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)  The Partons were true mountain people: poor, tough and resilient. For years, they had no electricity, and no indoor plumbing. All the kids helped with the crops and looked out for each other.

"We had a roof over our head, I always say, even if it did leak. We had something to eat on our table, even if it wasn't exactly what we wanted. Had a bed to sleep in, even if there were a bunch of us in it," she told Safer.

The day after high school graduation, Dolly lit out for Nashville, the country music capital. She had already had a record or two and been on local radio and TV back home, but Nashville was one mean town.

"It was a lot of that being lonely, being homesick, cryin' every night," she remembered.

But she told Safer she was never tempted to just pack it up and go home. "Never crossed my mind. Because I figured the least I would be would just be hungry."

Eventually, she got a spot on the Grand Ole Opry, the country music mecca. And soon, little Dolly Parton was very big indeed, as singer and writer of country music classics.

She's so big back home in eastern Tennessee, they put a statue of her in front of the courthouse in Sevierville.

And nearby is Dollywood, her theme park. It's a shrine to southern culture, southern food and southern music. For nearly a quarter century, Dollywood has brought the area thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue. It's Dolly's own economic stimulus package.

One of the rooms at her museum, filled with memorabilia, is called Dolly's Attic. "I call it my arts and crap building," she joked.

And behind all the costumes, the Grammys, the gold records on display at Dollywood, there's the guiding hand of a show biz entrepreneur. "I love the business end of the business. I'm almost like three people. There's me the, Dolly, the person. There's me, the star. And then there's me, the manager," she explained.

And of course there's Dolly, the composer. On Broadway is "9 to 5," the musical, with songs by Dolly. It's a show developed from her first movie 30 years ago, one that turned her into a feminist icon. She wrote the title tune while the movie was being shot. It was right there at her fingertips.

"I have acrylic fingernails. And they make a great, you know, rhythm sound. And they sound almost like a typewriter to me. And it was all about secretaries. So I’d be on the set, I’d just go around 'Workin’ 9 to 5, what a way to make a living.' So they all got a kick out of my nails. And I actually wound up playing my fingernails as part of the percussion sound on the real record," she explained, demonstrating the sound her nails can make.

[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!