DOLLY

The world has been grieving the death of singer/songwriter Dolly Parton, and I have been soaking up the words expressed by others to try to determine why she as so loved.  

Here are some of the things I discovered that we can all practice in our own lives by following her example:

1. Our past is important: Dolly was raised in an extremely poor family of twelve children and few assets.  She was determined to leave that environment to improve her opportunities but never forgot her family or her roots.  In fact, her song “Coat of Many Colours” tells the true story of what she experienced as a child – framed with a positive attitude.

2. Appearance matters:  Dolly would jokingly state: “If the barn needs painting, then paint it” but she meant every word.  She wore wigs, rhinestone clothing and fancy shoes because that branded her as something unique.  Apparently she even wore makeup to bed in case there was a fire and someone saw her without it, but I don’t recommend going that far.  Just make yourself look your best and because of that you will walk a little taller and feel a little smarter.

3. Do what you know: From the age of 5, Dolly wrote songs and completed thousands of them throughout her life.  She focused on her skills and gifts getting better and better over the years.  Hone your craft!

4. Acknowledge your weaknesses: Dolly made it very clear that she was not a dancer and even though she was lively on stage, she didn’t dance. 

5. Work hard: Coming from a mountainous farm meant that she understood the value of labor and never forgot this.  She was working until just a few weeks before her death at the age of 80 years.  Better to burn out than rust out.  LOL

6. Embrace honesty: After being a performer with Porter Wagoner for many years, Dolly decided that she needed to branch out on her own, but he wouldn’t allow it.  She wanted to be honest with him and wrote “I will always love you” to explain her perspective and, after hearing it, he agreed with her and let her go. She could have chosen other devious methods but always used honesty as a prime value.

7. Connect with others: Dolly didn’t seem to have enemies.  People liked her because she considered who they were and wrote songs that showed she understood.  Think of “Nine to Five”, “Here you come again” and many others that touched people’s lives and heart.

8. Be faithful:  Dolly was married to Carl Dean for nearly 60 years and although he ran a paving company and only saw her perform once, she stated that they were good friends until his death in 2025.  She also clung to the Pentecostal Faith that she adopted as a child at the knees of her grandfather who was a pastor, schoolteacher and fiddle player.

9. Be joyful: Dolly loved to laugh, tell clean jokes and expand Dollywood so that others would benefit through employment opportunities and joy.

10. Share the wealth: She was awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy for direct cash support, healthcare innovation and literacy, often focusing on the needs of children and underserved communities.

Wouldn’t our world be better if we each just had a little bit of Dolly in us?

Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Calgary. She can be reached at 403-957-2444 or through email office@drlindahancock.com