Appreciating Dolly

As someone lucky enough to have met Dolly Parton, and indeed spent a couple of weeks touring Europe with her, I can happily confirm that what you saw and heard of Dolly was exactly how she was. No pretence, no ego, just an overwhelmingly wonderful human being, blessed with extraordinary talents.

After my spell as keyboard player for Bonnie Tyler — who we also sadly lost just a few weeks ago — the entire band was asked to provide the music for an Australian country singer, Digby Richards. He had made it pretty big back home, but was now trying to break into the UK and European market, and had just secured a European tour supporting the great lady.

Back in the early eighties, Dolly was already a monumental superstar, but you wouldn’t have known it. So down to earth, so self-deprecating, and so supportive of us up-and-coming performers. It was a true privilege for me.

And my, what a band she had behind her. The very best America had to offer, as was only fitting for an artiste of such high calibre. I’ll tell you how good they were…

One lunchtime in Stockholm, I walked into the theatre to do a little practice, when I heard the most sublime jazz piano emanating from the stage. I remember musing that the Steinway had never sounded so sweet, and wondering just how gifted Dolly’s keyboard player was.

I poked my head around the corner and was absolutely gobsmacked to see her drummer at the keyboard.

No way!

He must have been an even better drummer than he was a pianist, and that’s saying something.

Our last show of the tour was the biggest — Hammersmith Odeon in London — and the world’s press was there. Dolly knew how nervous we all were.

When we got to our dressing room that evening, we found that Dolly had arranged for several crates of Carlsberg Special Brew — then the world’s strongest lager — to be waiting for us.

She also readily agreed to allow our families and a few friends backstage before the show, tactfully looking the other way when we were offered what looked mysteriously like cigarettes…

Just last night, Mrs B and I watched Dolly Parton at Glastonbury 2014 on the BBC iPlayer. We relished every single note, every single word she uttered.

And I couldn’t help thinking that you really didn’t have to have met Dolly. Just listen to her sing. Listen to her chat to her audience.

That’s exactly how she was, both on and off stage, and that’s why, when the glitter and the costumes are long gone, she will still be remembered for decades to come.

Appreciating Dolly

I lived for a number of years in the small Tennessee town in which Dolly was born. Sevierville County has three little towns with a current total population of about 100,000 people. Last year, the county had about 12 million tourists.

That is because of Dolly. The area was poor. Poverty was the norm, then Dolly came along. After she made a place for herself in country music, she wanted to pay the people back so she built a few live theaters. Then she built Dollywood, a large theme park that draws millions every year. From there, the area grew to the point that we now have serious traffic jams on many summer weekends.

Dolly Parton wasn’t finished. Every student who graduated from Sevier County High School had a full-ride scholarship…. Every. Last. One. (Full disclosure, I don’t know if that program continues). Every child born at the local hospital started to receive a book a month until the age of five. All the children. In fact, that program became so popular, Dolly opened it up to millions of children and it may be what she is best known for. 

There’s more; the House That Whitney Built, in Nashville is just one example. She was an extraordinary philanthropist but that’s not what the locals will remember her for. Dolly was nice. I saw her on a number of occasions but really only had one conversation with her. That makes me about average. 

She made herself available. At one point she was the richest woman in the world, but she still came home to the sad little parade the people put on for her. Local High School bands, a couple of floats, and Dolly on a convertible from the local dealership. There were big parades (Gatlinburg’s Christmas is maybe the biggest) but those were for the tourist & television cameras and had real money behind them. This was for Dolly, and it was filled with real, sincere love.

Appreciating Dolly

The first time I knew about Dolly was 1991. I was a 17 year-old guy who was very interested in America. In fact, I was so interested that I had bought a TOEFL test book (with 2 audio cassettes) and started preparing for the test, without any chance of joining a real test. It paid out as several month later my college said that they were participating in an exchange program with American universities and I was selected to pass the test. 

I did pass it, I had 517 points, enough to get through. April 1993. Thus, in August, I was at Middlebury College for three weeks at the orientation, then, I became a foreign exchange student at Baylor University, Waco, TX. Being in the United States as a student changed my life forever. 

Back to Dolly. In 1991, the Soviet Union was embracing Western knowledge and experiences, and everything. You could buy Time or Newsweek or US News and World Report magazines at press kiosks back then, as well as The Economist. Apart from the quality press, you could buy the People magazine. 

So that was one of their issues I first saw Dolly Parton there. She was blond, with stunning curves, dressed in very sexy black underwear. Big bust, all these things. I remember the line under the photo: ‘Dolly Parton, provocatively dressed…’ 

I don’t remember the occasion why was she dressed like that. 

I am not fan of blondes, I like brunettes, but she was very attractive. 

Later, I found out that she was the Queen of country in America. You know, Nashville, all these things, like Kris Kristofferson, I knew about him from the ‘Convoy’ movie that is still one of my favorites. 

Musically, I was not a country lover though I respect the style and understand that it is America’s grass roots. In fact, in Alaska, I saw Hobo Jim’s performance in a bar at the coastal town of Homer. He was an Alaskan, a performer in the blue grass style, which is a branch of country. 

Anyway, I know that Jolene is one of her pillars, musically. I also remember a nice song she performed with Julio Iglesias, ‘When you tell me that you love me.’ What a great song! 

Her was voice beautifully tender, even sweet. I also liked her style, a girl from a ranch. 

RIP, Dolly.