Original subtitles

>>> WHY DO I SING?

BECAUSE I CAN'T HELP IT.

THE DEATH OF DOLLY PARTON IS

LIKE A LIGHT GOING OUT.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS ARGUING

ABOUT EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT

THE ONE THING WE CAN AGREE ON IS

DOLLY.

SHE JUST HAD THIS

DETERMINATION, THIS GRIT.

THINK OF WHAT SHE CAME FROM

AND WHAT SHE CAME TO BE, IT'S

ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE LIVES

OF ANYONE YOU CAN IMAGINE.

SHE WAS THE BELOVED VOICE OF

COUNTRY AND THE BEATING HEART OF

OUR COUNTRY.

SO MAGIC TO SEE MANY.

I'M GOING TO TRY MY BEST TO

TRY TO BRING AS MUCH JOY AS I

CAN.

TONIGHT WE CELEBRATE DOLLY

PARTON, HER ARTISTRY.

ON A MOVING TOUR BUS WITH A

GANG OF SCREAMING MEN AROUND HER

AND STILL COME UP WITH A MOVING

SONG.

DOLLY PAVED THE WAY FOR ALL

OF THE WOMEN WHO WILL EVER COME

TO NASHVILLE.

HER GENEROSITY.

THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY

DOLLYWOOD, SHE PUT HER OWN MONEY

BEHIND HELPING THE WORLD.

AND ALL THOSE OUTFITS.

HER RECORD LABEL AND SHE'S

LIKE THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO,

THIS IS ME.

HAIR, MAKE-UP, POCKETBOOK,

PURE POETRY.

AND JUST WANT TO BE

REMEMBERED.

DON'T FORGET ME.

THERE'S NO CHANCE THAT WILL

HAPPEN.

SHE WAS INDELIBLE.

DOLLY, AN NBC NEWS SPECIAL.

>>> GOOD EVENING, I'M LESTER

HOLT.

NO ONE WANTS TO TALK ABOUT DOLLY

PARTON IN THE PAST TENSE.

AMERICA'S MOST INSPIRING,

INFECTIOUS, AND IRREPRESSIBLE

ICON, A WOMAN OF HUMOR, HEART,

AND OLD-FASHIONED GUMPTION.

TONIGHT A DEEPER LOOK BEHIND THE

RHINESTONE SURFACE.

HOW DOLLY CREATED A PERSONA WITH

A PURPOSE, SUBVERTED

EXPECTATIONS, AND MANAGED TO

LEAVE AN ENTIRE COUNTRY UNITED

IN AWE AND ADMIRATION.

WE BEGIN WITH AN ORIGIN STORY AS

MYTHICAL AS DOLLY HERSELF.

HERE'S ANDREA CANNING.

JOLENE ♪

SHE CAME DOWN FROM THE

MOUNTAIN WITH NEXT TO NOTHING.

I GREW UP VERY POOR.

AND SOMEHOW CONQUERED IT ALL.

NASHVILLE.

HOLLYWOOD.

JUST LOOK AT ME.

IT TAKES SOME EFFORT TO LOOK

LIKE THIS.

OH, I CAN SEE THAT.

DOLLYWOOD.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND

WELCOME TO DOLLYWOOD!

TONIGHT THE COUNTRY GIRL WHO

TURNED EVERYTHING SHE TOUCHED TO

GOLD AND EVERYONE SHE MET INTO A

FAN.

WHEN SHE SANG AND SMILED,

PEOPLE CLAPPED AND, YOU KNOW,

LOVED HER.

THANK YOU!

THANK YOU!

WHY DO I SING?

BECAUSE I CAN'T HELP IT.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHO I AM.

THAT'S WHO I KNOW.

MY GRANDPA SAID I CAME OUT

CRYING IN THE KEY OF "D," SO

THEY NAMED ME DOLLY.

ALONG THE WAY TO BECOMING A

LEGEND, SHE TOLD AND RETOLD THE

STORY OF DOLLY PARTON TO NBC

NEWS.

STARTING WITH HER HUMBLE

UPBRINGING IN 1940s APPALACHIA

IN THE FOOTHILLS OF TENNESSEE'S

SMOKY MOUNTAINS.

OUR HOUSE WAS REALLY SMALL,

AND MOM AND DADDY HAD A LITTLE

SEPARATE AREA WHERE THEY SLEPT,

BUT WE MOSTLY JUST PILED UP TWO

OR THREE BEDS AND WE HAD THREE

OR FOUR KIDS SLEEPING IN A BED.

AND IT WAS COLD IN THE WINTER

WE'D GET UNDER THE COVER AND

DADDY WOULD FAN THE FIRE IN THE

MORNINGS.

DADDY, IS THE FIRE HOT?

IS THE FIRE HOT?

THAT'S WHAT YOU ALL SAID.

YEAH.

WE JUST LIVED A RURAL SIMPLE

LIFELIKE COUNTRY PEOPLE DO, BUT

IT WAS FULL OF LOVE.

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE,

IT WAS WARM IN OUR HEARTS.

HARDSHIP TEMPERED BY KINDNESS

SHAPE HER WORLD VIEW EARLY ON.

IT WAS THE WAY YOU SURVIVED

IN THE COUNTRY.

EVERYBODY HAD TO HELP EVERYBODY

ELSE.

AND I THINK YOU JUST LEARNED TO

DO THAT, AND THAT JUST FOLLOWS

YOU ALL THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE.

AND THERE WAS THE MUSIC THAT

MADE THOSE HARD TIMES A BIT MORE

BEARABLE.

MUSIC IS A BIG PART OF MY

FAMILY.

IT IS IN MY DNA.

AND SO I SING BECAUSE THAT SONG

I SING BECAUSE I'M HAPPY, YOU

KNOW I SING BECAUSE I'M FREE.

I SING BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE

EVERY REASON IN THIS WORLD TO

SING.

AND SO I LOVE IT, AND THAT'S

WHAT I DO.

SHE PENNED HER FIRST BALLAD

WHEN SHE WAS JUST 5 YEARS OLD.

SHE WROTE WHAT SHE KNEW, AND

THAT'S WHAT THEY TELL YOU TO DO.

COUNTRY ARTIST BILL ANDERSON

KNEW DOLLY FOR DECADES.

HER SONGS WERE SO HONEST.

I MEAN, THEY WERE ABOUT-- ABOUT

HER LIFE, PARTICULARLY THE EARLY

SONGS, YOU KNOW.

I MEAN THESE WERE REAL PARTS OF

DOLLY'S LIFE THAT SHE SET TO

MUSIC.

BY 10 SHE WAS PERFORMING ON

LOCAL RADIO.

ALLISON MOORE IS CURATOR OF THE

DOLLY PARTON EXHIBITION AT THE

COUNTRY MUSIC HALL OF FAME AND

MUSEUM.

SHE WOULD GET RELATIVES TO

TAKE HER TO KNOXVILLE SO SHE

COULD BE ON THE CASS WALKER

SHOW.

YOU KNOW, THIS WAS A THING THAT

WAS BUBBLING UP, AND SHE HAD A

LOT OF FAMILY SUPPORT.

HER DEEP CHRISTIAN ROOTS

CONSISTENTLY INFORMED HER

WRITING, BUT IT WAS THE HARDSHIP

OF LIFE ON THE MOUNTAIN THAT

FUELED HER AMBITION.

LIKE EVERY KID, I WANTED TO

BE RICH.

I WANTED TO HAVE FANCY CLOTHES

AND FANCY JEWELRY AND MAKE-UP

AND A BIG FINE HOUSE AND, YOU

KNOW, THE WHOLE WORKS.

DID YOU SEE RICH PEOPLE AND

FAMOUS PEOPLE?

SOMEHOW I JUST SENSED

THERE WAS SOMETHING GREATER IN

THE WORLD FOR ME.

SHE PACKED HER THINGS IN A

PAPER SACK AND GOT ON A BUS THE

DAY AFTER SHE GRADUATED FROM

HIGH SCHOOL AND MOVED TO

NASHVILLE.

FATE MUST HAVE BEEN SMILING.

THAT SAME DAY SHE MET A MAN WHO

WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE, CARL

DEAN.

SHOO WAS WISHY-WASHY.

A LOT WAS A LAN DROE MAT IN

NASHVILLE, AND SHE HAD PUT HER

CLOTHES IN TO WASH AND WAS

STANDING OUTSIDE FOR WHATEVER

REASON AND CARL DROVE BY AND

SPOTTED HER.

WE, OF COURSE, DO NOT KNOW MANY

DETAILS ABOUT THEIR MARRIAGE,

AND THAT WAS BY DESIGN.

AND THAT WAS ANOTHER VERY SMART

THING SHE DID, WHICH WAS TO KEEP

THAT SEPARATE FROM HER CAREER.

IT WAS A VERY LOVING MARRIAGE,

AND HE LOVED HER FOR WHO SHE WAS

AND NEVER TRIED TO CHANGE HER.

FINDING SUCCESS WITH HER

MUSIC TOOK A BIT LONGER.

SHE ENDURED YEARS OF SLAMMED

DOORS ALONG NASHVILLE'S FAMED

MUSIC ROW, BUT SHE KEPT ON

KNOCKING.

I NEVER WAS INTIMIDATED BY

MEN.

I LOVE MEN.

ME AND WILL ROGERS HAVE THAT IN

COMMON.

I NEVER MET I MAN I DIDN'T LIKE.

BECAUSE I HAD MY DAD, I WAS VERY

CLOSE TO MY UNCLES, MY GRANDPAS

AND ALL THOSE BROTHERS OF MINE,

SO I UNDERSTAND THE NATURE AND

THE PERSONALITIES OF MEN.

AND I ALWAYS SAID I LOOK LIKE A

WOMAN BUT I THINK LIKE A MAN.

DOLLY, YOU--

HER BIG BREAK CAME IN 1967

WHEN SHE WAS 20.

SHE IMPRESSED COUNTRY MUSIC STAR

PORTER WAGONER.

HE WAS LOOKING FOR A NEW GIRL

SINGER, SO DOLLY GOT THE GIG ON

PORTER'S SHOW.

IN THE SEVEN YEARS THAT

FOLLOWED, THE TWO HAD 21 HIT

DUETS LIKE "HOLDING ONTO

NOTHING."

♪ WE'RE HOLDING ON WITH NOTHING

LEFT ♪

AND THROUGH IT ALL SHE

EMBRACED HER ROOTS.

HER SONG "A COAT OF MANY COLORS"

HELPED PAVE HER CAREER AS A SOLO

ARTIST.

THE ONE SONG AND IT STILL

GETS ME TO THIS DAY IS "COAT OF

MANY COLORS."

COUNTRY MUSIC WRITER ROBERT

ORMAN.

ABOUT THE LITTLE COAT HER MOM

MADE FOR HER OUT OF RAGS AND SHE

WORE TO SCHOOL AND WAS BULLIED

AND MOCKED AND SAW THE BEAUTY IN

THAT COAT NEVERTHELESS, AND KNEW

IT WAS A POWERFUL AND BEAUTIFUL

THING.

AND THE FIRST TIME I EVER HEARD

IT I LITERALLY BURST INTO TEARS,

AND I WENT, WOW.

THAT ABILITY TO FIND LITH IN

THE DARKEST TIMES BECAME HER

TRADEMARK.

BY 1974 DOLLY WAS READY TO

STRIKE-OUT ON HER OWN.

THERE WAS A MOMENT WHEN I

THINK SHE JUST GOT TOO BIG FOR

THE SHOW.

EMILY LORDY IS A MUSIC WRITER

AND PROFESSOR AT VANDERBILT

UNIVERSITY.

AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD

THAT, AND IT WAS TIME FOR HER TO

LEAVE.

BEFORE SHE DID, SHE WROTE ONE

OF HER MOST FAMOUS SONGS, "I

WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU."

♪ AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU ♪

SHE WROTE THE SONG "I WILL

ALWAYS LOVE YOU" AS A FAREWELL

TO PORTER WAGONER, SAYING IT'S

TIME FOR ME TO GO.

AND WE BOTH KNOW IF I STAY I

WILL ONLY BE IN YOUR WAY.

AND I THINK HONESTLY THE SUBTEXT

IS YOU'LL BE IN MY WAY, TOO.

DOLLY'S DREAMS WERE BIGGER

THAN THE SHOW, BUT SHE WOULD

NEED ALL HER NERVE TO FORGE HER

WAY IN AN OFTEN UNFORGIVING

BUSINESS.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, DOLLY

PIVOTS FROM COUNTRY TO POP, AND

WITH NO ACTING EXPERIENCE

CONQUERS HOLLYWOOD.

HOW SHE FLIPPED EVERY SCRIPT.

>>> IT MAY SEE AS IF DOLLY

PARTON WAS DESTINED TO BY AN

ICON, BUT THERE WAS NOTHING

ABOUT HER JOURNEY THAT WAS EASY.

HOW A YOUNG COUNTRY SINGER

CONQUERED POP MUSIC AND WITH NO

ACTING EXPERIENCE WENT TOE TO

TOE WITH A CAST FULL OF OSCAR

WINNERS ON THE BIG SCREEN.

HERE AGAIN IS ANDREA CANNING.

WITH PORTER WAGONER IN THE

REARVIEW MIRROR DOLLY PARTON

FACED ONE BIG QUESTION-- NOW

WHAT?

SHE KNEW HOW TO FIGHT AND SHE

KNEW HOW TO SCRAP AND SHE KNEW

HOW TO HOLD HER OWN.

SHE ALWAYS HAD HER FEET ON THE

GROUND AND ALWAYS HAD HER HEAD

SCREWED ON RIGHT.

THOSE 5-INCH SPIKED HEELS NEVER

TOUCHED THE GROUND BUT SHE DID

ALWAYS.

SHE WANTED A BRAND NEW

BEGINNING.

SHE KNEW SHE NEEDED MONEY AND

EXPOSURE, SO SHE INVENTED A PATH

FOR HERSELF.

SHE WENT TO NEW YORK, SAID I

CAN MAKE YOU FOLKS A LOT OF

MONEY IF YOU BREAK ME INTO A POP

ARTIST.

JUST AS WE HAD BEEN AS COUNTRY

MUSIC FANS, WE WERE ALL

COMPLETELY CHARMED BY HER AND

ENTHRALLED WITH HER.

AND SHE JUST WENT TO NEW YORK

AND DID THE SAME THING WITH

THEM, AND THEN SHE WENT TO

HOLLYWOOD AND DID THE SAME THING

TO THEM.

DURING THE 1970 SHE DUG INTO

THAT BOTTOMLESS WELL OF TALENT

AND GRIT, TURNING OUT SINGLES

THAT DOMINATED THE AIRWAYS.

♪ JOLENE, JOLENE, JOLENE ♪

♪ AND HERE I GO ♪

MAIN STREAM AMERICA WAS ABOUT

TO HEAR A WHOLE LOT FROM THE

LITTLE BLONDE COUNTRY SINGER

WITH THE BIG HAIR.

NBC WAS THERE AS DOLLY TRIED OUT

HER NEW SOUND AT A REHEARSAL FOR

A SHOW IN NEW YORK CITY.

♪ YOU MADE ME THINK THAT I COULD

NEED YOU ♪

IN ONE WAY YOU CHANGED A LOT

IN OTHER WAYS YOU HAVEN'T

CHANGED AT ALL.

AND YOUR CROSS OVER TO COUNTRY

TO POP HAS MADE YOU SO

WELL-KNOWN IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

WHO MADE YOU CUT YOUR HAIR

THOUGH?

I DIDN'T CUT MY HAIR.

I JUST PUT ON A SHORTER WIG.

NOBODY MADE ME CUT IT.

IT'S JUST A LOT LESS BOTHER.

IN OTHER WORDS, NOBODY MAKES

DOLLY DO ANYTHING.

I FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT IT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL-- I

DON'T KNOW, I DON'T FEEL OUT OF

PLACE.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING I THINK

THAT'S JUST MY PERSONALITY.

IT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD ALMOST

EXPECT ME TO DO.

DOLLY WAS JUST GETTING

STARTED.

SHE WAS ABOUT TO FIND A BRAND

NEW AUDIENCE WITH THE HELP OF

ONE OF HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST

STARS.

JANE FONDA SAW HER AND

THOUGHT THERE'S SOMETHING THERE,

SHE COULD BE A MOVIE ACTRESS.

DAVE CARVE IS A HOST FOR

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES.

SO IT WAS--

ONE WOMAN.

YEAH.

IF YOU EVER SAY ANOTHER WORD

ABOUT ME OR MAKE ANOTHER

INDECENT PROPOSAL I'M GOING TO

GET THAT GUN OF MINE AND I'M

GOING TO CHANGE YOU FROM A

ROOSTER TO A HEN WITH ONE SHOT.

DON'T THINK I CAN'T DO IT!

IT WAS DOLLY'S FIRST MOVIE.

I REMEMBER "9 TO 5" LIKE IT WAS

YESTERDAY.

IT WAS FOR ME AS A YOUNG GIRL

JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE MOVIE.

YEAH.

THAT WE ALL JUST LOVED.

I WASN'T EVEN IN THE WORKING

WORLD YET AND LOVED IT.

AND THAT'S WHAT I LOVED WHAT

DOLLY PARTON DID IN MOVIES IN

GENERAL BUT ALSO IN "9 TO 5."

EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD THIS HUGE

PERSONALITY AND HUGE PRESENCE,

HER ACTING WAS ACTUALLY VERY

EASY, VERY NATURAL, VERY

UNDERSTATED IN A WAY.

AND THE MOVIE CAME WITH A

GREAT SONG.

DOLLY, THE GENIUS, WROTE "9 TO

5" ON THE SET OF "9 TO 5."

THAT SHOWS HOW EASY SONG

WRITING CAME TO HER, RIGHT?

♪ TUMBLE OUTTA BED AND I STUMBLE

TO THE KITCHEN ♪

SHE NEVER HAD A 9 TO 5 JOB

THAT I KNEW OF.

SHOW BUSINESS IS NOT A 9 TO 5

JOB.

BUT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING,

POUR MYSELF A CUP OF AMBITION.

COME ON.

WHO'S GOING TO WRITE THAT?

I COULD HAVE SAT THERE FOR 20

YEARS AND NEVER WROTE THAT LINE.

IT WAS SO BRILLIANT.

NOT EVERY MOVIE SHE MADE WAS

A SUCCESS, BUT WHEN SHE MADE A

HIT IT WAS HUGE.

LIKE "STEEL MAGNOLIAS."

THEN WE WENT SKINNY DIP [WE

DID THINGS THAT FRIGHTENED

FIGTS.

BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE WE HAD

A YOUNGSTER IN THIS PLACE.

"STEEL MAGNOLIAS" IS ONE OF

MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL-TIME.

I CRY LIKE A BABY EVERY TIME I

WATCH IT.

WE'LL FIX IT.

HER UTTER CONFIDENCE SHINED

PLAYED OPPOSITE

HEAVY HITTERS LIKE SALLY FIELD,

AND JULIA ROBERTS.

DES I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT OF WHO

I AM AS A PERSONALITY AND I'M

ALWAYS SURE OF WHAT I DO IN MY

WORLD.

AND I ASSUME WHEN THEY ASK ME TO

DO THESE PARTS THEY THINK I CAN

HANDLE IT, AND I THINK I CAN,

TOO.

I'M NOT A GREAT ACTRESS, BUT I'M

NOT INTIMIDATED BY THESE PEOPLE.

I FEEL FORTUNATE TO GET THE

OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEM.

I DO WORK WITH WOMEN BECAUSE I

LOVE MY SISTERS AND MY AUNTS AND

HAVE A LOT OF GREAT FRIENDS.

FROM THE BEGINNING OF HER

CAREER DOLLY ALSO UNDERSTOOD THE

POWER OF TELEVISION, AND SHE

CONTINUED TO MINE THAT MEDIUM

FROM TALK SHOWS TO TV MOVIES.

WHICH BRINGS US TO DANICA

McCELLAR.

AND SHE WALKED IN THIS LIKE

SPARKLING SILVER BOTTLE OF

LIGHT.

DANICA CO-STARRED WITH DOLLY

IN 2019 IN THE TV MOVIE

"CHRISTMAS AT DOLLYWOOD."

SHE SPOKE WITH US FROM THE SET

OF HER NEW MOVIE, "THE GREATEST

CHRISTMAS GIFT."

SHE SAID SHE'LL NEVER FORGET

WORKING WITH DOLLY.

SHE WALKED AROUND THE STAGE

AND SHE GOES, "MERRY CHRISTMAS,

EVERYBODY."

AND IT PUT THE ROOM AT EASE.

LIKE SHE WAS GIVING US ALL A

HUG.

JENNIFER PHILLIPS WAS THE

HALLMARK EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE OF

"CHRISTMAS AT DOLLYWOOD."

SHE GOES FROM COUNTRY SINGER TO

BIG ACTRESS IN MOVIES, BUT THEN

SHE'S BRINGING THE ENTERTAINMENT

AND BUSINESS TOGETHER.

AND THE EXAMPLE OF THAT IS

"CHRISTMAS AT DOLLYWOOD."

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

PROMOTE DOLLYWOOD, WHICH IS ALL

ABOUT FAMILY, HALLMARK IS

CERTAINLY A FAMILY-FRIENDLY

BRAND, SO IT JUST MAKES SENSE

THAT SHE WOULD WANT TO PROMOTE

DOLLYWOOD IN THAT SORT OF WAY.

BUT I THINK SHE WAS BRILLIANT AT

PROMOTING ALL OF HER BUSINESSES,

AND THEY ALL SEEMED TO HAVE SORT

OF A SYNERGY.

WELL, BECAUSE IT ESSENTIALLY

BECOMES ONE BIG AD FOR

DOLLYWOOD.

ABSOLUTELY.

THAT WAS DOLLY PARTON IN A

NUTSHELL-- ALWAYS WORKING,

ALWAYS THINKING, AND DOING IT

WITH GRACE.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, DOLLY'S

OVER THE TOP STYLE.

WHAT WAS UNDERNEATH?

>>> SHE LOVED RHINESTONES,

GLITTER, AND LACE.

DOLLY PARTON FAMOUSLY SAID IT

TAKES A LOT OF MONEY TO LOOK

THIS.

A WOMAN WITH UNMISTAKABLE STYLE

BUT IN THE END HER GREATEST

ACCESSORY MAY HAVE BEEN HUMOR.

HERE'S HODA KOTB.

DOLLY WAS ONLY 5 FEET TALL

NOT INCLUDING HER WIG, BUT SHE

WAS LARGER THAN LIFE.

A FASHION ICON UNLIKE ANYONE

ELSE.

IT WAS ALWAYS BEDAZZLED.

IT WAS ALWAYS TIGHT.

IT WAS ALWAYS BRIGHT.

IT WAS ALWAYS FUN.

SHE LOVED ALL OF IT, DIDN'T

SHE?

YEAH.

VANESSA FREEDMAN IS THE CHIEF

FASHION CRITIC FOR "THE NEW YORK

TIMES."

IT'S HARD TO BE CYNICAL ABOUT

SOMEONE WHO'S CLEARLY SO

UNCYNICAL ABOUT THEIR OWN

CHOICES.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, AND SHE WAS ALSO

SMART ABOUT IT.

I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE WITH

DOLLY WHEN SHE WAS ON THE

"TODAY" SHOW THROUGH THE YEARS

AND I ALWAYS MARVELED AT HER.

I WANT TO GET ONE SHOT AT OUR

CONTROL ROOM, DOLLY.

TAKE ONE PEEK AT OUR CONTROL

ROOM.

THEY'RE GOING TO POP UP.

OUR ENTIRE STAFF IS WEARING

DOLLY PARTON WIGS.

SHE DELIGHTED US WITH LIVE

PERFORMANCES INCLUDING A

RENDITION OF "JOLENE" WITH

SAVANNAH AND I JOINING IN.

I THINK YOU GIRLS ARE BEHIND.

YOU BETTER STICK TO YOUR

HOSTING.

DOLLY, YOU'RE SUCH A DELIGHT

AND SUCH AN AWESOME HUMAN BEING.

WELL, SO ARE YOU AND THANK

YOU.

I AIN'T ALL THAT, BUT I

APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENT, AND

I'VE GOT A LOT OF WONDERFUL

PEOPLE IN MY LIFE THAT HELP ME

LOOK REALLY GOOD, SO I ALWAYS

LIKE TO THANK THEM FOR IT.

SO AND JUST GET TO GET OUT HERE

AND TAKE A LOT OF CREDIT FOR A

LOT OF HARD WORK A LOT OF OTHER

PEOPLE DO.

SURE HER LOOK WAS OVER THE

TOP, BUT NOBODY COULD POKE FUN

AT IT BETTER THAN DOLLY HERSELF.

THERE WAS SOME RUMOR ON THE

INTERNET YOU HAVE A FAMOUS BODY

PART OR PARTS THAT ARE ALSO--

WE WANT YOU TO SET THE RECORD

STRAIGHT.

YES.

WELL, IT'S NOT TRUE.

YOU CAN GET NEW BOOTS, BUT YOU

CAN'T GET NEW LEGS.

CHECK, CHECK.

MY FANCY MOTTO FOR TONIGHT

WAS A DANCE OF FLASH, A DANCE OF

TRASH, AND SPEND THE CASH TO

MAKE A SPLASH.

HOW'S THAT SOUND TO YOU?

DOLLY JOKED ABOUT THE ORIGIN

STORY OF HER FAMOUS BIGWIGS AND

TIGHT BEDAZZLED DRESSES WITH

JIMMY FALLON ON THE TONIGHT

SHOW.

WHEN I WAS LITTLE I PATTERNED

MY LOOK AFTER THE TOWN TROLLOP.

NOT SHE WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL

THING BUT SHE HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL

MAKE-UP AND HAIR AND ALL THE

TIGHT CLOTHES AND EVERYTHING I

WANTED, AND IT IMPRESSED ME.

SO I THOUGHT WHY NOT PLAY THE

PAINTED LADY?

HER EARLY CAREER TOLD THOSE

WORDS IN SONG.

♪ I'M JUST A BACKWARDS BARBIE

TOO MUCH MAKE-UP, TOO MUCH

HAIR ♪

♪ DON'T BE FOOLED FOR THINKING

THAT ♪

YOU KNOW, I THINK SHE

ARICATURE SHE

HAD CREATED BECAUSE SHE VERY

MUCH CREATED IT, AND, YOU KNOW,

SHE PLAYED WITH IT.

HER RECORD LABEL, YOU KNOW, SAID

TO HER NO ONE'S GOING TO TAKE

YOU SERIOUSLY.

AND YOU'RE LIKE THIS IS WHAT I

WANT TO DO, THIS IS ME.

I DON'T KNOW I'VE EVER MET

ANYONE MORE SURE OF WHO SHE WAS.

SHE WAS UNWAVERING.

SHE KNEW EXACTLY WHO SHE WAS,

RIGHT?

AND THE GENIUS OF HER, I

THINK, WAS, YES, SHE LOOKED

INCREDIBLE BUT SHE WAS SO SMART.

WICKED SMART, CONFIDENT, AND

AUTHENTIC EVEN BACK IN THIS 1978

APPEARANCE ON THE "TODAY" SHOW.

I DON'T FEEL OUT OF PLACE OR

ODD.

IT'S SOMETHING I THINK SUITS MY

PERSONALITY.

IT'S SOMETHING YOU WOULD ALMOST

EXPECT ME TO DO.

MY MOM ALWAYS SAID ANY OLD BARN

LOOKED BETTER WITH A LITTLE RED

PAINT ON IT.

SO I GUESS I JUST PAINTED THE

BARN WITH A FEW EXTRA COLORS.

OVER A CAREER AND A VERY

PUBLIC LIFE THAT LASTED DECADES,

DOLLY ACCUMULATED THOUSANDS OF

OUTFITS AND HUNDREDS OF WIGS, A

COLLECTION FIT FOR A MUSIC.

I HAVE MADE A LOT OF MONEY,

BUT I SPEND A LOT OF MONEY.

I NEED A LOT OF MONEY, LIKE I

SAY, BECAUSE IT COSTS A LOT TO

MAKE A PERSON LOOK THIS CHEAP.

I SAY IT AS A JOKE, BUT IT IS

THE DEAD HONEST TRUTH.

THE DOLLY FASHION STORY IS

HIN BOOK "BIG, BEDAZZLED, AND

BODACIOUS" JUST LIKE HER.

LOVE IT.

NEVER LEAVE A RHINESTONE

UNTURNED.

YES, THAT WAS IT.

NEVER LEAVE A RIN STONE

UNTURNED.

I WANTED TO BE DIFFERENT BUT

I WANTED TO BE SEEN.

IT'S IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO SEE HER.

AND JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT

YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL DOLLY STEPS

OUT WEARING A COWBOY'S

CHEERLEADERS OUTFIT AND THE

WHOLE STADIUM GOES COMPLETELY

CRAZY.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW SHE

WALKED IN THOSE SHOES.

I'M A VERY SECURE PERSON.

I THINK I CAN PIDDLE AROUND AND

PLAY WITH THE MAKE-UP AND THE

HAIR AND TO HAVE AN IMAGE AND TO

ALMOST MAKE IT A PART OF MY

PERSONALITY.

BUT I'M A VERY REAL PERSON

INSIDE, AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY

COUNTS.

♪ WE HAD NO MONEY BUT I WAS RICH

AS I CAN BE ♪

♪ IN MY COAT OF MANY COLORS THAT

MAMA MADE FOR ME ♪

♪ SHE MADE IT JUST FOR ME ♪

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, THE

BACKBONE OF DOLLY'S LEGENDARY

CAREER, A SINGULAR SONG WRITING

TALENT.

>>> THE EXUBERANCE OF DOLLY'S

PERSONA AND PERFORMANCES

GENERATED SO MUCH ATTENTION IT

COULD BE EASY TO MISS THE

SERIOUS SONG WRITING SHOPS THAT

PROPELLED HER TO DOUBLE DIGIT

GRAMMIES.

AS ONE CRITIC PUT IT, SHE DIDN'T

JUST TURN OUT HITS, SHE

SINGLE-HANDEDLY CREATED A BRAND

NEW AMERICAN SONG BOOK.

HERE'S KEITH MORRISON.

IN EVERYBODY'S LIFE THERE'S A

SPECIAL PERSON.

A LONG TIME AGO IT WAS DURING

A SINGLE EVENING, AS SHE

RECALLED IT, DOLLY PARTON WROTE

HERSELF INDELIBLY INTO THE

AMERICAN SONG BOOK.

HERE IT WAS, THIS LOVE SONG FOR

THE AGES.

♪ AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU ♪

FOR DOLLY THIS SONG WAS A

LOVING FAREWELL TO HER SINGING

PARTNER, PORTER WAGONER.

♪ GOOD-BYE, PLEASE DON'T CRY ♪

IT WAS THE SONG SHE REFUSED

TO SELL TO ELVIS PRESLEY

BECAUSE, AS SHE SAID, THESE ARE

MY SONGS.

THEY'RE LIKE MY CHILDREN.

HOW PROLIFIC, HOW INVENTIVE WAS

THAT SWEET MIND?

IT WAS THAT VERY SAME DAY, THAT

DAY IN 1973 SHE CREATED "I WILL

ALWAYS LOVE YOU" THAT SHE ALSO

WROTE THIS--

♪ JOLENE, JOLENE, JOLENE ♪

RECALLED HIN HER MEMOIR,

DOLLY PARTON, SONG TELLER.

SHE WAS TRANSFERRING ALL HER

SONGS TO DIGITAL, AND SHE GOT TO

ONE THIS ONE CASSETTE AND THE

FIRST SONG ON IT WAS "I WILL

ALWAYS LOVE YOU."

THE NEXT SONG ON THE TAPE WAS

"JOLENE," AND SHE GOES I THINK I

WROTE THEM AT THE SAME TIME.

I GO, LIKE, WHAT?

THAT MUST HAVE BEEN ONE HELL OF

A WRITING DAY.

"JOLENE" IS ONE OF THE MOST

COVERED COUNTRY SONGS OF

ALL-TIME.

♪ JOLENE, JOLENE, JOLENE ♪

TO HAVE A SONG WRITTEN FROM

THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WOMAN

WHO'S WORRIED THAT JOLENE WILL

TAKE HER MAN IS JUST NOT

SOMETHING WE WERE HEARING IN

AMERICAN FOLK SONG AT THE TIME.

EMILY LORDY IS PROFESSOR OF

ENGLISH AND POP CULTURE SCHOLAR.

AND IT REALLY SPEAKS TO HER

INTEREST AND HER EMPATHY IN

ADDRESSING SO MANY FACETS OF

ESPECIALLY WOMEN'S HUMAN

EXPERIENCE.

THERE'S A LINE ABOUT JOLENE'S

FLAMING LOCKS OF AUBURN HAIR AND

HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE IS, AND THE

LANGUAGE THE DICTION THAT PARTON

IS USING THERE IS LIKE THAT OF

AN ELEZE BEACHEN SONNET.

TWO HUGE HITS COMPOSED IN A

SINGLE DAY, TWO SONGS THAT TOOK

ON LIVES OF THEIR OWN.

♪ AND I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU ♪

HOW?

HOW DID SHE DO IT?

YOU COULD SEE IT IN HER FACE.

AND SUDDENLY A LITTLE CLOUD

WOULD GO BY AND YOU COULD SEE,

LIKE, SHE'S THINKING OF A SONG.

SHE CALLED IT HER GOD SPACE.

SHE'D GO INTO HER GOD SPACE AND

SOMETHING WOULD COME OUT, SOME

BRILLIANT SONG.

THAT'S GENIUS.

DOLLY PARTON IS AN EPIC

AMERICAN POET.

SONGWRITER ALICE RANDALL.

NOT ALL SONGWRITERS ARE

POETS, BUT SOME ARE.

AND DOLLY IS ONE OF OF THE

GREATEST.

SHE WROTE HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS

OF SONGS ABOUT LIFE AND LOVE AND

LOSS AND HUMILIATION, AND ABOVE

ALL STRENGTH FROM GROWING UP

POOR IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS OF

TENNESSEE, AND A COAT OF MANY

COLORS.

♪ ALTHOUGH WE HAD NO MONEY I WAS

RICH AS I COULD BE ♪

♪ IN MY COAT OF MANY COLORS THAT

MAMA MADE FOR ME ♪

THAN ALL THE OTHER SONGS I'VE

EVER WRITTEN AND RECORDED.

SHE WAS HIN HER SLIGHTLY

MISCHIEVOUS WAY MODEST.

YOU'VE GOT OVER 3,000 SONGS

YOU'VE WRITTEN.

OH, AT LEAST.

THREE GOOD ONES.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE AS MANY

PEOPLE HAPPY AND MAKE MYSELF AS

HAPPY AS I CAN.

DOLLY ALSO, OF COURSE,

INSPIRED OTHER SONGWRITERS LIKE

COUNTRY MUSIC STAR LAUREN ELENA.

FOR THOSE WOMEN WHO GOT TO

SING WITH HER AND GOT TO

COLLABORATE WITH HER, DOLLY

DIDN'T JUST REPRESENT COUNTRY

MUSIC.

SHE REPRESENTED SONGWRITERS AND

MUSICIANS OF ALL GENRES.

THERE WAS SHINING THROUGH ALL

OF THEM ALL THE SONGS, A SIMPLE,

HONEST, VULNERABLE HUMANITY.

WE ALL WILL ALWAYS WANT IT BE

LIKE DOLLY.

AND SHE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO

SAY WHAT NEEDED TO BE SAID, AS

HERE, "9 TO 5."

WE KNOW THAT SHE WROTE "9 TO

5," THE WORKING GIRL'S ANTHEM,

BY CLICKING HER NAILS TOGETHER.

♪ WORKING 9 TO 5 ♪

AND THAT CREATED THE RHYTHM

THAT SHE WANTED TO USE FOR THAT

SONG.

♪ TUMBLE OUTTA BED AND I STUMBLE

TO THE KITCHEN ♪

IT SHOWS THE BEAUTY ASPECT OF

DOLLY PARTON, THOSE LONG ACRYLIC

NAILS IS A KIND OF WORK JUST

LIKE THE 9 TO 5 WORK SHE'S

DESCRIBING IN THE SONG ITSELF.

YES, SHE HAD THE LOOK, THE

OUT THERE BODY, THE IMAGE.

BUT IT WAS THE SONGS THAT DID

AND WILL DEFINE A MEMORABLE

LIFE.

HERE SHE WAS ON HER VERY LAST

ALBUM IMPLORING ALL OF US TO BE

BETTER.

♪ HAVE WE ALL LOST SIGHT OF

COMMON DECENCY ♪

GOOD PEOPLE ARE HOPING FOR A

LITTLE MORE KINDNESS, A LITTLE

MORE LOVE.

JUST A FEW YEARS AGO ON THE

PODCAST "DOLLY PARTON'S

AMERICA."

SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE END OF

LIFE, THAT PLACE SHE HAS COME TO

NOW.

AND, WELL, WOULDN'T IT BE

LOVELY.

I'M HOPING TO GET ON UP THERE

AND DO SOME MORE WRITING AND

SINGING AND PLAY ONE OF THOSE

GOLDEN HARPS AND WRITE SOME MORE

SONGS AND KEEP ON DOING IT

FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, WHAT WAS

DOLLY LIKE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS?

A CLOSE FRIEND SHARES MEMORIES

OF THE ICON IN PRIVATE.

>>> THE SPARKLE, THE SMILE, THE

HAIR DOLLY PROJECTED TO REACH

EVERYONE IN THE BACK ROW, BUT

WHAT WAS SHE LIKE UP CLOSE?

HERE'S JOSH MANKIEWICZ.

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE IN THE ROOM

WITH HER?

WELL, IT'S WHAT YOU THINK.

SHE'S THIS INCREDIBLE PRESENCE,

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW SHE'S

WITH YOU AND IT'S A BIG DEAL.

PRODUCER BOB GREENBLAT KNEW

DOLLY PARTON FOR MORE THAN 20

YEARS AS BOTH FRIEND AND

BUSINESS PARTNER.

YOU HEAR ABOUT CELEBRITIES

SAYING, YOU KNOW, DON'T LOOK

DIRECTLY AT THEM.

YOU KNOW, DON'T TOUCH THEM,

RIGHT?

NO, SHE'S THE FIRST PERSON TO

COME GIVE YOU A BIG HUG.

YOU KNOW, SHE'S JUST INCREDIBLY

WARM AND HUMAN, AND THERE'S NO

AIRS, NO AIRS WHATSOEVER.

AND SHE WOULD BE THE FIRST

PERSON TO SAY THAT.

YOU KNOW, THE WAY SHE GREW UP,

SHE HAD NOTHING.

SHE JUST WAS A NORMAL PERSON

WHO, YOU KNOW, ROSE TO THIS

STATUS OF, YOU KNOW, ICON.

ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO I WAS IN A

RESTAURANT HERE IN LOS ANGELES

AND SHE WAS THERE SITTING HAVING

DINNER WITH SOMEBODY WHO I DID

NOT RECOGNIZE.

AND, YOU KNOW, IN LOS ANGELES

THERE'S A KIND OF-- KIND OF AN

UNWRITTEN RULE.

RIGHT, YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING TO

CELEBRITIES, RIGHT?

RIGHT.

SO I DIDN'T, BUT A LOT OF

OTHER PEOPLE BROKE THAT RULE.

AND I SAW ABOUT A DOZEN PEOPLE

COME UP TO HER AND SAY, MS.

PARTON, I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M A

HUGE FAN OF YOURS.

AND EACH TIME SHE PUT DOWN HER

FORK, SHE STOOD UP, SAID TO THEM

SO GREAT TO MEET YOU, STOOK OUT

HER HAND, WHERE ARE YOU FROM.

AND THEY WERE ALL COMPLETELY

CHARMED.

THAT'S WHO SHE WAS.

THERE WAS NO ARTIFICE ABOUT

THAT.

IT'S NOT LIKE SHE WAS THAT WAY

IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATELY SHE WAS

DIFFERENT.

HE SAYS THERE WAS ONE BIG

PART OF HER LIFE DOLLY ALWAYS

KEPT FOR HERSELF.

SHE WAS VERY PRIVATE ABOUT

HER WHOLE PERSONAL LIFE.

YOU KNOW, I ONLY MET CARL DEAN,

HER HUSBAND, ONCE OVER ALL THE

YEARS THAT WE WORKED TOGETHER ON

VARIOUS PROJECTS.

WU KNEE MORE ABOUT CARL DEAN

FROM THE LYRICS TO "JOLENE" THAN

WE DID FROM ANYTHING THAT EVER

CAME OUTLET OF HER LIPS.

RIGHT.

YOU NEVER SAW HIM AND HE DIDN'T

LIKE TO BE IN THE PUBLIC EYE.

SHE REALLY KEPT THE PRIVATE LIFE

AND WORKING LIFE TOTALLY

SEPARATE.

I WENT TO HER HOUSE IN

NASHVILLE, BUT I NEVER SAW THE

PART OF THE HOUSE WHERE SHE

LIVED, YOU KNOW, IN HER PERSONAL

LIFE.

IT WAS GREENBLAT'S IDEA TO

MAKE "9 TO 5" A BROADWAY

MUSICAL.

NEITHER ONE OF THEM HAD DONE

ANYTHING ON BROADWAY BEFORE.

SHE SAID DOLLY IMMEDIATELY

AGREED AND DOVE IN.

SHE CAME TO MY HOUSE ONE DAY

WE WERE HAVING A MEETING, AND

SHE PULLED OUT A GUITAR AND SHE

SAID, HEY, I WROTE THIS SONG

LAST NIGHT.

I THINK IT COULD WORK IN THIS

PLACE IN THE SHOW.

LET ME PLAY IT FOR YOU, AND SHE

PULLS OUT A PAPER PLATE OUT OF

HER BAG, AND SHE HAD WRITTEN THE

LYRICS ON A PAPER PLATE, WHICH I

THINK WAS JUST HER IN THE MIDDLE

OF THE NIGHT OR EARLY IN THE

MORNING.

SHE WAS A NIGHT OWL.

YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO FIND A

PLACE TO WRITE THE LYRICS DOWN.

THE SHOW WAS A HIT.

AND LATER AFTER GREENBLAT BECAME

CHAIRMAN OF NBC ENTERTAINMENT,

HE BROUGHT DOLLY TO NBC FOR

"COAT OF MANY COLORS."

THE TV MOVIE BASED ON DOLLY'S

EARLY YEARS.

THEY ANNOUNCED THAT TOGETHER TO

AN AUDIENCE OF ADVERTISERS AND

TV EXECUTIVES.

IT IT WOULD BE WRONG TO LET

YOU GO WITH JUST ONE SONG.

I DIDN'T BRING MY WHOLE BAND.

AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU'RE

PLAYING PIANO.

YES.

AND DOLLY PARTON IS SINGING,

AND IT'S PRETTY MUCH, LIKE, IN

FRONT OF YOUR WHOLE BUSINESS.

YES, A LOT OF PRESSURE

ACCOMPANIED THAT SONG, "I WILL

ALWAYS LOVE YOU."

AND I WAS NERVOUS.

SHE WAS VERY FUNNY

OFF-THE-CUFF.

YES.

THAT WAS HER.

SHE DIDN'T HAVE JOKE WRITERS.

NO.

ONE OF THE FUNNIEST PEOPLE I'D

EVER KNOWN, AND SHE WOULD JUST

SAY SOMETHING-- IT WAS USUALLY

SOMETHING DISARMING, SOMETHING

YOU DIDN'T EXPECT TO HEAR FROM

HER, AND ALWAYS A LITTLE

BORDERLINE RACY BUT SAFE ENOUGH.

BUT A LITTLE RACEY.

I GREW UP IN A FAMILY OF 12

CHILDREN.

MY POOR MOTHER ALWAYS HAD ONE ON

HER AND ONE IN HER.

NO DISRESPECT.

PEOPLE SAID Y'ALL MUST BE

CATHOLIC.

I SAID, NO, WE'RE JUST A HORNY

MILL BILLIES UP THERE IN THE

SMOKY MOUNTAINS.

AND SHE WOULD JUST DISARM THE

ROOM.

THIS REALLY IS THE END OF AN

ERA, ISN'T IT?

WELL, YES, I GUESS THE OLDER

YOU GET YOU START TO THINK THAT

WAY.

BUT, YES, SHE WAS A ONE OF A

KIND ICONIC PERFORMER, YOU KNOW,

SINGER, ACTRESS, WRITER.

SHE WROTE THOUSANDS OF SONGS.

BUT THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING

ABOUT DOLLY THAT I DON'T THINK

WE'LL EVER-- WE'LL EVER SEE

THAT AGAIN.

>>> WHEN WE COME BACK, DOLLY

LEFT US WITH SO

>>> FOR ALL DOLLY'S GLITTER AND

RHINESTONES, THERE WERE

UNMISTAKABLE SMARTS UNDERNEATH,

A SINGER WHO GREW INTO A SAVVY

BUSINESSWOMAN MAKING AND GIVING

AWAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO

PEOPLE AND CAUSES SHE CARED

ABOUT.

HER EXAMPLE A GIFT TO US ALL.

THERE'S TEN PEOPLE ON THIS

EARTH WHO YOU SHOW A PHOTOGRAPH

AND EVERY SINGLE PERSON KNOWS

WHO THEY ARE.

PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND

AROUND THE WORLD HAD BEEN

GATHERING TO CELEBRATE THE LIFE

AND MOURN THE LOSS OF AN

AMERICAN ICON.

EVERYBODY LOVES DOLLY PARTON,

AND A FLIPPANT THING TO SAY, BUT

IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE.

INTELLECTUALS, REDNECKS,

CONSERVATIVES, LIBERALS, BLACK,

WHITE, KAY, STRAIGHT, YOUNG,

OLD.

EVERYBODY RELATES TO DOLLY

PARTON.

THE WHOLE WORLD IS ARGUING

ABOUT EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW, BUT

THE ONE THING WE CAN AGREE ON IS

DOLLY AND THAT SHE WAS

WONDERFUL.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU

ARE ON OR WHAT YOU BELIEVE OR

WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

BUT THE LEGACY SHE LEAVES

BEHIND GOES WAY BEYOND HIT SONGS

AND RHINESTONES BECAUSE UNDER

THAT BIG HAIR, DOLLY HAD A SHARP

MIND FOR BUSINESS, AS JOSEPH,

DEPUTY EDITOR OF "ROLLING

STONE."

SO SHE WAS VERY HANDS ON.

SHE WAS SO REAL IN WHO SHE WAS

AND SO AUTHENTIC THAT HER

BUSINESS VENTURES WERE BOUND TO

SUCCEED BECAUSE PEOPLE FELT AS

IF THEY COULD TRUST HER, RIGHT?

SHE WAS WORTH HUNDREDS OF

MILLIONS THANKS TO BUSINESS

VENTURES THAT RANGE FROM A MUSIC

PUBLISHING COMPANY TO A COSMETIC

LINE.

BUT HER MOST PERSONAL BUSINESS

ENDEAVOR WAS DOLLYWOOD.

AND HAD FOR ABOUT 12 YEARS

WANTED TO DO SOMETHING, GO BACK

HOME AND START AN AMUSEMENT PARK

SO WE COULD PRESERVE THE SMOKY

MOUNTAIN HERITAGE, SOMETHING

THAT WE COULD HAVE TO REALLY

HAVE PEOPLE COME AND SEE WHAT

REAL COUNTRY LIFE IS LIKE RATHER

THAN THE HOLLYWOOD VERSION OF

WHAT HILLBILLIES ARE-- ALL

STUPID AND BAREFOOT AND ALL

THAT.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, AND

WELCOME TO DOLLYWOOD!

SHE OPENED DOLLYWOOD IN 1986

IN PIGEON FORGE, TENNESSEE, NOT

FAR FROM WHERE SHE GREW UP.

THE ENTERTAINMENT PARK HAS MORE

THAN 50 RIDES AND ATTRACTIONS

INCLUDING THE FAMOUS DOLLY

PARTON STAMPEDE DINNER.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A

WONDERFUL WAY TO GO BACK HOME

BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO

PROUD OF THAT AREA AND PROUD OF

THE PEOPLE.

DOLLY IN PART BECAUSE SHE HAD

SUCH HUMBLE BEGINNINGS NEVER

TOOK FOR GRANTED THE FACT THAT

SHE WAS ABLE TO REALIZE HER

DREAM AND MAKE THE KIND OF MONEY

THAT SHE MADE.

SHE WANTED TO SHOW HER

APPRECIATION FOR THAT BY GIVING

IT BACK TO THE COMMUNITY IN

VARIOUS WAYS.

SHE TAKES CARE OF FOLKS, AND

SHE KNOWS HOW SHE WANTS TO BE

TREATED, AND SO SHE TREATS

OTHERS THE SAME WAY.

DOLLY DONATED MILLIONS OF

DOLLARS OVER THE YEARS TO A

MULTITUDE OF CAUSES INCLUDING

DISASTER RELIEF, PEDIATRIC

HEALTHCARE, AND CORONAVIRUS

RESEARCH.

I EVEN CHANGED ONE OF MY

OCCASION.

IT GOES VACCINE, VACCINE,

VACCINE, I'M BEGGING OF YOU

PLEASE DON'T HESITATE.

SHE SAID IN A 2023 INTERVIEW

THAT HER GENEROSITY JUST CAME

NATURALLY.

IF YOU ARE ANY KIND OF A

DECENT PERSON, WHEN THINGS HAVE

GONE SO WELL FOR YOU, WHEN

YOU'VE RECEIVED SO MUCH FROM

PEOPLE, YOU REALLY FEEL THE NEED

TO GIVE BACK BECAUSE THAT'S HOW

I FEEL.

AND I ALSO ALWAYS FELT LIKE THAT

WHEN YOU GET IN A POSITION TO

HELP, THAT YOU SHOULD HELP.

SO THERE'S A SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS

TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS

REQUIRED, AND I REALLY THINK

THAT'S KIND OF WHERE THAT COMES

FROM.

PERHAPS HER BEST KNOWN

LIBRARY, A TRIBUTE TO HER FATHER

WHO NEVER LEARNED TO READ.

SHE WAS A CHAMPION OF

LITERACY AND EQUALITY.

THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY IS

SOMETHING SHE STARTED IN HER

HOME COUNTY OF SEVIER COUNTY,

JUST THERE.

FOUNDED IN 1995, THE

ORGANIZATION GIVES BOOKS TO

CHILDREN EVERY MONTH UNTIL THEIR

5th BIRTHDAY.

AND SHE WAS TOLD, WELL, IT'LL

NEVER WORK STATE-WIDE.

WELL, THEN IT STARTED WORKING

STATE-WIDE.

OH, IT'LL NEVER WORK, YOU KNOW,

COUNTRY WIDE.

IT HAPPENED COUNTRY WIDE.

DOLLY THEN TOOK IT WORLDWIDE.

TO DATE THE CHARITY HAS DONATED

OVER 300 MILLION BOOKS TO

CHILDREN.

I MEAN, MY DAUGHTER IS 14

EVERY MONTH BECAUSE SHE CREATED

THE IMAGINATION LIBRARY.

AND I ALWAYS SAY TO MY DAUGHTER,

"DOLLY PARTON SENT YOU ANOTHER

BOOK."

IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT

PLEASURES OF HER LIFE THAT HER

FATHER LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO SEE

THE LAUNCH OF THE IMAGINATION

LIBRARY.

HE WAS PROUDER OF THAT THAN OF

ANYTHING ELSE SHE DID-- THAN OF

ALL THE AWARDS AND MUSIC AND

EVERYTHING ELSE SHE DID.

IN THE END HER MUSIC, HER

ACTING, HER BUSINESSES, AND HER

GENEROSITY WILL LIVE ON.

SHE LED WITH LOVE AND

EVERYONE RESPONDS WITH THAT.

SO I THINK IF THERE'S SOMETHING

WE SHOULD ALL TAKE AWAY FROM HER

LIFE AND THE LOSS OF HER, AND WE

ALL NEED TO LOVE A LITTLE BIT

MORE LIKE SHE DID BECAUSE SHE

DID SO FLAWLESSLY.

SHE WAS SO KIND.

WELL, I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED

AS A GOOD PERSON, A PERSON THAT

TRIED TO DO GOOD, TRIED TO MAKE

THE MOST OF EVERY GOOD THING I

WAS GIVEN, ALL MY TALENT.

I JUST WANT TO BE REMEMBERED.

SO HOPEFULLY FOR A WHOLE LOT OF

THINGS.

JUST DON'T FORGET ME.

THERE IS LITTLE CHANCE OF

THAT.

THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT

ENTERTAINERS.

AS LONG AS THERE ARE MOVIE

PROJECTORS AND AS LONG AS THERE

ARE RECORD PLAYERS, WE CAN GO

HOME AND WE CAN TURN THEM ON AND

BE IN THEIR PRESENCE AGAIN.

IT'S CLEAR DOLLY PARTON'S

TRUE GIFT MAY HAVE AS MUCH TO DO

WITH KINDNESS AS MUSIC.

SOMEHOW THIS 5-FOOT TALL COUNTRY

SINGER FULL TO BURSTING WITH

INNATE GOODNESS AND OPTIMISM HAD

THE POWER TO UNITE VIRTUALLY

EVERYONE.

A SAGE AND SPARKLING REMINDER

THAT THERE IS STILL SO MUCH THAT

BINDS US TOGETHER AS AMERICANS.

A TRUE NATIONAL TREASURE.

THAT'S ALL FOR TONIGHT.

I'M LESTER HOLT.

FOR ALL OF US AT NBC NEWS, GOOD

NIGHT.