Nearly fifty percent of what I’ve been reading on Facebook this week has been tributes to Dolly Parton. In my opinion, they are well deserved. I am heavyhearted, like many of us. Dolly always seemed so full of life that I never thought about the day she might not be here.
Back in the ’70s, I remember turning on the transistor radio beside my bed and tuning in to KOMA out of Oklahoma City. Nearly everyone at my high school listened to that station in the evenings because of its powerful signal. Dolly Parton was in the early years of her career then. Her distinct voice appealed to me, as it did to the vast majority of people who enjoyed country music.
Fans have embraced her music for six decades. Just as appealing as her music was her personality. She brought a dazzling quality, a bright countenance, and a wonderful sense of humor to every talk-show set she appeared on. She credits The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson with helping launch her into stardom.
I imagine every fan has a favorite Dolly Parton song. There wasn’t a single one I didn’t like, but my favorite has always been “Coat of Many Colors,” which is based on a true story from Dolly’s childhood. As her mother stitched the coat together, she told Dolly the story of Joseph in the Bible and his coat of many colors.
What most people don’t know is that the fabric used to make the coat had originally been intended for a baby brother who had passed away. Dolly’s mother made the coat to ease the pain of the grief that consumed her. It’s not only my favorite song; Dolly admitted that it was hers as well.
Dolly never shied away from singing or talking about her strong Christian beliefs. She gave credit to her faith for guiding her through the hard times of life. When people were surprised that she talked so freely about God, she would say, “Why not? That’s who I am; that’s what keeps me going.”
The selfish part of me is sad that Dolly is gone from this world. But when I take the focus off myself and put it on Dolly, I can’t imagine that she could be any happier than she must be now. Imagine—singing with the angels! I smile, wondering whether it’s the angels or Dolly who is singing backup.
I also picture her sitting next to Joseph and swapping family stories. With a twinkle in her eye, she says, “I know what it’s like to be the favorite of a dozen children. It puts us in a really difficult position sometimes.”
Yes, Dolly brought a lot of pleasure to so many people! She will be greatly missed. But I think she would agree with Paul: “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Until next time, keep on readin’, and I’ll keep on writin’.