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Life and Art from FT Weekend

Culture chat: the unknowable Dolly Parton

Nov 17, 2023
22:23

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Dolly Parton's new album, Rockstar, reflects her ability to connect emotionally with songs and showcases her prolific songwriting.
  • Dolly Parton's persona as a secular American saint is a result of her ability to balance a fierce persona with humor and humility, making her a beloved and unifying figure in popular culture.

Deep dives

Dolly Parton's New Rockstar Album: A Departure from Country

Dolly Parton has released a new album called Rockstar, which is her first venture into rock music. The album consists of 30 tracks, with nine being new originals and the rest being rock covers of songs by various artists. Dolly's collaboration with Miley Cyrus on the song 'Wrecking Ball' stood out on the album. Critics have described the album as absurd and reminiscent of a karaoke soundtrack, but it reflects Dolly's prolific songwriting and her ability to connect emotionally with songs. Despite the rock focus, Dolly's musical output extends far beyond this album, with her being a highly accomplished and relevant figure in country music and entertainment as a whole.

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