HGATR today is all about our favourite country queen and cultural icon - Dolly Parton.
Beautiful, talented, American country music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian.
It’s a 5 from me. At the absolute pinnacle of her genre for a long long time now, and has become an absolute icon. Also seems like a fucking wonderful person.
Jolene’s a banger, 9 to 5 very good and so is I will always love you even if hers isn’t the best version.
Lovely rags to riches story but the chintz is a bit tacky, albeit intentional, and don’t think she really has the tunes beyond those mentioned above. Generous 3.
went to see her do the legend slot at glastonbury, man what a crowd there was for her and the goodwill towards her was immense.
not a massive fan of her musically bar a handful of fucking great tracks. that being said i love her story and i think she’s a genuine force of good. absolute top drawer GBOL. 4
We have a best of Dolly CD in the car that comes out on long journeys. Some proper bangers on there alright. My wife’s life ambition is to go to Dollywood.
I wouldn’t compare them musically at all, but she’s a bit like Elton John in that she’s one of those people where the world is more entertaining just for having them in it. GBOD.
Oh, the easiest 5 ever.
She wrote Jolene and I Will Always Love You on the same night, ffs. Incredible. Imagine writing one of those songs, let alone two, let alone in the SAME EVENING. And I disagree with ruffers, think her version of IWALY is one of the most beautiful songs in the world. The emotion you can hear in her voice is breath taking.
Plus, what an amazing woman in general. She does so much for her community back home, and is a massive advocate for education for younger people, the stuff she does with her charities and giving books away to underprivileged kids is lovely. And she does it all quietly, just because she has a good heart.
Her sense of humour is great as well, there’s a clip of her in an interview talking about her husband (who she completely shields from public life, there’s nothing about him out there) and she says something to the effect of “and sometimes I see him there, lying in his reclinin’ chair and I say “I shoulda let Jolene have ya!””
The wisdom and talent she has. God, her song Wildflowers is just beautiful. A perfect song to have a bit of a cry too. She has a song for every mood and emotion.
Good ear for a catchy tune. Great songwriter, iconic woman. And from what I’ve seen seems like a very charismatic performer. Musically it’s pretty hit and miss for me - the big pop tunes are great but I don’t get on well with the stuff that’s heavier on the country.
Semi-regret not going to her Glastonbury legend slot but think it’s more of a FOMO thing than actually wanting to be there, dunno.
