Dolly Parton has sung some fantastic songs.  How do I know?  Because I enjoy singing along with her in the car or at home.  There’s no better test.  (Hey I am ENFP in Myers Briggs).

Image via Wikipedia

I defy anyone to not join in with “9 to 5” – loudly. It is music that is made for sharing and you can pick up the tunes.   “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers is one of my favourites which always gets me feeling great afterwards.

 The words make sense.  Her songs cover life, death, work sex and all the lovin’ and leavin’ that country music is renowned for with added thinking.  I doubt that the words of Jolene where she begs another woman not to take her man express her true thoughts, but she’s experienced the passive role with the rest of us and has great compassion.

Dolly’s appearance has been – and still is even now – a big focus.  Hourglass figure with a tiny waist and massive blonde hair.  Drama Drama all the way.  She could be the bar owner with a heart of gold in a wild west comic from the 50’s.  There is some fascination that she is actually real underneath it all, and that I – who have no intention of looking like that – am grateful that she is carrying the unlived exotic life so I don’t have to.

The razor sharp honesty and wit.  “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap”, and “If you want to have rainbows you gotta have rain”

“I modelled my looks on the town tramp.”

“I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb… and I also know that I’m not blonde. “

“I never let a rhinestone go unturned”

She has a wonderful sense of rhythm and comic timing and can laugh at herself which is unexpected in someone with her looks.
Sense of values.  Dolly Parton is married and has been so for a long time.  She has kept her private life private which is refreshingly professional and must have been tough to accomplish.  Her childhood was poor not rich so nothing has been handed to her.

“I still close my eyes and go home – I can always draw from that. “

Business woman.Dolly Parton has sold 100m records but she is also a business woman and has used her celebrity to create a bricks and mortar asset called Dollywood.   This must be a bigger challenge than the more obvious choices for female entrepreneurs and singers of selling a line of fashion items or makeup.

Dollywood is a 150 acre site in Texas where children and families can have fun.

She has a hard-work ethic.   “I have always been a firm believer in working hard for what is right and for making your own breaks if you want things to change.”

Dolly Parton is a woman who inspires me with her glamour, sense of fun, talent, humanity and strong values. An excellent role model for International Women’s Day.