Listen Here
Column by Amy Rogan, Assistant Professor of Media and Communication & Adviser to The Pulse
rogan@findlay.edu
The dimples. The big blonde hair. The glitz and glamour. Butterflies. Iconic songs embedded in American Culture.
Of course, we HAVE to talk about Dolly.
I grew up in a household full of music. My mom played the piano and sang in church with her sisters growing up. My sister and I played the piano and sang and my oldest sister still has a beautiful voice to this day. As pastor’s kids we grew up singing in church also. And our house was always full of music.
So, when Dolly Parton’s show, “Dolly,” came on the TV in 1976, we were of course always there in front of the TV watching her. The signature butterfly in the background and her floating down to the stage on a big swing were all part of the show. And she always ended the show with her signature “I will always love you.”
These are things I remember about her as I grew up. But her entertainment didn’t stop there: “9 to 5,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Joyful Noise” are just a few of the movies she starred in over the years.
I think nothing impressed me more than when Dolly put on a sparkly Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader outfit for the Thanksgiving halftime show in 2023 at age 77. How could anyone not be impressed?!
But here’s the thing: her kindness, her sweetness, her wit, her wisdom, her humor—all of those things just added to the image of Dolly. Everyone knows her story and yet she drew a hard line between her public life and her private life. Her marriage to Carl Dean was legendary and yet no one really knew anything about Carl, including what he looked like! There were few pictures of him.
And I’m left to wonder, how? How did this woman maintain the public persona for 70 years, protect her marriage, give of herself and her money, and maintain control of a life bigger than life itself?
I was struck this week in class by how many of my students expressed sadness at her passing. Heart hands and sweet frowns from college students 60 years her junior are proof that Dolly’s touch spanned decades. And when I asked them, isn’t that the way we all should live, with that light and that kindness? I was met with enthusiastic, nodding heads and smiles and “yes.” Dolly gave with no expectation.
I’m not sure many of us think about the legacy we’ll leave behind, but it’s a reminder to live like you want to be remembered.
As I spent a little time looking up old videos of her from her very young years, I stumbled on an interview she did on the Wendy Williams show in 2014. When Wendy pointed out how much she was worth, her reaction was classic Dolly.
“I count my blessin’s before I count my money, that’s for sure.”
Her empire was worth millions; she was priceless.
