bas
04-10-2004, 02:52 PM
Shania's like Dolly
http://www.daytondailynews.com/life...410country.html
Dolly's not just flash — she's substance too
Nancy Wilson is a morning on-air personality at K99.1 Radio (WHKO-FM) who writes about country music for the Dayton Daily News.
By Nancy Wilson
For the Dayton Daily News
When one thinks of Dolly Parton, it's not just one thing that comes to mind. Usually, it's two things.
Dolly herself is the first to admit there's not much to her that's authentic, other than her voice. The woman from Sevier County, Tenn., has made it her claim to fame to be a bit over the top. OK, a lot over the top. Her hair is fake, her nails are fake, her, um, other assets are fake. All by her own admission. Dolly says when she was growing up (the fourth of 12 children), she modeled herself after the town's woman of ill repute, because she thought she was beautiful.
Her clownish appearance aside, inside this woman has the brain of Donald Trump. She's a savvy businesswoman, songwriter and actress, not to mention a multi-award-winning singer. You either like her or not. My mom doesn't like Dolly very much (probably because my dad does), but I do. Dolly Parton never pulls any punches — what you see is what you get. Even if it's enhanced. The only real mystery surrounding this icon is her husband, Carl Dean. But that's for later.
Dolly grew up in poverty on the edge of the Smoky Mountains, just down the road from Gatlinburg, Tenn. Her father was a tobacco farmer and her mother was often in ill health, so the Parton kids didn't have a lot. Dolly's song Coat of Many Colors is a true story of how Dolly's classmates would make fun of her raggedy clothes and would often lock her in the closet.
Despite her many hardships, Dolly developed her singing and songwriting, among other things, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 1959. She played drums in her high school marching band and graduated in 1964, the first member of her family to get a diploma.
The next day, she caught a bus to Nashville. And as soon as she stepped off the Greyhound, she literally ran into Carl Dean, and married him right off. Did you even know she was married? Dean is something of a mystery man, kind of like Shania Twain's husband, Mutt Lange. You never see 'em.
With a name like Mutt, I can maybe understand, but what's up with Carl? Maybe Carl Dean just likes to stay at home.
So, here's Dolly, in Nashville in the '60s, married to her Invisible Man and working as a receptionist while trying to peddle her music. Eventually, Porter Wagner called in 1967. Dolly replaced the beloved Norma Jean on Porter's show, and audiences let her know she wasn't welcome. Porter saw a diamond in the rough, got her signed to RCA and began recording duets with her. She left the show in 1974 and came out with I Will Always Love You, her tribute to Porter (if you were thinking this was a Whitney Houston song, shame on you).
Porter may have been her first duet partner, but not her last. You can find her matched up with Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, Norah Jones, Melissa Etheridge and none other than Sylvester Stallone (yo, that Sylvester).
She's done tons of movies — 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, The Best Little *****house in Texas —countless variety shows and award programs. She'll be front and center later this month for the CMT Flameworthy Awards and was the first person interviewed for the recent debut of CMT Insider.
Dolly hasn't forgotten her roots either (no pun intended), showing up every year for the season opening of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Earlier this month, she showed up dressed as Cleopatra for the parade there, played a lumberjack to promote the park's new roller coaster and found time to sing a few tunes. The 58-year-old told the crowd she has no plans to retire, saying, "I'll be like Bob Hope, touring when I'm 100. . . . I hope to fall dead in the middle of some great event or song I'm singing."
Dolly Parton is talented, successful and sassy, not bothered by all the extra attention she seeks.
"I'm not offended at all," she says, "because I know I'm not a dumb blonde. I also know I'm not blonde."
http://www.daytondailynews.com/life...410country.html
Dolly's not just flash — she's substance too
Nancy Wilson is a morning on-air personality at K99.1 Radio (WHKO-FM) who writes about country music for the Dayton Daily News.
By Nancy Wilson
For the Dayton Daily News
When one thinks of Dolly Parton, it's not just one thing that comes to mind. Usually, it's two things.
Dolly herself is the first to admit there's not much to her that's authentic, other than her voice. The woman from Sevier County, Tenn., has made it her claim to fame to be a bit over the top. OK, a lot over the top. Her hair is fake, her nails are fake, her, um, other assets are fake. All by her own admission. Dolly says when she was growing up (the fourth of 12 children), she modeled herself after the town's woman of ill repute, because she thought she was beautiful.
Her clownish appearance aside, inside this woman has the brain of Donald Trump. She's a savvy businesswoman, songwriter and actress, not to mention a multi-award-winning singer. You either like her or not. My mom doesn't like Dolly very much (probably because my dad does), but I do. Dolly Parton never pulls any punches — what you see is what you get. Even if it's enhanced. The only real mystery surrounding this icon is her husband, Carl Dean. But that's for later.
Dolly grew up in poverty on the edge of the Smoky Mountains, just down the road from Gatlinburg, Tenn. Her father was a tobacco farmer and her mother was often in ill health, so the Parton kids didn't have a lot. Dolly's song Coat of Many Colors is a true story of how Dolly's classmates would make fun of her raggedy clothes and would often lock her in the closet.
Despite her many hardships, Dolly developed her singing and songwriting, among other things, and made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 1959. She played drums in her high school marching band and graduated in 1964, the first member of her family to get a diploma.
The next day, she caught a bus to Nashville. And as soon as she stepped off the Greyhound, she literally ran into Carl Dean, and married him right off. Did you even know she was married? Dean is something of a mystery man, kind of like Shania Twain's husband, Mutt Lange. You never see 'em.
With a name like Mutt, I can maybe understand, but what's up with Carl? Maybe Carl Dean just likes to stay at home.
So, here's Dolly, in Nashville in the '60s, married to her Invisible Man and working as a receptionist while trying to peddle her music. Eventually, Porter Wagner called in 1967. Dolly replaced the beloved Norma Jean on Porter's show, and audiences let her know she wasn't welcome. Porter saw a diamond in the rough, got her signed to RCA and began recording duets with her. She left the show in 1974 and came out with I Will Always Love You, her tribute to Porter (if you were thinking this was a Whitney Houston song, shame on you).
Porter may have been her first duet partner, but not her last. You can find her matched up with Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn, Norah Jones, Melissa Etheridge and none other than Sylvester Stallone (yo, that Sylvester).
She's done tons of movies — 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, The Best Little *****house in Texas —countless variety shows and award programs. She'll be front and center later this month for the CMT Flameworthy Awards and was the first person interviewed for the recent debut of CMT Insider.
Dolly hasn't forgotten her roots either (no pun intended), showing up every year for the season opening of her Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
Earlier this month, she showed up dressed as Cleopatra for the parade there, played a lumberjack to promote the park's new roller coaster and found time to sing a few tunes. The 58-year-old told the crowd she has no plans to retire, saying, "I'll be like Bob Hope, touring when I'm 100. . . . I hope to fall dead in the middle of some great event or song I'm singing."
Dolly Parton is talented, successful and sassy, not bothered by all the extra attention she seeks.
"I'm not offended at all," she says, "because I know I'm not a dumb blonde. I also know I'm not blonde."