Only Dolly Parton…
On the premiere episode of What Would Dolly Do? Radio on Apple Music 1, her new radio show with Apple Music, Dolly dished about her favorite looks, fashion moments, and everything else related to her new book, Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones, which is available everywhere now.
She also told a great story about some advice she received from Chet Akins, which you’ll want to read about HERE.
But one of the funniest moments came when she talked about how many of the mothers in her town growing up thought she was a “bad influence” because she liked to wear “too much makeup.”
Dolly pointed out that, ironically, their daughters were the ones out running around with boys and getting in trouble, noting that she was “pretty innocent in that respect”:
“I was [teasing] my hair, my family’s hair, because I had a knack for that.
But I was wearing too much makeup, and a lot of the mothers in school thought that I was a bad influence on some of their girls, thinking I was too cheap, a little too this, too that.
And their daughters were the ones that were making all the trouble, running with the boys and all that. And I was actually pretty innocent in that respect.”
She continued, saying that even though her mom wasn’t always a fan of how she dressed, she’d help her with it by adding padding to her shirts and dresses so she could “push her boobs up” and fill it out, so to speak.
Dolly says her mom would tell her she better not tell her dad she did that, but she ultimately understand that it was more about the creativity and building a “look” than anything else:
“Well, my mama was my grandpa’s daughter and my grandpa was a preacher, so Mama was more flexible than Grandpa… because Mama, she understood that I was just trying to be myself…
So Mama was the one that would kind of, if I would say, ‘Hey, Mama, when you sew this little thing, put a little padding so I can push my boobs up just a little.’ Mama would say, ‘Well, you better not tell your daddy I did that.’
Mama trusted me too. She knew that I was a singer and I was creative and that I was different. And so she tried to keep me in check as much as she could. But she did understand.”
Dolly didn’t specify how young she was at the time, but I have to imagine she was a teenager or in her early 20’s if her mom was still making her clothes.
It’s a funny, but really sweet, memory between mother and daughter and probably something many of us can relate to.
I mean, I think a lot of us girls have had times where our moms helped us out in some way that only a woman could understand, and swore to never tell dad, because sometimes they just don’t get it, ya know?
And once again, Dolly was right about her signature look… she’s always known exactly who she is, which is what I love so much about her.
The country queen is also gearing up to release her rock and roll album Rockstar on November 17th.
She’s already put out quite a few really cool singles and collaborations with some of the biggest names in music, from “Magic Man (Carl Version) ft. Ann Wilson,” “Bygones ft. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5,” and a mashup Queen’s multi-Platinum mega hits “We Are The Champions” and “We Will Rock You.”
She even got The Beatles back together (enough said, really), and is set to headline the Dallas Cowboys halftime show on Thanksgiving next month.
Rockstar tracklist:
1. Rock Star (special guest Richie Sambora)
2. World on Fire
3. Every Breath You Take (feat. Sting)
4. Open Arms (feat. Steve Perry)
5. Magic Man (feat. Ann Wilson with special guest Howard Leese)
6. Long As I Can See The Light (feat. John Fogerty)
7. Either Or (feat. Kid Rock)
8. I Want You Back (feat. Steven Tyler with special guest Warren Haynes)
9. What Has Rock And Roll Ever Done For You (feat. Stevie Nicks with special guest Waddy Wachtel)
10. Purple Rain
11. Baby, I Love Your Way (feat. Peter Frampton)
12. I Hate Myself For Loving You (feat. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)
13. Night Moves (feat. Chris Stapleton)
14. Wrecking Ball (feat. Miley Cyrus)
15. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (feat. P!nk & Brandi Carlile)
16. Keep On Loving You (feat. Kevin Cronin)
17. Heart Of Glass (feat. Debbie Harry)
18. Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me (feat. Elton John)
19. Tried To Rock And Roll Me (feat. Melissa Etheridge)
20. Stairway To Heaven (feat. Lizzo & Sasha Flute)
21. We Are The Champions
22. Bygones (feat. Rob Halford with special guests Nikki Sixx & John 5)
23. My Blue Tears (feat. Simon Le Bon)
24. What’s Up? (feat. Linda Perry)
25. You’re No Good (feat. Emmylou Harris & Sheryl Crow)
26. Heartbreaker (feat. Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo)
27. Bittersweet (feat. Michael McDonald)
28. I Dreamed About Elvis (feat. Ronnie McDowell with special guest The Jordanaires)
29. Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr with special guests Peter Frampton & Mick Fleetwood)
30. Free Bird (feat. Ronnie Van Zant with special guests Gary Rossington, Artimus Pyle and The Artimus Pyle Band)
“Let It Be (feat. Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr)”
“What’s Up? (feat. Linda Perry)”
