To think Dolly Parton was some sort of prophet or philosopher

That is sad, I think she clearly was naturally beautiful. She seemed confident in her talent etc but even the most successful people can have insecure spots.

Apparently she wrote the songs 'Jolene' and 'I will always love you' in the same day.
She wrote 'I will always love you' for the C&W star Porter Wagoner, who gave her her first big break on his own TV show. He actually sued her for leaving; her star was shining and she wanted to do different things. He seemed bitter about that, but in true Dolly style, she held no grudges, and dedicated that brilliant song to him.

I remember first hearing the song Jolene and thinking how humble this beautiful woman was to write such a song to a woman she saw as far more powerful than herself.

The documentary 'Dolly Paron, in her own words' is being shown on some TV channels...certainly worth watching.

I love 'Yoda in rhinestones'! 😄

I think she was a very smart lady in her own way and I agree with pps who have suggested her tough background probably afforded her a certain kind of wisdom.

This thread is lovely and very heart warming. I’ve been gutted ever since the news broke. Dolly and everyone who embodies her philosophy of uplifting others either through work or words truly make the world a better place and I’m so glad she was in it.

The message is SHE didnt want to age.

I saw her at Glastonbury in the legends slot. She was amazing and my 3 yr old at the time has forever loved Dolly. Her efforts to promote reading for children and her attitude is spot on. I think, "what would Dolly do?" Is how im going to live my life from now on.

I think she wanted her face to match her personality and in one of the interviews she said she felt she had a huge amount still to achieve even though she was coming up to her 80th. She felt young and I bet the cancer diagnosis came as a huge shock.

Is it really unusual for a female singer or actress to have both male and female fans?

Dolly did seem to be equally popular across the sexes though, which I agree is unusual.

I think that was because, aside from her talent and generosity, she had a long stable marriage (a lot of female stars are disliked by women for having affairs), didn't have publicised addictions, didn't demonise either Democrats or Republicans, didn't endlessly court the limelight when not on tour, and had a good sense of humour.

I don't think Jolene was very feminist 🤔

It's not unusual for celebs to have fans of both sexes, it is unusual to find one that everyone loves. I don't think I have heard anyone say a bad word against her.
When she was acting in Steel Magnolias, the other actresses all agreed that Dolly's way was, If you can't say anything good about a person, then don't say anything...and I really think that was the way she lived her life.
She was an inspiration to us all.

She was open about her affairs. I think it was accepted between them.

She wrote that song from the heart.
She didn't need to shout about equal rights for women, her quiet words and her actions did that.

Was she????
I think her version of an 'open marriage' was flirting, which she said they both did, I never saw her speak of affairs.

That isn’t what I understood about her or her husband.

She was a flirt, who loved all men, she admitted and said her husband knew she was and accepted it.

She talked of one ‘emotional affair’ at a time when she was very down, using this other person for support.

'it is unusual to find one that everyone loves.'-yes, I think that's key.

I love Steel Magnolias.

I'm going to be honest I wasn't an absolute huge fan of her music Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas gave me the creeps. But, however, I am a fan of HER she was a phenomenal person.

It's not sexist for women to worry about love rivals. Men also have love rivals! In real life she wasn't seriously worried about Jolene anyway, it was heightened for the song.

Some of her songs were more feminist/proto-feminist : 9 to 5. Also Just Because I'm a Woman, for one. Interesting passage here about the song : 'think I was a little different from them. Loretta had a house full of kids and she wrote those being brought down by men songs. Hers were more about home life and all the women who had children and I totally love and respect her. Tammy could sing any number of things but she was also singing that Stand By Your Man. I was singing songs like Just Because I’m A Woman … my mistakes are no worse than yours just because I’m a woman. I think we all did our little thing. I just filled my spot."

https://genius.com/Dolly-parton-just-because-im-a-woman-lyrics

Also this song, Down From Dover, about a woman with a stillborn child. Too controversial due to the illegitimacy theme when she first released, apparently :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=psx3NTzBsXs&t=14s&pp=2AEOkAIB

I loved when she was asked her pet peeve and she said 'Nobody notices I've got a great ass!' 😆

Yes, I don't think, if she said 'open', she meant it in the 'open marriage' sense!

this has been remarked upon, how women loved her, in the same way
as in the fifties, Marilyn Monroe, her contemporaries, Jane Russell,
Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Diana Dors! had the same effect,
groomed, glamorous, gorgeous, hard to think of anyone present day
charming, warm feminine, a star, now that Dolly has left us

And the Mango Mussolini said that Dolly loved him. He couldn't be further away from the truth!

I certainly have never heard of her having affairs or her husband.

She was a flirt, and a diva, but deep down I think she was a principled christian at heart, ie I think she kept sex for within her marriage.

I wonder if we will see a biopic about Dolly. If we do, I hope it’s as good as Coal Miner’s Daughter, about Loretta Lynn.