makes me so happy. And the good senses 297 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: is that, uh, I guess zimbabweins identifies so strongly with 298 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: her because of how open and earnest she is about 299 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: her own like underprivileged past, and it's pretty pretty remarkable. Yeah, 300 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: I never knew Dolly was so big and Zimbabwe, but 301 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: if you, if you stop and think about it, that 302 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: reasoning definitely makes sense. I mean, she even talked about 303 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: that kind of kinship herself in this interview she did 304 00:15:20,480 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: with Biography a few years back. So she was asked 305 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 1: about how growing up in poverty prepared her for a 306 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,680 Speaker 1: career as a performer, and here's what she had to 307 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: say about it. I think being brought up dirt poor 308 00:15:31,760 --> 00:15:33,920 Speaker 1: left me with a feeling of what it was like 309 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,920 Speaker 1: to go without, so I can relate when people are 310 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: having a hard time. In my case being a songwriter, 311 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,880 Speaker 1: I'm able to write not only four and about myself 312 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: before what I know other people are feeling, even if 313 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: they don't always have the means to get their voices heard. 314 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: Being brought up poor, I recognize and appreciate the value 315 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: of a dollar I never spend without thinking about it. 316 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: I appreciate all the things I have because I have 317 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: been without right and maybe one of the best examples 318 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: of Dolly's music being influenced by our hardships of her 319 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 1: youth is that classic song from nineventy one, Code of 320 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 1: Many Colors. It's actually based on a real incident from 321 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: Dolly's childhood and tells the story of the time when 322 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: her mother stitched a new coat for her and made 323 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: from all these assorted scraps of cloth. And as we've said, 324 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,600 Speaker 1: the family was cash strapped, so they couldn't afford a 325 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,440 Speaker 1: new coat for Dolly to wear during the school year 326 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 1: that year. But when the colorful patchwork coat was finished, 327 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 1: you know, it pretty much looked like a big quilt. 328 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: I mean to most people, who would have been obvious 329 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,400 Speaker 1: from one look that this was a coat born of necessity. 330 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: But Dolly's mom wanted her to feel proud of who 331 00:16:35,560 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: she was and where she came from, and really not 332 00:16:38,080 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 1: to feel that shame or that constant weight of her 333 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: family's poverty. So when she presented this makeshift coat to Dolly, 334 00:16:44,200 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 1: she she actually compared it to that story of in 335 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: the Old Testament of Joseph, and I guess that that 336 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 1: technicolor dreamcoat that that he receives. Yeah, And you know, 337 00:16:52,880 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: if you think about it, Dolly grew up in an 338 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 1: incredibly religious environment, so that kind of comparison was likely 339 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: pretty impressive to her. I mean, who knows how many 340 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: times she'd heard that story of Joseph while she was 341 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,360 Speaker 1: growing up. Yeah, definitely. And the problem was that Dolly's 342 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: classmates didn't share that sentiment. You know what, when she 343 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:10,960 Speaker 1: showed up at school in her coat of many colors, 344 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 1: the other thought for what it was that, you know, 345 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 1: this clear sign of just how poor the Pardons were. 346 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 1: And so the other kids laughed, they made fun of 347 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: the code and and Dolly just got totally confused by 348 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:23,880 Speaker 1: this response, and as she puts it in the song, 349 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,879 Speaker 1: and oh, I couldn't understand it, for I felt I 350 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 1: was rich, and I told them of the love my 351 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:32,439 Speaker 1: mama sewed in every stitch, but they didn't understand it. 352 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: And I tried to make them see that one is 353 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: only poor only if they choose to be. Yeah, it's 354 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: a beautiful song, and I know it's one of Dolly's 355 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,919 Speaker 1: personal favorites too, and she even brought it back as 356 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: an illustrated children's book in the early nineties, And of 357 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: course they're more recently as a made for TV movie 358 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,119 Speaker 1: And You're really the songs taken on kind of this 359 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:55,360 Speaker 1: second life in schools as somewhat of an anti bullying anthem, 360 00:17:55,440 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: and it just seems very appropriate as that. And so 361 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: all in all, it's not a bad legacy for for 362 00:18:00,440 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 1: kind of a ratty old coat, but it kind of 363 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: makes you wonder what happened to the original thing. So 364 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: there actually is a coat of many colors in the 365 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: Dolly Pardon Museum, but it's actually a replica of that 366 00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 1: coat that her mom made for her. So apparently the 367 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:15,400 Speaker 1: original was ripped up at some point and the scraps 368 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: were reused to make baby blankets for a few of 369 00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 1: Dolly's siblings. But you know, the replica's there, and it's 370 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: right next to Porter Wagner's laundry slip, which is what 371 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 1: Dolly had used to scribble out the lyrics when she 372 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: wrote the song. Oh that's interesting, actually, speaking of Porter, 373 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,440 Speaker 1: did you know that that song I Will Always Love 374 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 1: You was actually written about him? You're talking about that 375 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 1: Wheney Houston song from the Bodyguard soundtract. That's it. It's 376 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,679 Speaker 1: really a Dolly Parton song. It was not a Whitney 377 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 1: Houston song. Dolly had written it as a sort of 378 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,600 Speaker 1: a goodbye when she and Porter were parting ways, and 379 00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: supposedly he cried the first time she played it for him. 380 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:51,119 Speaker 1: So that does make me wonder, like, how did her 381 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 1: husband Carl feel about it, because you know, it's a 382 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: pretty romantic song to write about a business partner. It 383 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: definitely is and you know, there were always rumors that 384 00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 1: Dolly and Porter were maybe more than just friends, but 385 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: there was never any proof to back that hearsay. But 386 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,880 Speaker 1: you know, whatever the case, the song was a huge 387 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,760 Speaker 1: hit for Dolly back in nineteen seventy four, and then 388 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:13,479 Speaker 1: a couple of decades later for Houston in Nino. And 389 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,760 Speaker 1: actually there was another big name artists who wanted to 390 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,200 Speaker 1: cover the song in the years in between, but Dolly 391 00:19:18,320 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: turned him down cold. You might have actually heard of 392 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 1: this performer. His name was Elvis Pressley. I mean, it 393 00:19:25,440 --> 00:19:28,360 Speaker 1: does ring about so well, why why would you turn 394 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: down the king? I'm curious, Like, I feel like having 395 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 1: him cover your song would just make it huge, right, 396 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: that's true? But you got to think about his notoriously 397 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 1: bullish manager that I know we've talked about a little 398 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,199 Speaker 1: bit before, and that was Colonel Tom Parker. And it 399 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 1: wasn't just that he wanted permission to cover the song. 400 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: He actually wanted Dolly to hand over half of the 401 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: publishing rights as well, and of course this was a 402 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: total non starter for Dolly, so she refused the deal outright, 403 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: and it turned out to be a smart move as well, 404 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,359 Speaker 1: because by retaining those full rights, Dolly was free to 405 00:19:58,440 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: cash in on the royalties when the song became a 406 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: massive hit for Houston decades later. Yeah, So, I was 407 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:05,919 Speaker 1: doing this interview where someone asked Allie if she had 408 00:20:05,920 --> 00:20:08,520 Speaker 1: any favorite cover versions of her own songs, and she 409 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 1: kind of gave this halfhearted answer before she finally admitted that, like, honestly, 410 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: her favorites are whichever one's maker the most money, and 411 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,719 Speaker 1: that would probably my favorite. I'm being honest too if 412 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 1: I were in the same situation. But you know, since 413 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,600 Speaker 1: we're on the subject of covers, we should talk a 414 00:20:24,680 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: little bit about the Dolly Parton song that's been recorded 415 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 1: by other artists more than any other songs she's written. 416 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,680 Speaker 1: And that's, of course that nineteen seventy three hit Joe Lane, 417 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:37,360 Speaker 1: and just really have been a ton of other versions 418 00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 1: released over the years. And just looking at the list 419 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:41,720 Speaker 1: of these and think about the ones that we've heard. 420 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: You've got the White Stripes to Olivia Newton John's disco 421 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 1: remix to even a Gawth rendition, which I have to 422 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 1: admit I haven't heard. I want to go back and 423 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 1: listen to this by the Sisters of Mercy. Yeah, I 424 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: haven't heard that goth version either any listeners together. But well, 425 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:58,000 Speaker 1: why do you think the song in particular has had 426 00:20:58,160 --> 00:21:00,200 Speaker 1: such a long life, you know, in terms of the 427 00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 1: music scene, Well for starters, joe Lyne is part of 428 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:05,959 Speaker 1: this long line of so called cheating songs, which of 429 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,640 Speaker 1: course are a staple in country music, right up there 430 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,560 Speaker 1: with all the patriotic ballads. And in fact, there was 431 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: a study of the four hundred most popular country songs 432 00:21:14,320 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: released between nineteen sixty and and cheating situations were found 433 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: to be one of the most popular subjects, and they 434 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:26,160 Speaker 1: were actually second only to the more straightforward love song. 435 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 1: So it's it's pretty interesting how many of them there 436 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,119 Speaker 1: are out there. But what makes Jolene stand up from 437 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,560 Speaker 1: the crowd is it's really that vulnerability and kind of 438 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,240 Speaker 1: those feelings of inadequacy that are conveyed in it. And And 439 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,399 Speaker 1: you know, for anybody who hasn't heard some form of 440 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: this song, you've got Joe Lene, who's this you know, 441 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 1: red haired, pale skin woman and the singer fears that 442 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,360 Speaker 1: she's stolen the heart of her husband. But rather than 443 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: kind of being this saddlement or a tale of revenge 444 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 1: like so many of the other cheating songs, that are 445 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: out there. Dolly song is really this heartfelt plead directly 446 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: to the or woman so and the singer literally begs 447 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:05,959 Speaker 1: Jolene not to steal her man. And many of us 448 00:22:05,960 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: have heard these lyrics, but some of them go, you 449 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 1: could have your choice of men, but I could never 450 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: love again. He's the only one for me, Joe Lane. 451 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: And you know, you think about that kind of diplomatic 452 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,239 Speaker 1: and self debasing approach, that was really something new for 453 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: the genre. And I think that feeling of not measuring 454 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: up to your perceptions of someone else was was pretty 455 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,639 Speaker 1: relatable for a lot of people. And it was probably 456 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: kind of endearing or maybe even cathartic to know that 457 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:34,920 Speaker 1: somebody is glamorous his Dolly parton could still fall prey 458 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:38,240 Speaker 1: to these insecurities. Yeah, I mean it is interesting just 459 00:22:38,680 --> 00:22:40,679 Speaker 1: you know, you have these topics that everyone covers, but 460 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: there's always an unusual way to voice it, and that 461 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: Dolly pardon just gets that right. But you know, from 462 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: what you were saying, I was curious, is it actually 463 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: autobiographical as well? Well, it's not exactly, but it was 464 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,640 Speaker 1: definitely based on a few events from Dolly's life, like 465 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,119 Speaker 1: Jolene's name, and physical features were inspired by this little 466 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:00,720 Speaker 1: girl who would ask for Dolly's autograph after a show 467 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 1: one night, and then this idea of a woman showing 468 00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 1: interest in her husband that was supposedly crib from this 469 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,360 Speaker 1: real life bank teller who had this habit of flirting 470 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,639 Speaker 1: with Carl Dean. So here's how Dolly puts it, she 471 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: got this terrible crush on my husband, and he just 472 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: loved going to the bank because she paid him so 473 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: much attention. So it's kind of like a running joke 474 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:23,000 Speaker 1: between us when I was saying, Hell, you're spending a 475 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:24,879 Speaker 1: lot of time at the bank. I don't believe we 476 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: have that kind of money. So it's really an innocent 477 00:23:27,760 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: song all around, but it sounds like a dreadful and 478 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: that's really funny. Well, you know, we could probably spend 479 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,560 Speaker 1: all day talking about Dollis hit songs, but I do 480 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 1: want to make sure we cover at least a few 481 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: of the non musical contributions she's made as well. All right, well, 482 00:23:39,960 --> 00:23:56,360 Speaker 1: let's do that, but first let's take a quick break, okay, Mago, 483 00:23:56,440 --> 00:23:58,000 Speaker 1: So let's talk about a few of the times when 484 00:23:58,040 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: Dolly's kind of branched out from her singing career and 485 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: tried her hand. It's something new, sure. So one of 486 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: the earliest examples of Dolly stepping out was in the 487 00:24:05,400 --> 00:24:08,199 Speaker 1: nineties when she crossed over from the stage to the 488 00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 1: movie screen. And this is when she made her debut, 489 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: starting alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin. You might remember this. 490 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 1: It was the movie of Course. Of Course is a 491 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 1: comedy classic. You know. It's got three working women finally 492 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: fed up with their sexist boss and then they start 493 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,160 Speaker 1: to pull all these schemes to get even The movie 494 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:27,359 Speaker 1: was a huge hit of the box office, and and 495 00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:29,399 Speaker 1: the title song Dolly wrote for it went to number 496 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:31,800 Speaker 1: one on both the pop and the country charts, you know, 497 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 1: and of course it even earned her an Oscar nomination 498 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,679 Speaker 1: for Best Song. It was such a fun song, and 499 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:39,359 Speaker 1: it's got that great first line. It's tumble out of 500 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: bed and stumbled at the kitchen, pour myself a cup 501 00:24:42,560 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: of ambition and yawn and stretch and try to come 502 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,720 Speaker 1: to life. I mean, I feel like she was speaking 503 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 1: for a lot of us with those lyrics. Definitely, and 504 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: that's part of the reason why nine both the song 505 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: and the movie have become such a lasting part of 506 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 1: pop culture. You know I've forgotten this, but there was 507 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: actually a nine to five TV show that ran for 508 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 1: five seasons and I didn't remember that. Yeah, Gabe actually 509 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: told me about it, and Dolly wrote new songs for 510 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:09,600 Speaker 1: the Broadway version that opened in two thousand nine. But 511 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: just a couple of weeks ago, Dollie announced that there's 512 00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: even a sequel in the works with she Fonda, Lily Tomlin. 513 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: They're all going to reprise their roles. Oh man, that's awesome, 514 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 1: but you know it's so many years later. I guess 515 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:23,879 Speaker 1: I guess it is better late than never. But actually 516 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,280 Speaker 1: a little surprise that Dolly is willing to get back 517 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 1: into the pants suit. It was pretty hilarious just reading 518 00:25:28,840 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 1: about the experience from that movie, and she had kind 519 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 1: of sworn them off after filming the first movie. And 520 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:36,879 Speaker 1: as she put it, I loved the movie and enjoyed 521 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 1: doing it, but I couldn't wait to get out of 522 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: those little suits and get into my trashy stuff. I mean, 523 00:25:43,720 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: that's obviously like classic Dolly Pardon you know she has 524 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,240 Speaker 1: that quote. Uh, I just looked like the girl next door. 525 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: If you happen to live next door to an amusement park, 526 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 1: that's pretty great. Thanks for the Thanks for the set 527 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:58,880 Speaker 1: up there. Because speaking of amusement parks, or really theme 528 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 1: parks in this case, we definitely can't let this episode 529 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: go without talking at least a little bit about Dollywood 530 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,919 Speaker 1: because plenty of singers have made that jump from music 531 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,520 Speaker 1: to TV and of course even movies, Dolly pretty much 532 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,879 Speaker 1: stands alone in terms of the theme park ownership thing. Yeah, 533 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,640 Speaker 1: and it's obviously an unusual business move for a musician, 534 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: but uh, I am sure that, like if Beyonce decided 535 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: to have at theme park it would also be amazing. Yeah, 536 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 1: I'd show up. So I am curious, like what made 537 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:29,199 Speaker 1: Dolly go for it? Like, like like what was she just 538 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,959 Speaker 1: really into roller coasters or what was it? It definitely 539 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 1: wasn't the roller coaster thing. In fact, even though Dollies 540 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: owned the theme park for over thirty years now, she's 541 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,720 Speaker 1: never written a single ride there. Apparently she suffers from 542 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: really bad motion sickness, and she said she used to 543 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 1: get sick from riding on the school bus, so roller 544 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,240 Speaker 1: coasters are pretty much out of the question for her. 545 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:51,520 Speaker 1: But we go back to this idea of why she 546 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 1: bought the park. There were a few things really, but 547 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: you know. First, it actually helps to know that Dollywood 548 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: wasn't always Dollywood. The original totally unrelated park it opened 549 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:04,879 Speaker 1: there in nineteen sixty one. It was called Rebel Railroad. 550 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: Then it changed names and owners a few times over 551 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:12,280 Speaker 1: the decades, and Dolly finally took over in nineteen eighties six, 552 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,680 Speaker 1: and it was then that she re themed the park 553 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:17,359 Speaker 1: really more around the history of the Smoky Mountains, and 554 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 1: she decided to call it Dollywood. Actually, this kind of 555 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 1: a random aside. The parks located in a Tennessee town 556 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:27,680 Speaker 1: called Pigeon Forge, and apparently it was named for this 557 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,640 Speaker 1: iron forge from the eighteen hundreds and for the flocks 558 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 1: of passenger pigeons that were native to the region. Neither 559 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:36,679 Speaker 1: of these things still exist today. I think the forge 560 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 1: was eventually demolished and the pigeons, unfortunately just all went extinct. 561 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 1: Did Dolly grow up near the park? I I mean, 562 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:45,280 Speaker 1: I I know she went around when it opened, but like, 563 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,000 Speaker 1: was it close to where she actually grew up? He 564 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,680 Speaker 1: definitely was. In fact, it was even in the same county, 565 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: and so it was that proximity that attracted Dolly to 566 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 1: the park. For a couple of reasons. I mean, you know, 567 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: for one thing, the park featured a chapel that was 568 00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: built and named and on or of doctor Robert Thomas, 569 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,400 Speaker 1: who was that same doctor who delivered Dolly in exchange 570 00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,640 Speaker 1: for the bag of votes that we talked about earlier. 571 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 1: And then the other kind of equally sentimental reasons she 572 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 1: got involved was that she wanted to do something positive 573 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: for the area where she grew up. I mean, of 574 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: course she wanted to make money too, but there's no 575 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 1: doubt that she chose this investment in particular as a 576 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: way to give back to the community. And Dollie said 577 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,040 Speaker 1: this much herself. There was a quote from two thousand 578 00:28:26,080 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: and ten where she explained that she had quote always 579 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,440 Speaker 1: thought that if I made it big or got successful 580 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 1: at what I had started out to do, that I 581 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:35,640 Speaker 1: wanted to come back to my part of the country 582 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,360 Speaker 1: and do something great, something I would bring a lot 583 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 1: of jobs into this area. And to her credit, that's 584 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 1: exactly what she did. I mean, to this day, Dollywood 585 00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: is still the number one employer in that same county 586 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: in Tennessee. That's pretty incredible, you know, and I'm pretty 587 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:52,800 Speaker 1: sure it's going to be the same case for a 588 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,000 Speaker 1: very long time. Now because earlier this month, Ali announced 589 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: that she's adding a new adventure land to the park. 590 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 1: It's called Wildwood Grove. It's supposed to add eleven new attractions. 591 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 1: It's expected to cost thirty seven million dollars, which I 592 00:29:05,520 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 1: guess we'll make this the biggest expansion in the park's history. 593 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: And since Dollywood gets about two point five million visitors 594 00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:13,920 Speaker 1: each year, I'm sure this new area is going to 595 00:29:13,960 --> 00:29:16,560 Speaker 1: be put to good use for sure. But actually, for 596 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:19,800 Speaker 1: any listeners planning their next vacation, you should keep in 597 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:22,959 Speaker 1: mind dogs are not allowed in Dollywood, but that's not 598 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 1: something really to worry about because Dolly has you covered 599 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: on this front. You can actually just drop your pups 600 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: off ahead of time at the park's kennel, which is 601 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 1: appropriately named Doggie Wood. I like that, you know, I 602 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: I know. We already said that Dollywood was born at 603 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: least in part from Dolly's desire to give back to Tennessee. 604 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 1: But they're also these more straightforward charities that Dolly has 605 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 1: been involved in, and I do want to highlight just 606 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 1: a couple of them. So the first is called My 607 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 1: People Fund. It was a campaign that she launched in 608 00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: two thousand and sixteen following the really awful wildfire in 609 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 1: the Smokey Bonds region and if I left hundreds of 610 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:01,840 Speaker 1: residents homeless. But Dolly's campaign used outside donations as well 611 00:30:01,880 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 1: as some of her own money to provide all these 612 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,200 Speaker 1: displaced families with a thousand dollars per month stipends for 613 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: a full six months and on all the My People 614 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: Fund distributed just under nine million dollars to the fire victims, 615 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: and it provided an additional three million to the region's 616 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: mountain recovery team. It's pretty incredible, and you know, I'd 617 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:22,760 Speaker 1: expect nothing less from an official ambassador to the Smokey 618 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: Mountain National Park, which, of course Dolly Parton is so 619 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: I I love that idea, but it's official, like national 620 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: parks actually have ambassadors. Apparently they do. So they were 621 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: looking for somebody to represent the Smokey Mountain Park for 622 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,440 Speaker 1: this big seventy fifth anniversary back in I guess it 623 00:30:37,480 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 1: was two thousand nine, and so park officials asked themselves, 624 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,400 Speaker 1: if we could pick one person who is the most 625 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: recognizable and personifies the love of the Smokies, who would 626 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: it be. And the answer was unanimous. It was Dolly Parton, 627 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: not Smoky the Bear, not Smokey fair Well, they definitely 628 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: picked the right person for the job. But I do 629 00:30:57,720 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: want to mention that dollis humanitarian first, aren't limited to 630 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:03,960 Speaker 1: helping just those from her own state. You know, she's 631 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: actually run her own charity organization. It's called the Dollywood Foundation, 632 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:10,200 Speaker 1: and she's done this since ninety and over the years 633 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: it's provide millions in school scholarships, hospital donations, supplies for classrooms. 634 00:31:15,240 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: But the outreach program that I've always been most impressed 635 00:31:18,280 --> 00:31:22,479 Speaker 1: by is her Imagination Library. And this is a program 636 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: she started twenty three years ago, and the whole goal 637 00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: was improving literacy rates among children. And the way it 638 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: works is that anyone who signs up for the service 639 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: receives one book. It's free, it's hand picked, and they 640 00:31:33,560 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 1: get it in the mail every month until he or 641 00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:39,120 Speaker 1: she turns five years old. And these days, the organization 642 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 1: gives out more than ten million books annually. And just 643 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:45,720 Speaker 1: this February, the program reached this major major milestone. It 644 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:50,160 Speaker 1: donated it's hundred million book And uh, I just love, 645 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: I know, I just love how much thought went into 646 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,200 Speaker 1: this program's approach, Like you should just listen how Dolly 647 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,320 Speaker 1: explains it. Quote, even if you're not able to go 648 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: to college, if you can read, you can find out 649 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: about any subject that you're interested in. And if a 650 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: book is coming to the mailbox every month, then it's 651 00:32:04,920 --> 00:32:06,800 Speaker 1: got your name on it, then you're going to find 652 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,120 Speaker 1: someone to help you read it to you. I think 653 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,400 Speaker 1: what really strikes me is just how many times in 654 00:32:11,440 --> 00:32:14,240 Speaker 1: this episode we've talked about Dolly Parton with phrases like, 655 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: you know, just this year, or just last month, or 656 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: even a few weeks ago. I mean, you're talking about 657 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: a seventy two year old country singer, and she's still 658 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: making headlines for music and movies and TV and of 659 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: course even theme parks. Yeah, even theme parks. I mean, 660 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:31,640 Speaker 1: the whole idea of her as some kind of unstoppable 661 00:32:31,720 --> 00:32:35,360 Speaker 1: powerhouse is actually one that Dolly seems to hold for herself. 662 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: And I know we've been quoting her a lot today, 663 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 1: but I think this last one just really sums up 664 00:32:41,560 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: Dolly and also the main message she wants to convey 665 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: through her art. And so here's how it goes. Quote. 666 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,640 Speaker 1: My favorite book is The Little Engine That Could, and 667 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,800 Speaker 1: it's the first book we give to children who participate 668 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:54,520 Speaker 1: in my imagination library. I think I can. I Think 669 00:32:54,520 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: I can. It's a motto that I live by, and 670 00:32:56,880 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: I personally believe that positive thinking can change anyone's life. 671 00:33:00,520 --> 00:33:02,600 Speaker 1: I've always follow in my heart that the only that 672 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 1: that could ever stand in my way is simply me. 673 00:33:06,360 --> 00:33:08,720 Speaker 1: It does seem appropriate for Dolly to get the last word, 674 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: but we're not done just yet, because we've got a 675 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: few more dollaryisms to share in today's fact off. So 676 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,920 Speaker 1: are you're ready to get started? Mango? I think I can. 677 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:27,760 Speaker 1: I Think I can. H So you can now take 678 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:30,560 Speaker 1: an honors course at the University of Tennessee that's called 679 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: Dollies America. And it's this seminar where they use Dolly's 680 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: life story to help better understand Appalachian culture. So Dolly 681 00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:40,440 Speaker 1: grew up about half an hour or so from Knoxville, 682 00:33:40,440 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 1: where the university's main campuses, and the class actually looks 683 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:47,280 Speaker 1: at things like stereotypes of Hillbillies and the way they 684 00:33:47,400 --> 00:33:50,320 Speaker 1: represented in popular culture. It's it's a class I'd probably 685 00:33:50,320 --> 00:33:52,880 Speaker 1: like to take. So this is gonna sound strange, but 686 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:55,720 Speaker 1: we actually have Dolly to thank, at least partially for 687 00:33:55,800 --> 00:33:59,959 Speaker 1: the existence of Buffy. Buffy like that, like Vampire Slayer Buffy. 688 00:34:00,240 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 1: M Hm, that's the one. So back in the eighties, 689 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: Dolly in her former measure and roommate Sandy Gallen, founded 690 00:34:05,920 --> 00:34:09,280 Speaker 1: this production company called sand Dollar, and sand Dollar actually 691 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:12,200 Speaker 1: co produced Buffy as well as it's been off Angel 692 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:15,440 Speaker 1: and Gallen was listed as an exact producer, but Pardoner 693 00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 1: she stayed out of the spotlight, even though she she 694 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:20,080 Speaker 1: deserved some of the credit. Wow, you know, I think 695 00:34:20,080 --> 00:34:22,960 Speaker 1: we've talked about this before, but of course you remember Dolly, 696 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,760 Speaker 1: who was the sheep that was the first successful cloning 697 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 1: of a mammal. Well, it was in fact named after 698 00:34:29,239 --> 00:34:32,919 Speaker 1: Dolly Parton. Now, the sheep's original name was six L three, 699 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 1: which is not quite as catchy in my opinion, but 700 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 1: supposedly one of the stockman who was there at the 701 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 1: time of six L three's birth decided to give her 702 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,399 Speaker 1: the name Dolly because she was cloned from a mammary cell. Now, 703 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,960 Speaker 1: I don't think we have to explain that one, but 704 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:50,319 Speaker 1: it makes you wonder like if Dolly Parton would have 705 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,320 Speaker 1: been offended by this, But as she always does, she 706 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:56,439 Speaker 1: just rolled with it and said I was honored. There's 707 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,440 Speaker 1: no such thing as bad publicity, So I like that 708 00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 1: she even made it into a little joke there. So 709 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:05,719 Speaker 1: I think it's funny that Dolly once decided to enter 710 00:35:05,760 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 1: a Dolly Pardon lookalike contest in Los Angeles and this 711 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: was just for the fun of it. But the best part, 712 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 1: obviously is that she didn't come anywhere close to winning. 713 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: Apparently they felt that she was too short to be convincing, 714 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 1: and the winner ended up being someone in drag and 715 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,200 Speaker 1: she of course just found this entirely hilarious, you know. 716 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:26,120 Speaker 1: But but the good thing was that she actually got 717 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 1: to walk around some of her biggest fans and no one, 718 00:35:29,640 --> 00:35:32,560 Speaker 1: no one in the audience noticed her. That's awesome. Oh, 719 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:35,959 Speaker 1: here's something that I'm excited about. There's apparently an anthology 720 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:39,000 Speaker 1: series based on Dolly songs that's being developed for Netflix 721 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 1: and supposedly will be released next year. There will be 722 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,760 Speaker 1: an eight part series and each episode will be based 723 00:35:45,840 --> 00:35:49,160 Speaker 1: on a different Dolly parton song and they haven't announced 724 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,600 Speaker 1: which songs yet, and there are obviously so many to 725 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:54,600 Speaker 1: choose from, but I'm really looking forward to seeing it. Yeah, 726 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:57,560 Speaker 1: it's incredible. Well, as if we need any more proof 727 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:00,439 Speaker 1: that Dolly always remembers where she came from and hasn't 728 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 1: forgotten how to do things herself. Do you know that 729 00:36:02,719 --> 00:36:05,360 Speaker 1: before she goes on tour, Dollie actually cooks a bunch 730 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 1: of food, puts it all in freezer bags, and then 731 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 1: loads it up on the bus. And she says, quote, 732 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,600 Speaker 1: I do cook for a week before I go on tour, 733 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:16,799 Speaker 1: so I put stuff in the freezer so we'll have 734 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:19,439 Speaker 1: great country food if we don't have what I want 735 00:36:19,480 --> 00:36:22,239 Speaker 1: at all the places we stop. Oh man, that is 736 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,800 Speaker 1: so wonderful. Yeah. I can't decide which fact I love 737 00:36:26,040 --> 00:36:29,000 Speaker 1: most in all of this, but just thinking about like 738 00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,399 Speaker 1: the fact that she is partially responsible for Buffy being 739 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:35,400 Speaker 1: out there but taking almost no credit as a producer, 740 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 1: the whole humility around the lookalike contest, and of course 741 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:42,120 Speaker 1: always remembering where she came from. With that last fact, man, 742 00:36:42,560 --> 00:36:44,719 Speaker 1: I think I have to give you the trophy this week. 743 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: I was so nervous you're gonna say, I think I 744 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:48,600 Speaker 1: have to give it to Tristan because he's still wearing 745 00:36:48,600 --> 00:36:52,080 Speaker 1: the wig. But it's to take a side. Now. I 746 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,080 Speaker 1: might have given it to him, but the wig is 747 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:56,480 Speaker 1: just it's really kind of fallen out of place, So 748 00:36:56,520 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 1: it's just just getting worse now, you know what. As always, 749 00:37:01,520 --> 00:37:04,000 Speaker 1: we love hearing facts from our listeners, so we'd love 750 00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:06,319 Speaker 1: to hear something from you about Dolly Parton or any 751 00:37:06,400 --> 00:37:08,520 Speaker 1: fun stories you may have had from over the years 752 00:37:08,520 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: as a fan of Dolly Parton. You can always email 753 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 1: us part Time Genius at how stuff Works dot com 754 00:37:13,600 --> 00:37:16,080 Speaker 1: or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter. But as always, 755 00:37:16,160 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 1: thanks so much for listening. Thanks again for listening. Part 756 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:34,400 Speaker 1: Time Genius is a production of How Stuff Works and 757 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:37,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't be possible without several brilliant people who do the 758 00:37:37,120 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 1: important things we couldn't even begin to understand. Tristan McNeil 759 00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:42,919 Speaker 1: does the editing thing. Noel Brown made the theme song 760 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:45,879 Speaker 1: and does the mixy mixy sound thing. Jerry Rowland does 761 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,040 Speaker 1: the exact producer thing. Gabelues Years our lead researcher, with 762 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: support from the Research Army including Austin Thompson, Nolan Brown 763 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,480 Speaker 1: and Lucas Adams and Eve Jeff Cook gets the show 764 00:37:54,520 --> 00:37:56,640 Speaker 1: to your ears. Good job, Eves. If you like what 765 00:37:56,680 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 1: you heard, we hope you'll subscribe, And if you really 766 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:00,680 Speaker 1: really like what you've heard, maybe could leave a good 767 00:38:00,719 --> 00:38:03,440 Speaker 1: review for us. Do we do we forget Jason, Jason 768 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:03,719 Speaker 1: who