Dear Dolly

Dear Dolly,

I'm sure everyone around the world has their own feelings and stories about Dolly Parton but I'd like to tell you mine.

I was driving to Knoxville TN when I got the news about Dolly's passing and I just had a feeling she hadn't been OK from her videos. August 25th, 2026, 3 days after my 31st wedding anniversary, will live in infamy like 9/11, Elvis' death, the shuttle disaster or Kennedy's assassination. Everyone will remember where they were, what they were doing and how they felt. 

I grew up in Sevierville TN, where Dolly is from. So, to say I've been surrounded by her all my life is an understatement. There's roads named after her, I saw her photo in my high school where she went too, Dollywood is about 10 miles from my house, and I actually got to meet her, briefly. It's like a long distance grandmother has passed and the whole county is mourning their loss.

Back in the mid to early 80s, Dolly was everywhere here. Some of her family, would sing on an outdoor stage in Pigeon Forge and we'd go down there to sit and listen for a while. That same band was actually used in Dolly's movie Rhinestone with Sylvester Stalone. During one of their shows, they said they were headed to film and wouldn't be playing here for a few weeks. I love that movie. I loved listening to them, it was simple times back then.

Her presence in our county has always been here but not as much before Dollywood. I remember when she took it over from Silver Dollar City. In all actuality, the Hershends, the family that owned SDC, went into a partnership with Dolly. They owned and operated it and her name and star power brought in the business. Of course she acted like it was her theme park and it was. The themes went from country western, shoot em up, saloon type genre, to everything Dolly. The church was named after the doctor who delivered her. The cabin was a mock up of the one she lived in. The main restaurant was Aunt Granny which she was called by her nieces and nephews. Every ride had some sort of theme attached to Dolly's childhood memories of the Smoky Mountains. It sold tickets, created year after year expansions, and became a destination theme park. This year is their 40th year, they renamed it Dollywood in 1986, and from their humble beginnings of 50 acres of fun, they have tripled that size to 160 plus acres currently, plus two resorts and a water park. With that expansion over the years, it has influenced our economy. As Dollywood expanded, so to has the cities of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge. 

I remember Sevierville as a kid. We had no fast food restaurants at first, no motels, no retail big box stores. We had a TG&Y (Google it) and a Giants food (this one too). Their buildings still stand today and are occupied by a Tractor Supply and an Ollies-good crap cheap. I remember when we got our first Kmart and Kroger and McDonald's in front of them. 

I digress, back to Dolly. Her fame became an ever increasing force of change for us. The more popular she became, so to did our corner of the world. A statue was erected in her honor and is in front of the Sevier County Courthouse. It was the ground zero for mourning fans this week. Murals have been painted on buildings downtown Sevierville depicting her childhood. Downtown Sevierville has gone through a revival of sorts, thanks to her. The venue, The Pines, opened up in the same building that she sang on stage for the first time. Reds diner has reopened, the place she hung out at. So many things have been done, that have orbital around Dolly's fame. 

In 1988, I started high school at Sevier County High. For two years I was in the marching band, then theater and choir. Dolly marched in that same band, her picture was in a display case in the hallway. I probably passed it a hundred times or more. She came to our school one day when I was a freshman and proposed a radical program. You see, the high school drop out rate was high for our county. Back then it was more rural and there were a lot of farms. Lots of kids would drop out and work on the farm. Until, Dolly stepped in to help. She proposed this, every student would pair up and encourage one another to stay until we graduated. She called it the buddy program. If both students graduated, then they would get $500 from her, per person, a free dinner at Dollywood and a picture with her and your buddy. My buddy moved away to another school, which didn't disqualify me, instead they paired me up with another student in a similar situation. My ex-girlfriend was the other student. We dated before high school then fell apart in our freshman year. She was my first "love" and I held that love for her all through high school which made it very awkward at the picture taking time. 

There we were, dressed up for this banquet in Dollywood, Dolly was at the front and we were in line for a picture with her. She was having a blast and so were we. I remember how short she was, how dang skinny she was, and yes how big chested. Her purportions were crazy. I don't know how she stood up. Tiny feet, tiny waist and huge, ya know, you'd think she'd tip over. She was awesome and then I knew why people loved her. I'll never forget that day. Literally, I still have the picture with me, Dolly and my first love. Not awkward at all in my house. Actually, my wife and I are still friends with her. 

I've always wanted to meet Dolly again and thank her for the money but never got to.

She was so involved in our area. Every time she could give back, she did. Her now national, Imagination Library, was started for our county only at first. It quickly expanded to surrounding counties, the state and the country. My son got some of her books when it started. 

Our area was devastated by wildfires ten years ago in 2016. Dolly swooped into action by helping those that had their houses destroyed. She also gave money for rebuilding. It was a huge help for those displaced.

Here's my last tale, whether it's true remains to be seen but I like to think so. Dolly bought her parents a house and it's just down the road from where I live now. It would be a 5 minute drive. Anyway, before her resorts were built, she'd stay at that house when she came to visit. She would come to do parades and new ride openings or Dollywood opening days. Anyway, rumor has it, she'd go to my Walmart (I worked there), late at night to do some shopping. Like 2 or 3am they say. I never saw her but some of the other employees would say she'd come in without the hair or make-up and no one would recognize her. The only give away was her voice at the register (before self check). Now I've also heard her say, she'd never leave the house without her make-up or wig, so I'm not sure how true it is. I like to think it's true, it gives me an insight into her. She seemed to be trapped in the persona she built. It made her millions but deep down, she was still that country girl from the Smokies playing guitar on the front porch of that old cabin. 

She dreamed and made it come true. Her exterior was all flash and glamor, her heart though, was full of love. We could all do better and be like her: giving, unconditionally loving, truthful and to the point. She was an icon, a force, an inspiration, a good ole country girl and she will be missed.

It's been five days since her passing and her song, I will Always Love You has resonated in my head since. We will always love you too Dolly. Go be with God, your parents and loved ones and thank you for all you've done for us.❤️