Dolly Parton: The Real Queen Of All Media

Tells 60 Minutes When It Comes To Business, She Looks Like A Woman But Thinks Like A Man

(CBS)  This story was first published on April 5, 2009. It was updated on June 4, 2009.

Dolly Parton calls herself "a cartoon character that I created," and neither Bugs Bunny nor Minnie Mouse ever had it so good. But as Morley Safer first reported in April, there is the other Dolly Parton - the savviest woman in show business, the singer, the songwriter.

And yet another - the Hillbilly kid from the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, who grew up dirt poor in a family of 14.

She's a woman who, despite her millions, remains deeply attached to the customs, the humor and, for sure, the music of her roots.

Her latest venture is a Broadway show based on her iconic film "9 to 5" - words and music by Dolly. Writing songs and singing them is something she's been doing practically since birth.

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"Ok. You wanna ask me to sing or do you want me to just whup it out for ya?” Dolly Parton asked Safer.

Safer and 60 Minutes were at Dolly's Tennessee mountain home, listening, to her "whup" out some songs from her childhood.

"Tiptoe, tiptoe, little Dolly Parton, tiptoe, tiptoe, ain’t she fine?" Dolly sang. It's the first song she remembers hearing around the house.

"Little tiny tassletop, I love you an awful lot…Hope you never go away, I want you to stay," she sang for Safer. That's the first song she ever made up, at age five, about a doll her father made from a corn cob.

"Puppy love, puppy love. They all call it puppy love. Now I had that little squeak, I'm old enough now to kiss and hug and I like it!" she sang.

And that was the first song she ever recorded, when she was 13 years old.

For half a century now, "little" Dolly Parton has been center stage and loving it. She's a songwriter, movie star, and queen of the quotable quotes. At 63 years old and five feet tall, she's larger than life.

She settled on the "party girl" persona when she was still a kid.

"The woman that I was most impressed with when I was a little girl was the town tramp. But I didn't know what that meant," she told Safer. "This woman had the yellow peroxide hair. She had the red nails. The red lipstick. The beautiful eyes. The high heels. Short skirt. And I thought she was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen. And whoever I was with would say, 'Oh, she ain't nothin' but trash.' And I make the joke. And I would say, 'Well, that's what I'm gonna be when I grow up,' meaning that's how I wanna look."

"When you started out with whatever you want to call 'that look,' did people really get the wrong idea in the sense that they didn't know that beneath that look there is maybe one of the smartest women around?" Safer asked.

"Well, I certainly got hit on a lot. And a lotta men thought I was as silly as I looked, I guess. You know, I look like a woman but I think like a man. And in this world of business, that has helped me a lot. Because by the time they think that I don't know what's goin' on, I then got the money, and gone," she replied.

Gone, into Dolly, Inc.

Early on she demanded total control, and has a sizeable staff overseeing her business, philanthropy and music publishing. And she has become a kind of national monument, one who turned up at the National Press Club in Washington with some thoughts on the State of the Union.

"Somebody said to me 'Well, you know what? You just got such a big mouth and you just know how to talk to people. Did you ever think about runnin' for president?' I said 'I think we've had enough boobs in the White House,'" she joked at the press club appearance.

[traffic101]

She must have a picture at home that is aging. She would look better more natural, she has sold herself to Hollywood. But, it must be working....

[TNisgoodenoughforme]

I loved it when they showed Dolly the old clip with her Mom & Dad. She is as real as they come

[big67tex]

Seems strange to me that there was no mention of the person who 'found ' Dolly and made her a star. Sure, she had more talent than Porter, but it was his show that put her in the linelight. If it hadn't been for him, Dolly could well be a 61 year old, 5 foot, blonde, big boob singer wandering from bar to bar. REPORT THE WHOLE STORY!

[Xenogogic]

OK, where's the Joan Crawford side of her?

[holymountaineer]

Morey:

You, as always, did an outstanding job of journalism on Ms. Parton. However, please ask her if she knows the Southern term "Indian giver." She fired 42 people, her longtime touring band, backstage crew, background singers, and tour administrative staff after giving her word that she would employ them for a specific number of years. This was done via a letter from her while they were touring in Europe last year. The tour still had the remaining months in the U.S. to go. So, these TRULY loyal folks toured with her until the tour concluded around Thanksgiving.

Also, ask her new manager, formerly with Bon Jovi, the top 100 country music classics of all time.

I am no longer a fan or supporter of Dolly.

[Henrys_mom]

This was a nice piece on DP. MS failed to mention one of Dolly's greatest works, "Imagination Library". To provide children with free monthly books until age 5 will be one of her most memorable achievements.

[davidcc472]

I think this was one of the best profiles the show has ever done. The first two segments were very heavy and this piece was a nice lighthearted profile of a woman who's an American classic. 60 Minutes was well balanced Sunday night, I enjoyed it very much. Keep up the good work.

David

[Ludwig_Von_Mises]

Nice piece on Dolly. What was missing, though, was any mention of the two men in country music who were most instrumental in helping Dolly break thru in what was then a very male dominated business. There should've been some mention of Porter Wagoner and Chet Atkins. That's all.

[sofarr]

Look, I like Dolly Parton as much as the next guy, but that was the puffiest puff piece that 60 minutes has pulled so far. Looks like paid advertising. What happened to investigative reporting? Your show is turning into just another bit of infotainment, so formulaic and trite.

This is a time when newspapers are failing and people are starved for substantive reporting on the economy and politics, the corruption and abuses that have led up the mess we are in. What are you guys doing? Seems like the only real reporting left on TV is PBS's Frontline.
Come back, 60 Minutes. We need you.

[ericgarrison]

Thank you, 60 Minutes, for reminding us what a wonderful person Dolly is! She truly is a genuine, classic, American sweetheart!

[dennisgreen5]

Dolly's smart and clever and she sings good too!

[pdollyfan]

I have loved Dolly for over 40 years..I am only only 47 ! I have to say it was so touching to see Dolly's response to seeing her family on the 7o's Dolly Variety Show! You can see how much she loved her Momma and Daddy.It was a true joy growing up loving Dolly Parton and her music.She brings such sunshine to a dark and dreary world!! God Bless You Dolly Parton! This country boy will always love YOU!! Bill Christian

[cs4466]

Dolly's the best - a terrific lady and a class act! Love her!!!

[gramto8]

What a genuine lady!!
Posted by rmoore17 at 4:48 AM : Apr 6, 2009

She sure is!! I would love to meet her. If nothing else, I would love to thank her for making my two grandsons so happy.

The red dragon is so special to them that they don't play with it. They have it put up in my dad's room next door to them so it doesn't get dirty. He keeps it on a top open shelf shere they can see it and will take it down for them whenever they want. But they are adamant about keeping it nice.

We are fortunate to have at least one big name star who is a genuine lady in the true sense of the word. She is my hero now.... I have always loved her music, and '9 to 5' was a fantastic movie. But her warm loving means so much more.

[CobbT]

Way you go Dolly, I am glad to see someone is sticking up for us backwoods folk and i cannot think of anyone I had rather see do it than you. She may look like a "Cheap Tart" (British saying), but she is the real pound cake, keep up the good work girl and may God bless you and yours

Tye

[pam1472]

I loved Dolly Partons earrings. Can you find out who's they are and where I can get a pair. Thanks so much. Loved learning more about Dolly. She is just so loveable and so real. The outward look is what catches your eye. Without that I don't think we would be as likely to hear her and realize just how real she is.

[gramto8]

Dolly is not only a great entertainer, she is a wonderful person. A few years back, my daughter invested her income tax refund in a business along with a friend and his brother. They set up a kiosk at Dollywood after an interview with Dolly herself. A couple of months later, Dolly was doing a stroll-through and noticed my daughter's friend alone at the kiosk again. She stopped and asked about my girl. Her friend told Dolly about my two little grandsons and their neurofibromatosis. It is a disease that causes growths to form on the nerves, spinal cord, and brain.

Well, Dolly was evidently touched by the story. She left the kiosk and returned in a few minutes carrying a red plush dragon over six feet long. She told the friend to give this to those two little boys and tell the it was from Dolly!

[SteelersWinAgain]

You know, I really have to give kudos to Dolly. She's orchestrated her career like the best . She's not afraid and has never been, to be different, be what she wants to be. And for her, its paid off. Though I'm not necessarily into her music, I do respect her as an accomplished musician, songwriter and songstress. Nobody has ever been able to, nor likely ever will, compete with her in her venue.

[thetireguy1]

Your the best in good times and bad!
In a hundred years from now the historians
will write about and study a lady names Dolly Parton!
GOD speed all the way Girl, your the Best!
Love Always

[steatopygic]

I found the vision of Dolly depressing. Here is this amazing woman of immense talent who has risen from a very tough background - and she has given her soul to the Hollywood ******** of denying her age with multiple cosmetic surgeries. One or two more and she and Joan Rivers can perform as twins.