Country music icon Dolly Parton, who passed away at age 80 after a battle with cancer, was remembered in a revealing interview conducted when she was 60. The conversation, held at The Turning Stone resort in upstate New York, offered a glimpse into the multifaceted personality behind the Rhinestone-covered persona.
Parton, known for her vibrant image, was born in a one-room cabin in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, the fourth of twelve children. She often spoke of a deep-seated fear of gaining weight, attributing her famously large bust to being a small person. "My boobs just look big as they’re hanging on an itty bitty person!" she quipped. Despite her meticulously crafted public image, Parton was not vain, though she was keenly aware of her appearance, noting her dislike for harsh lighting and her bony shoulders.
Her personal life was marked by a devoted relationship with her husband, Carl Dean, whom she met at 18. They managed to maintain their bond by rarely spending more than two weeks apart. Dean, who was not involved in the music industry, was content to hear about her experiences second-hand. He died in March of the previous year, and it was reported that Parton had postponed attention to her own early health symptoms while caring for him during his illness.
Parton's creative inspirations were often drawn from life, though sometimes with a twist. The hit song "Jolene," released in 1974, was inspired by a bank teller who looked at her husband in a way Parton found noteworthy, rather than a specific person. She also clarified the story behind Whitney Houston's iconic 1992 cover of "I Will Always Love You." Far from any rivalry, Parton was deeply appreciative of Houston's rendition, which earned her significant royalties and a place in musical history.
Parton attributed her timeless appearance to good genes and occasional cosmetic procedures, emphasizing that she never smoked or drank alcohol, recognizing their drying effects on the skin. She also addressed the frequent speculation about her hair, confirming that her natural hair was longer than the wigs she often wore, usually kept shoulder-length and blonde.
With over 100 million records sold, 11 Grammy awards, and 25 number-one hits, Parton amassed considerable wealth. However, she consistently expressed a commitment to her work, driven by a desire to support her large family, which included over 100 relatives on her payroll. She never had children but raised five of her siblings. A partial hysterectomy at age 38 was a difficult period, but her upbringing instilled in her a resilience and the practical knowledge to survive if necessary.
Parton's philanthropy extended beyond her family. At age 40, she opened Dollywood, an amusement park that revitalized her native region. Her Dollywood Foundation supports student scholarships and provides every child born in the county with a book monthly until the age of five. She described her approach to giving as a source of joy, stating, "I try to be sharing and giving. They [the Foundation] can have half of anything I got, I’m there for them. It’s a joy."
As parting words in the interview, Parton expressed a hope to live to be a hundred, asserting, "As long as I’ve got my health and an audience, I’ll be out there doing it ’til I fall over."
