A long history of shout-outs.
Though it still doesn’t feel real exactly two weeks later, the queen of country music, Dolly Parton, passed away on August 25th at 80 years old in Nashville, Tennessee. The “Jolene” singer had been dealing with undisclosed health issues for the last year or so, and she previously shared that she was having issues with severe kidney stones. Aside from that, she understandably didn’t share more, though clearly there were more serious issues going on.
Dolly’s rep confirmed to People that her death sadly followed a “brief battle with cancer,” though the specific kind was not revealed. She had been open about her health struggles over the last several months, though it sounds like the cancer was a more recent development.
The family announced that, at Dolly’s request, a small private service will be held for immediate family, and her nephew revealed to TMZ that Dolly will be buried “in her signature high heels and a comfortable cotton dress” in the mausoleum at Woodlawn Memorial Park and Mausoleum in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was buried next to her late husband Carl Dean on Friday.
Since her death, the country music world — and the world at large, for that matter — has been mourning her loss. Nearly every artist you can dream of penned emotional tributes about her illustrious career, the likes of Chris Stapleton, Ella Langley, Brad Paisley, Vince Gill, Zach Top, Carrie Underwood and more covered some of her biggest hits at recent shows, the state of Tennessee made plans to rename Nashville’s airport in her honor and other organizations have joined in on celebrating the American icon.
What remains even more important in regard to Dolly, her artistry and her life in general is the fact that she served as a great unifier between just about everyone. It truly didn’t matter what side of the political aisle you’re on, what your sexuality is or where you were both socially or geographically; there was an incredibly high chance that Dolly impacted you in some way, shape or form throughout her illustrious career.
One of the most prominent ways that was showcased over the years was the number of references to her in other artists’ songs. From Tim McGraw and Lainey Wilson to Trace Adkins and Josh Turner to even Drake and Nicki Minaj, Dolly has been name-dropped more times than you might think. In fact, she might be the most referenced country artists outside of the likes of George Strait and Johnny Cash.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at 10 times the late, great Dolly Parton was referenced in songs in country music and abroad.
1. “Southern Voice” – Tim McGraw
Easily the most successful song on the list, “Southern Voice” ended up being a #1 hit for McGraw upon its release in 2009. In a track full of references to everyone from Martin Luther King Jr. to Dale Earnhardt, Dolly is referenced early in the first verse when the Country Music Hall of Famer gives a nod to her grace.
Lyric: “Aretha Franklin sold it, Dolly Parton graced it”
2. “WWDD” – Lainey Wilson
A deep cut off of Wilson’s third studio album, Sayin’ What I’m Thinking, “WWDD” turns the popular phrase “What would Jesus do?” into a tribute to Dolly Parton. Obviously, the song details all the defining characteristics of the late legend, ranging from her big heart and hair to her kindness and work ethic.
Lyric: “When life rings my southern bell / I just gotta ask myself, hell / What would Dolly do?”
3. “Big” – Trace Adkins
This 2020 deep cut from Trace Adkins is a fairly straightforward anthem about getting back to the basics of life. Though the song centers around the fact that the world seems to keep shrinking — rather than being “big” — Adkins throws in a fun tongue-in-cheek reference to two of Dolly’s most notable physical traits, opting to instead focus on her iconic wigs.
Lyric: “There ain’t nothin’ wrong with the size of Dolly Parton’s — wig”
4. “Lorretta Lynn’s Lincoln” – Josh Turner
Though the fun, novelty song from Josh Turner is obviously centered around a fictional joyride in a Lincoln owned by the “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” Dolly makes an appearance in the second verse. Here, Turner sings about having a vision of the “9 to 5” singer during the drive.
Lyric: “Them other cars pulled over like the Red Sea had parted / And it was then I had a vision of Dolly Parton”
5. “Geraldene” – Miranda Lambert
This hilarious track that appeared on both Lambert’s The Marfa Tapes and Palomino takes aim at the titular Geraldene, who is, for all intents and purposes, the trailer park’s most popular woman. Noting how Geraldene is never going to take her man, Lambert references one of Dolly’s most popular tracks, “Jolene,” telling her she’ll never be as pretty as the iconic Parton antagonist.
Lyric: “You’re trailer park pretty, but you’re never gonna be Jolene”
6. “Spokane Motel Blues” – Tom T. Hall
Easily the oldest song to reference Dolly, the legendary Tom T. Hall have her a shoutout all the way back in 1973. Here, Hall dreams of listening to the “Coat of Many Colors” singer’s album in the titular Spokane motel room.
Lyric: “I’m stuck in Spokane in a motel room / Lord, I wish I had a Dolly Parton tape”
7. “Dear Dolly” – Ashley Anne
Like Wilson’s “WWDD,” “Dear Dolly” is another straightforward tribute to the late legend. Similar to tracks such as Eric Church’s smash hit, “Springsteen,” Anne references a plethora of Dolly’s biggest hits in the verses, ranging from the likes of “Coat of Many Colors” and “Here You Come Again” to “9 to 5” to “Islands in the Stream.”
Lyric: “Cause I’m so lost, won’t you come and find me? / Oh, come and sing to me, come and find me, Dolly”
8. “Make Me Proud” – Drake ft. Nicki Minaj
Easily the most out-of-left-field track on the list, none other than Nicki Minaj gives a nod to the “Islands in the Stream” singer. Similar to Adkins on “Big,” she references arguably Dolly’s most notable physical characteristic (other than the wig, of course).
Lyric: “What’s the point if I’m guarding? // Double-D up, hoes, Dolly Parton”
9. “You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter)” – Ashley Monroe & Blake Shelton
Undeniably a slept-on duet back in 2013 from Monroe and Shelton, “You Ain’t Dolly (And You Ain’t Porter)” is an infectious song that references Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner’s legendary run of albums back in the 1960s and 1970s. Here, the pair trade lines, joking that neither of them can live up to the legacy of the two country legends.
Lyric: “Let’s drink all night and fill the jukebox full of quarters / ‘Cause you ain’t Dolly and you ain’t Porter”
10. “That’s Country Bro” – Toby Keith
A bit of an odd song from a conceptual standpoint, “That’s Country Bro,” which came out in 2019, seemingly takes aim at the dreaded bro-country era of the 2010s. Oddly enough, the song doesn’t critique the era and its stylings. Instead, it sees Keith simply fire off a plethora of country legends over the decades in rapid succession throughout the entirety of its runtime. Seemingly being a reminder of the icons that came before the dark ages of bro-country, Dolly is name-dropped alongside Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and her long-time musical partner Porter Wagoner in the second verse.
Lyric: “Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner and the Hag”
