Dolly Parton and the Power of Human Drive

Over the break, I watched the Dolly Parton documentary, Here I Am, and was reminded of just what a pivotal figure she has been in American culture and history. She emerged from humble roots and broke through a male-dominated music industry. Dolly wrote hits like “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and “9 to 5.” Over the course of her 60-year career, she has written 3,000 songs and released more than 50 albums. The documentary examined her life and influences and featured amazing footage and interviews.

And yet, I was left even more curious about Dolly. Specifically, I found myself wondering about what motivates her. What is behind her ambition and drive? Growing up in poverty in Appalachia, she had 11 siblings. Her illiterate father worked tremendously hard to feed his family. Dolly saw him make great choices and decisions, and she always saw him working. She credits her mom with giving her the gift of music and her father with her work ethic.

She never says anything bad about anyone and tends to obliquely reference hardships she faced during her rise to success. And insights come out in song lyrics and interviews: “I’ve had heartaches, headaches, toothaches, earaches, and I’ve had a few pains in the ass, but I’ve survived to tell about it.” She went through a rough spell in the 1980s and even contemplated suicide, but pulled through with the help of her dog and her strong faith. And what we see now is the super-confident woman: “If you're feeling low, don’t despair. The sun has a sinking spell every night, but it comes back up every morning.” 

One of my favorite Dolly stories is her standing up to Elvis’s agent, Col. Tom Parker, who wanted to get the rights to her song, “I Will Always Love You.” The catch was that if Elvis recorded it, Parker would demand a big share of the publishing rights. Dolly knew that Elvis recording her song could change the course of her career; this was a point when she had struck out on her own, away from the shadow of her mentor, Porter Wagoner. She had tremendous confidence in herself and her talents and refused to sign the song over.

A lesson for Colorado Academy students that Dolly imparts is that we can follow our dreams and continue to challenge ourselves. I love her quote, “A peacock that rests on its feathers is just another turkey.” 

She used her business skills to help revitalize the economy of Eastern Tennessee. She employs over 20,000 people at Dollywood and drives tourism to that part of the country. She started a fund to help families recover from the 2016 Great Smoky Mountain Wildfires. And she gave $1 million to Vanderbilt University during the pandemic, which helped fund research into the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Aside from her musical and business achievements, she is a cultural icon. In a deeply divided America, she is a unifier. She is a Christian who also supports LGBTQ+ rights. She is a feminist hero who stood up for herself at a time when sexism was dominant. She changed the name of one of the rides at Dollywood because it had negative connotations of the painful history of slavery in the South. And one of her most significant achievements is Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which gives free books to children from birth to age five. Her organization, inspired by her father, has given 300 million books to children.

She’s a person who has a clear sense of moral purpose. Dolly Parton reminds us that talent alone is never the whole story. What endures is purpose, generosity, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the path is uncertain. She built a life rooted in hard work, creativity, and kindness, and she used her success to lift others rather than separate herself from them. For our students, her example is a powerful reminder that ambition and humility can coexist, and that setbacks need not define us.