Dolly Parton Tells Haters, ‘Go to Hell’
As Dolly Parton prepares to release her first rock album, Rockstar, on November 17, the country music legend recalled how fellow musician Chet Atkins once told her to “tone down” her look at the beginning of her career. Speaking on her new four-part podcast series, What Would Dolly Do? Radio, she said that if someone gave her that same “advice” today, she would tell them to “Go to Hell!”
“My true belief with most things, you’ve got to really find out who you are, what makes you happy, what you’re comfortable in, and if you feel like you look your best, according to your rules, then you are going to do your best,” Dolly Parton told her podcast co-host, Kelleigh Bannen via Variety. “I really believe that. And I think everybody has their own little things they love. To me, that is what fashion is.”
Dolly Parton, on her new podcast, What Would Dolly Do?, admitted she’d tell anyone demanding she tone down her look to “Go to Hell!”
However, even back in the day, Dolly Parton stood her ground when it came to crafting her signature look. Even when Atkins, who was running RCA Records at the time, told her that she wouldn’t be taken seriously with her chosen fashion style. “I said, ‘Well, okay, I’ll take that to heart, Mr. Atkins,” the singer recalled of the old exchange. “Thank you for your advice.’ And, of course, I just got worse with it.”
“My true belief with most things, you’ve got to really find out who you are, what makes you happy, what you’re comfortable in, and if you feel like you look your best, according to your rules, then you are going to do your best. I really believe that. And I think everybody has their own little things they love. To me, that is what fashion is.”
Dolly Parton, on her podcast
Dolly Parton is known for her extravagant stage attire, which has been a significant part of her persona throughout her singing career. She wears wigs to maintain a consistent and glamorous appearance, regardless of the demands of her schedule. They also serve to protect her natural hair from the wear and tear of constant styling and use of hair products.
Her stage attire often features a generous dose of rhinestones, sequins, and glitter. Dolly Parton is also known for her love of sparkly, bedazzled outfits, which add to her overall glitzy and glamorous image. These stage outfits often feature low-cut dresses adorned with frills, ruffles, and lace, giving them playful and whimsical quality. They are paired with high heels to help maintain her stage presence.
But Dolly Parton’s look is only a tiny part of her incredibly successful music career, which has spanned several decades. Parton began singing in the 1960s with a series of country singles and gained recognition with her first Top 40 country hit, “Dumb Blonde,” in 1967.
She achieved global success with numerous chart-topping hits in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s with songs like “Joshua,” “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “Love Is Like a Butterfly.” Dolly Parton’s crossover into mainstream began in the mid-1970s and early 1980s with “Here You Come Again” and “9 to 5,” which made her a household name.
“I said, ‘Well, okay, I’ll take that to heart, Mr. Atkins. Thank you for your advice.’ And, of course, I just got worse with it.”
Dolly Parton on dealing with country musician Chet Atkins
While primarily known as a country artist, Dolly Parton has explored various musical genres over her career, including bluegrass, gospel, and pop. She has also collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, and more. Her duets with Kenny Rogers, such as “Islands in the Stream,” were particularly well-received.
While she has received a plethora of accolades over the years, Dolly Parton initially turned down her nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022 after her name was mentioned in a shortlist of artists up for consideration. At the time, the singer said she was “extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated” but didn’t feel she “earned that right.”
However, Dolly Parton had a change of heart when the Rock Hall told her she deserved it, and the decision was already made. She accepted the induction via Instagram, saying, “I am honored and humbled by the fact that I have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course, I will accept it gracefully. I will continue to work hard and try to live up to the honor.”
