Joe Stone, a writer, shares a personal tribute to Dolly Parton, who died aged 80, reflecting on her unique ability to unite diverse audiences, from God-fearing country fans to her many LGBTQ+ devotees.
A Personal Encounter
Stone recalls his teenage gap year, which he spent hitch-hiking to Dollywood, Parton's theme park in Tennessee, rather than traveling to India or Thailand. He met a florist whose customer was a former school friend of Parton's, and asked if her classmates had always known she would become a star. The friend drawled, "We didn't, but she did."
Four years later, Stone flew to Nashville to interview Parton about her latest album. Entering her private rehearsal space, he was nervous. Parton, wearing what looked like three stacked wigs and fishnet cutoff leggings, greeted him with an incredulous expression and said, "Are you my interviewer? But you're a baaaby!" before gripping his waist.
A Conspiratorial Whisper
During the interview, Parton sang a quarter of her answers. When Stone mentioned he was there on behalf of gay magazine Attitude, she leaned forward and whispered, "I could sense that you were gay." Stone notes that on anyone else's lips it might have been sarcastic, but Parton had an open-hearted sincerity. The experience was so overwhelming that he missed his flight home by 24 hours, and a sympathetic airport ticket agent booked him on a free flight home.
Uniting Fans Across Divides
Stone emphasizes that everyone loved Dolly Parton. He cites a poll showing she was viewed favorably by roughly 75% of both Democrats and Republicans, an unheard-of consensus. Parton lived by her core tenet: "Find out who you are, and do it on purpose." She was consistently, authentically herself, never assimilating and never expecting others to either.
Parton defended LGBTQ+ fans early on: in 1991 she sang about embracing gay people on her song "Family," in 2006 she released "Travelin' Thru," about a transgender woman, and in 2016 she opposed the North Carolina "bathroom bill." Stone concludes that alongside her musical legacy, Parton will live on as a beacon of kindness, warmth, and generosity.
