On the debut episode of What Would Dolly Do? Radio, Dolly Parton goes behind the seams - also the title of her new book - to talk her look and legacy with co-host Kelleigh Bannen. Dolly reveals Chet Atkins told her to tone down her look in the early days, and shares anecdotes about her mum, her husband Carl, the famous ‘Jolene’ album cover jumpsuit, getting flack for her hair and make-up, and more.
Dolly On Playing Guitar & Being Shy...
I saw early on that I was getting attention for [playing guitar and writing songs], so that inspired me more. And so I don't know that it's true that everybody wants to be seen. I think everybody wears a sign around their neck that says, "I want to be important," but a lot of people are basically shy. But I wanted the attention. I can't explain it, but it's pretty obvious. I guess I felt what I was going to be maybe. Because I have a shy side, believe it or not. And in my early days, till I learned what all I could do, what all I could get away with, that side of me was kind of always there. But the more I felt my own power and my own importance, so to speak, the more I was free to get to be more of what I have become.
Dolly Parton On Her Getting Ready Routine...
The more natural they say you try to look, the longer that seems to take. So mine's easier because I know mine's going to be fake. I just use it for kind of painting and powdering and doing my blush, putting on my eyelashes. Throw on a wig, and I'm ready to go… I actually can get dressed quicker than most girls. I can do it really good in an hour.
Dolly On Chet Atkins Telling Her to Tone Down Her Look in the Early Days...
One of my dear friends and one of the most beloved people in the whole business was Chet Atkins… he was running RCA at the time. And he pulled me over to the side because he really liked me. He said, "Dolly, I really don't believe that people are going to take you serious as a singer and songwriter unless you tone down your look. You're a right pretty girl. You don't need all that." And I said, "Well, okay, I'll take that to heart, Mr. Atkins. Thank you for your advice." And of course, I just got worse with it. And years later, after I became a star, he sidled up beside me and said, "Now, ain't you glad you listened to my good advice?”
Dolly On Getting Flack for Her Hair & Make-up...
I was [teasing] my hair, my family's hair, because I had a knack for that. But I was wearing too much make-up, 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.
Dolly On How Her Mum Felt About Her Look...
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 On Working With Stylists...
When I first started, I would have local people or family members, friends that could sew, make my clothes. And then as I started to grow, then you have other people that get involved in your career, like say a Fred Foster, who decided that he would hire someone to help give me a new hairdo and to get clothes. But I hated it. I didn't like being fashionable. I didn't like wearing what somebody else would that's supposed to have had good taste.
Dolly On The Famous ‘Jolene’ Album Cover Jumpsuit...
Now that was something I bought off the rack… And I don't think we even added. Usually, I buy a lot of stuff off the rack, but usually we do what we call “Dollyise” them, add some stones or add a collar or whatever. But I just remember I loved that little dress.
Dolly On Her Creative Director Steve Summers...
His title is creative director. Actually, though, he can direct anybody in what we're needing to do, whether it be on the set… But then he got to where he would be buying clothes off the rack and then “Dollyising” it. And we still do that a lot today. He knows all my strengths and all my weaknesses, knows what not to put me in or knows what I will not wear. And I'm little, I'm short, and then I've got all these other things going. So you've got to really put a lot of thought into how you dress me and to make it not be overwhelming because most people, a lot of people, designers, if you're not careful, they're designing for themselves.
Dolly On Her Husband, Carl, Calling Her Clothes “Doll Clothes”...
I'm tiny. I'm only like 5'1. But yeah, there's an arc to that because when I'm in [my stage clothes], I'm larger than life, so to speak, my personality and all. I remember Carl said one time, he says, "Sometimes I go out in the closet when you're gone, and I think those look like doll clothes. They look like a little girl's clothes." I said, "Well, they do till I get in them.”
Dolly On How She Keeps Her Expensive Jewellery Outside Her House...
I have beautiful jewelry. And it's not in my house, so don't come robbing me. But I have lots and lots of beautiful, beautiful expensive jewelry that I don't wear. A lot of it's gold. I can't wear gold. People either give or things that I've had made thought I could wear it back since the early days… I can only wear platinum. It's the only thing that don't turn me. Even silver will turn me, canker my fingers… But I decided years ago, I'm not going to wear my real jewellery and I don't care. I like the rhinestones more than I do the real.
Dolly On Somebody Asking Her To Tone Down Her Look...
I'd say, "Go to hell. I ain't doing it." My true belief with most things, you've got to really find out who you are, what makes you happy, what you're comfortable in, and if you feel like you look your best, according to your rules, then you are going to do your best. I really believe that. And I think everybody has their own little things they love. To me, that is what fashion is.
