For nearly five decades, Dolly Parton engaged with Associated Press reporters on a wide range of topics, from her musical career and movie stardom to her charitable endeavors and personal beliefs. These interviews, compiled by AP Music Writer Maria Sherman, reveal a multifaceted personality – at once humorous and self-aware, with a clear vision of her identity and aspirations.
Parton expressed that she never initially envisioned herself as a movie star. "I knew I’d be a star, but as a singer or as a writer of songs or books or poetry," she stated. "I wanted to be a famous performer and wear flashy clothes, but singing in movies was not one of my ambitions. My family lived in the mountains and we didn’t see movies."
Her approach to acting was pragmatic. "I can’t act a part, but if they allow me to be myself, then I can handle it," she said in July 1979. "If they find me a story that allows me to be me, then I’m interested; if they don’t, I’m not."
Reflecting on her film roles, Parton noted in December 1980, "In places I was real good. In places I was real average and in others I was … (sticking out her tongue). All in all, for the first time out, I was proud of it." She also shared a personal connection to her work, expressing a desire to preserve her heritage: "It’s something I want to take pride in, to preserve the Smoky Mountain heritage rather than have Hollywood portray us as they often do" (July 1985).
Her personal life, particularly her long-standing marriage, was a source of deep affection. "It was love at first sight," Parton said of her husband in May 1992. "I see people who turn my head all the time. It’s just that nobody’s turned my head around as much as him."
Music remained a central passion. "We do love to sing. Your whole life you wait to find those compatible voices. It’s like making love. ... I get off on it. I do. I get so thrilled," she described in March 1999. "When it buzzes, it is good. It’s just like sex in that way. Don’t fight it."
Parton’s engagement with her iconic status was also evident. She commented on the perception of Elvis Presley in August 2002, stating, "I don’t think he will ever die down. He’s considered by many to be like a religious figure, like Jesus. … I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s there, and it’s real, and people love it."
When discussing her enduring career, Parton expressed a desire to remain active indefinitely. "I’ll be like Bob Hope, touring when I’m 100. I love being busy. ... I will never retire. I hope to fall dead in the middle of some great event or some great song I’m singing. Then they’ll say, ‘Oh well, she went happy and doing what she loves’” (April 2004).
She also touched on the potential for unexpected moments, humorously noting in April 2004, "There’s not going to be no wardrobe malfunction this evening. There’s not supposed to be, it’s not planned. But as tight as my clothes are there’s no telling what will happen. If it does happen, I’m going to wipe out the first three rows."
Parton viewed her success as an opportunity for investment, both personally and in her community. "I’m looking at it like an investment. I thought, ‘I’ve made enough money. I can afford to invest a little in myself’” (March 2008). She also emphasized her commitment to her home region, stating in April 2010, "I always thought that if I made it big or got successful at what I had started out to do, that I wanted to come back to my part of the country and do something great, something that would bring a lot of jobs into this area."
Her role as a mentor, particularly to Whitney Houston, was also highlighted. "I’m her fairy godmother. … I’m just real proud of her. She does not need my advice, but she’s often asking for information and advice, and I tell her what I know, but I think the girl’s doing all right without me" (July 2010).
Regarding songwriting credits, Parton humorously quipped in December 2018 about her song "I Will Always Love You," "People always tell me, ‘I thought that was Whitney’s song. I didn’t know you wrote it. I thought she wrote it.’ And I tell them, ‘She can have the credit. I’ll just take the cash.’"
Her philanthropic spirit was described as instinctive: "I don’t do it for attention. But look! I’m getting a lot of attention by doing it. ... I just give from my heart. I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will" (October 2022).
Parton’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a topic she initially approached with humility, was met with characteristic enthusiasm. "I just didn’t think that I had done enough in the rock world to be considered, to be put in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when there were so many great rock artists that are not even in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame," she said in November 2023. "They were going to put me in anyway, so I just accepted it gracefully. But I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to have to earn my keep.' … I jumped on that like a duck on a June bug."
She reflected on her legacy with a focus on positive impact. "I hope that a lot of my songs may last that long. And I hope I’ll be remembered as somebody that tried to do some good in the world and left, you know, a few good things" (November 2024).
Parton also spoke about her faith and her late husband. "I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday. And I see him every day in my memories and in my heart, and in all the things that we used to do and all the things that we’ve built together. You just kind of have to learn to kind of make new plans — but that’s the hardest part."
She consistently identified as a "workin’ girl," describing herself as "a workhorse that looks like a show horse. But I gotta keep it all up and I enjoy all of it. My husband always said, ‘If anybody was ever born to be a star, it’s you’” (May 2025).