On the debut episode of ‘What Would Dolly Do? Radio,’ Dolly 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 mom, her husband Carl, the famous ‘Jolene’ album cover jumpsuit, first getting flack for her hair and makeup, and more.
Tune in and listen to the episode in-full anytime on-demand at apple.co/_WWDD
‘What Would Dolly Do? Radio’ will also be available on Apple Podcasts. Apple Music subscribers can follow the show on Apple Podcasts to automatically download and get notified of new episodes when they’re available on-demand.
Dolly Parton’s new album ‘Rockstar’ is out everywhere on Nov 17th. Pre-add it now on Apple Music HERE. Dolly’s new book ‘Behind The Seams: My Life In Rhinestones’ is available to read or listen to on Apple Books.
Dolly Parton Tells Apple Music She Can Get Ready In an Hour
DOLLY: 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.
KELLEIGH: It takes me a full two hours.
DOLLY: Oh, does it? I can do it really good in an hour.
Chet Atkins Told 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 Parton Tells Apple Music About First Getting Flack for Her Hair and Makeup
I was [teasing] my hair, my family’s hair, because I had a knack for that. But I was wearing too much makeup, 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.
How Dolly’s Mom Felt About Her Look and Helping Her With It
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 Parton Tells Apple Music That She Realized Early On Playing Guitar Got Her Attention, Even Though She Had a Shy Side
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.
The Household Items Dolly First Used as Makeup
I think I wanted to be pretty. I’m not a natural beauty, but I can paint it up to where I can get away with it. But it was just always in me to wear lipstick. Even when I was little bitty, I would get in trouble because I would find all the natural things living back there in the mountains. I would pick poke berries that stain forever, and I’d paint my lips and make jewelry and all sorts of things with that. And I’d use flour for powder, burned matchsticks, the kitchen matches, Mama’s big old wooden matches, to make my eyebrows and paint a beauty mark or whatever, eyeliner.
Dolly Parton Tells Apple Music About Her First 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.
Learn About 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 “Dollyize” them, add some stones or add a collar or whatever. But I just remember I loved that little dress.
Dolly Parton Tells Apple Music About 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 “Dollyizing” 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 the big women or for themselves.
Husband, Carl, Calls Her Clothes “Doll Clothes”
I’m tiny. I’m only like five one. 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 Parton Tells Apple Music That She Leaves Her Closet a Mess Until She Has Time to Pick It Up
I like my closet in order… Now, I am one of those people, though, if I’ve got something to do, like most girls, and you’ve got a thing to do, I’m going to try on 20 things. If I’m dressing on my own, I may leave it piled on the floor that evening… And in the morning, when I get up, I’ll go hang it back up… So I’m not a fanatic about anything. Same thing with if I have people over to eat and we’re having a good time, I’ll do my dishes the next morning. I’m not going to mess up a beautiful evening by thinking I have to go clean up the kitchen when I can be enjoying my friends… I just live in the moment and enjoy things as I do.
Dolly Parton Tells Apple Music She Keeps Her Expensive Jewelry Outside of 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 jewelry and I don’t care. I like the rhinestones more than I do the real.
