On Tuesday afternoon I was wondering which of my occasional series I should turn to for my first midweek post in three weeks, and then the sad news broke of Dolly Parton’s passing. There could only really be one subject for today, couldn’t there.

I am not the first to post something in tribute to her, but I hope that my words and choice of music will add something for you. As Wikipedia tells us, “Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean (née Parton),was an American singer-songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Dubbed the “Queen of Country”, she was one of the most honoured country performers in history, earning eleven Grammy Awards and three Emmy Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, six Golden Globes and a Tony Award. She was also known for her cultural influence and philanthropy via Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation. With more than 100 million records sold, she is among the best-selling music artists of all time.” The full story of Dolly and her life is a long one and Wikipedia do her justice – you can find their page here if you want to read more.

I’m going to play a selection of seven songs, to give you a feel for the range of what she recorded (but no 9 To 5, sorry!). First, though, a short video from my all time favourite, sharing his thoughts on her loss:

As Yusuf/Cat said in that, Dolly recorded some of his songs, one of which is featured there, and I’ll be playing a couple of other covers that she gave us a bit later on. Firstly, though, one of her own most popular songs:

Jolene, of course, which was a #1 hit in the US Country singles chart and made #7 in the main UK Singles listing, going multiple platinum in both countries. A youthful looking Dolly in that one, which goes back to 1973.

This next one was recorded that same year, and gave her another US #1 Country single the following year. Whitney Houston recorded it for the movie, The Bodyguard, and had a massive hit with it. Let’s just say that I much prefer Dolly’s original version of I Will Always Love You:

I played that version from the movie The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas as it shows that Dolly got there first with it in a movie, ten years ahead of Whitney, and because the emotion she puts into it in her role is wonderful.

This next one is another of her early ones. I’ve always thought this was special, as it tells of her childhood growing up in poverty and the sacrifices her mother made to bring up twelve children (eleven, after one died before his first birthday):

I’ve often said how much I like songs that tell a story, and Coat Of Many Colours is up there with the best of them.

I noted earlier that Dolly recorded cover versions of songs. She did this often, and on her thirty-ninth album, Halos And Horns, which was released in July 2002, there were a couple. One was the old Bread song, If, the other was this one, which closed the album:

I’ve loved Stairway To Heaven ever since I first heard Led Zeppelin play it live several months before Led Zeppelin IV was released. There have been many covers of the song since then, but none have been as spectacularly good as Dolly’s version.

Going back to one of her own now. The last album Dolly released – her fortyninth – was Rockstar, which came out in November 2023 and, showing her staying power in chart terms, it got to #3 in the US and #5 in the UK mainstream albums listings. It is a magnum opus of a double album, containing thirty tracks which are mostly collaborations with a whole range of pop and rock musicians, including the likes of Sting, Pat Benatar, Elton John, Miley Cyrus (Dolly’s goddaughter), Paul and Ringo, among many others. The title track was one of her own songs, on which she was joined by Richie Sambora on guitar, and it goes like this:

A bit different, or what? I love the way she gets into character for that, and attacks the song with real attitude, as it deserves.

I’m closing with two songs that Dolly recorded with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris, which were part of a two album collaboration: the first, Trio, came out in 1987, and the second, Trio II, in 1999. This first one, from Trio II,  is a cover version of a Neil Young song I’m sure you know:

After The Goldrush has always been a lovely song, and their harmonies make this an absolutely beautiful version. The video was especially made to support a single release of the song, and was filmed in a synagogue in New York City, adding to the ethereal feel of the music.

My final song for Dolly is one that was recorded in 1986 for the first Trio album but wasn’t included on it. It eventually came to light when the two albums were re-released in 2016 as The Complete Trio Collection, with additional outtakes. This video which someone has made for it is, I feel, a fitting way to close my tribute:

Calling My Children Home was written by the progressive bluegrass band The Country Gentlemen, and was the title track of an album they released in 1978. This a cappella version by The Trio is stunningly beautiful. And now Dolly has been called home.

R.I.P. Dolly. Thank you for everything.