Recommended Listening: Dolly Parton's America
WNYC Podcast, a co-production with OSM Audio
Hosted by Jad Abumrad
As with some other celebrity recommendations, I could not license the rights to any photos of Miss Parton, and will not knowingly violate any other creator's rights.
This nine-part series tells the story of one of the most iconic musicians in American country music. Parton has had a career that stretches from her early performances as child on local radio to superstardom and continuing success and influence today, more than 60 years later.
Parton made a career of being a blonde bombshell in a glitzy package, and the voice of a country angel. But when you hear her story you realize that she is much, much more.
Parton may be one of the most savvy businesswomen in the country, and maybe in the world. She recognized early on that control of her creative output was where the power and profit resided, and determined to retain that control, often in defiance of traditional music publishing.
While a quick on-line search will bring multiple lists of her accomplishments, awards, philanthropy, and personal life, you have to dig a little deeper, and talk to the woman behind the image, to get a full appreciation of her business acumen and her respect for the creative process.
Each of the nine episodes covers a different aspect of this powerhouse entertainer, and they are all worthwhile, though some are more focused on her performances, her fans, and her personal history. But in nearly every episode there are things to be learned.
There is an anecdote from another Parton interview that seems to sum up her approach. She wrote and recorded "I Will Always Love You" in 1973.
But it was almost a hit for a different artist.
It seems that Elvis Presley wanted to cover the song, and Parton was initially thrilled with the prospect; until she was presented with the terms Presley's manager insisted on. She would have to give up half the publishing rights to the song.
In that interview with CNBC she is quoted as saying, “Well, now it’s already been a hit. I wrote it and I’ve already published it. And this is the stuff I’m leaving for my family when I’m dead and gone. That money goes in for stuff for my brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews, so I can’t give up half the publishing.”
That story alone should recommend Parton as a strong, smart, and gutsy creative. She was willing to turn down what was certainly a guaranteed smash hit in order to retain control of her creation.
We all know how that worked out for her. The song was eventually recorded by Whitney Houston, used as the theme song for the movie "The Bodyguard," and became inescapable for a time in the early 1990s. It stayed at number one on the charts for 14 weeks. All while Parton retained complete ownership and control of the work.
Over the years Parton has often been a punchline for her appearance, her country twang, and her "hillbilly" background. She herself has acknowledged that in the famous line, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap." This series allows us to look beyond the jokes and behind the music, and to see the savvy, smart, creative - and, yes, sassy - real woman who has given the world the gift of her music and her heart.
I highly recommend this entire series, and I dare you not to fall in love with the Dolly Parton you will meet in these broadcasts.
Dolly Parton's America, hosted by Jad Abumrad
Stream for free at the WNYC Studios Website https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dolly-partons-america/episodes