254. Dolly Parton: How to Make Decisions (Even If They Break Your Heart)
Oct 31, 2023
41:24
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Legendary country singer-songwriter, Dolly Parton, joins Glennon Doyle on this heartfelt episode. They discuss starting new ventures, motherhood, and the heartbreak of rejecting Elvis. Dolly shares advice for an aspiring musician and talks about her upcoming book and rock album. They also delve into defying expectations, perseverance, and the importance of embracing both joy and pain.
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Quick takeaways
Dolly Parton emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and working hard to achieve dreams.
Dolly Parton believes in being brave and following one's dreams, even if they break your heart along the way.
Deep dives
Dolly Parton's Impact and Philanthropy
Dolly Parton discusses her various philanthropic endeavors, including the Imagination Library, which provides books to children, and her passion for mothering the world. She shares her belief in the importance of giving and accepting love, and the inspiration behind her hit song 'Coat of Many Colors', which symbolizes acceptance and overcoming bullying. Dolly also reflects on her career in the music industry, her love for songwriting, and the challenges she faced, including a difficult decision for self-preservation when Colonel Tom Parker tried to claim her song's publishing rights. She emphasizes the significance of staying true to oneself and working hard to achieve dreams.
Dolly Parton's Rock Album Adventure
Dolly Parton delves into her recent rock album project, 'Rockstar', and shares her excitement about experimenting with a new musical genre at the age of 77. She reveals that the album title was chosen to fulfill her desire to earn her place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Dolly highlights the joy of collaborating with iconic artists, such as Ann Wilson, and the friendly competition that arose during the recording process. She also addresses the challenge of selecting the final songs for the album, which initially started with a plan for 12 to 13 tracks but eventually grew to include 30 songs.
Dolly Parton's Journey as a Businesswoman and Underestimated Icon
Dolly Parton reflects on her career as a businesswoman and musician, sharing stories of being underestimated and judged based on her appearance. She emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and not judging others based on surface-level impressions. Dolly recalls key moments in her career, such as declining Elvis Presley's request to record her song due to publishing rights conflicts, which broke her heart but taught her the value of protecting her creativity and rights. She also explains the connection between her fashion choices and being underestimated, as well as the importance of being confident and focused on one's goals.
Dolly Parton's Spirituality and Decision-Making Process
Dolly Parton discusses her spirituality and how it influences her decision-making process. She shares her belief in listening to her higher wisdom or gut feeling when faced with tough choices. Dolly emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and having a clear sense of purpose. She also encourages aspiring songwriters to be committed, work hard, and believe in their dreams. Dolly believes in being brave and following one's dreams, even if they break your heart along the way.
In this special episode, Glennon, Abby, and Amanda sit down with icon Dolly Parton for a heartfelt conversation about how to start something new at 77, how she mothers the world, and how she broke her own heart when Elvis asked to record her hit song.
Plus, the advice Dolly would give to Glennon and Abby’s daughter, Tish, as she enters the music business.
About Dolly:
Dolly Parton is the most honored and revered female country singer-songwriter of all time and was recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Achieving 27 RIAA-certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards, she has had 26 songs reach #1 on the Billboard country charts, a record for a female artist. Parton became the first country artist honored as Grammy MusiCares Person of the Year.
She has 48 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and 110 career-charted singles over the past 50+ years. On October 17th she is releasing her second coffee table book in a trilogy called “Behind The Seams: My Life in Rhinestones” and on November 17th her highly anticipated 30-song rock album, “Rockstar.”
To date, Parton has donated over 213 million books to children around the world with her Imagination Library. Her children's book, Coat of Many Colors, was dedicated to the Library of Congress to honor the Imagination Library's 100 millionth book donation.