ADVERTISEMENT

AOL Radio

Listen to AOL Radio Now
play arrow
Top Country - Today's Hottest Hits
Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts
play arrow
'90s Country - '90s Biggest Hits
Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, George Strait
play arrow
New Country First - Today's new country hits
Keith Urban, Toby Keith, Sugarland
Online Radio Guide

Exclusive Interviews

Chats with your favorite country stars.

Exclusive Performances

Watch live, in-studio performances.

Blogroll

Dolly Opens Up to Oprah

Dolly PartonShe's a country music legend, actress, author, Broadway composer and savvy business woman. And Dolly Parton can also add 'interviewee extraordinaire' to that resume, as she never fails to keep us on the edge of our seats with her incomparable knack for storytelling. The iconic entertainer sat down with Oprah Winfrey last week, to discuss her marriage, career and the one thing she never leaves home without. Here are some highlights of their candid conversation:

Dolly on her 44-year marriage to reclusive husband, Carl Dean: "He's proud of me. He's just basically shy about things like that. He doesn't like crowds. And I respect his privacy. I respect the fact that he loves to be out of the limelight. That's one of the reasons I think we've lasted so long ... I've never had to worry that he loves me because I'm a star and I've got money or make money or whatever. I know he loves me for me, and that means a lot to me."

On rumors they have an 'open' marriage: "That just means we let each other be who we are and how we are. But I'd kill him if I knew he was with somebody ... We love people. He knows I'm a flirt and a tease, but it's harmless. I've never met the man that would take his place."

On her unshakable faith: "My grandpa was a preacher. My grandmother was very religious, and she believed through God all things are possible. Every day I pray about all I do ... It keeps me strong. It's best to get outside yourself and it helps to keep some of the pressure off to give it back and ask for help, and I'm not ashamed or afraid to do that."

On coming from extreme poverty to making millions of dollars: "It's hard for me to spend a huge amount on one outfit, like to go to Beverly Hills and say, 'Oh, there's a coat for $5,000.' I'd rather go to Walmart and get a whole bunch of stuff, cause it's all gonna look the same on me. I'm gonna look cheap no matter what I wear!"

On the huge success of Dolly's Imagination Library: "It's a literacy program I started in my hometown many years ago. We started giving books to children from the time they're born, once a month, till they go to kindergarten. And then it started all over Tennessee. The government got involved, and now it's all over the United States ... This is our 25th anniversary, and we are giving away our 25th million book this year."

On refusing to appear without her makeup in public: "The only way I'd be caught without makeup is if my radio fell in the bathtub while I was taking a bath and electrocuted me, and I was in between makeup at home. I hope my husband would slap a little lipstick on me before he took me to the morgue."

On Music City's response to the fatal flood that ravaged Tennessee earlier this month: "All the country stars are always so great to pitch in, and I've started a relief fund too through Dollywood. That will be a wonderful way to help out ... There's so many people who lost everything, so that's what we're really trying to do -- help those people put their lives back together."

Download Dolly Parton Songs

Dolly Parton on AOL Music

All the AOL Music info you want to know

50 Cent, Street King: Rapper Visits…

The Boombox

AP Photo/World Food Programme, Rose Ogola NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Rapper 50 Cent…

Grammy Acceptance Speeches: Watch 30…

AOL Music Blog

FilmMagic, Getty, WireImage It's been a busy week for God. Besides helping…

Earl Sweatshirt Returns, Releases New…

The Boombox

YouTube.com Ironically, Earl Sweatshirt was one of the most visible members…

See all AOL Music »

Add a Comment

Sign in »
*0 / 3000 Character Maximum

122 Comments

Filter by:
mrouxman

Geez..all this butt kissing going on here! Like she logs on and reads this ish! I seriously doubt the woman buys her clothes at Walmart. Make up yes..clothing no...

June 01 2010 at 4:30 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ninerswn04

At least Ms. Rose can count!

June 01 2010 at 4:23 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rkelley45

Dolly Parton is a very classy lady and I've always loved her. She is NOT superficial - just wants to always be presentable in public. I read once that when she goes out publicly, she always wears make-up, but that she sometimes goes out shopping with no makeup on (to Walmart?), and is able to be incognito because no one recognizes her without make-up. That was about 10 yrs ago though, so maybe she has changed. I doubt it though. I also won't go anywhere in public without my lipstick. :) Dolly is a true lady and a great human being!
(rkelley45's wife)

June 01 2010 at 3:20 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
rogerbeep25

YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN A CLASSY LADY TO ME AND EVERYONE ELSE AND BEAUTIFUL TOO.YOU EAST TENNESSEE GALS ARE FINE AS WINE.I KNOW I USE TO WORK FOR LANDAIR TRANSPORT IN GREENEVILLE TN AND FELL IN LOVE WITH ONE.SHE WAS A WORKER THERE AND SHE WAS A BEAUTIFUL LADY WISHED TO GOD I MARRIED HER BUT ITS TOO LATE NOW.ANYWAY YOU KEEP SINGING AND ILL KEEP LISTENING YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND.

June 01 2010 at 2:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LasVegasX

@ blogcritic73, someone may have bad grammar, but they have the right to say what they want, and how they want to say it. You are nobody to criticize anyone, even if you call yourself a critic. If there is one thing I have learned in my lifetime, it's don't try to tell someone else how to speak. I myself used to be the same way as you. I couldn't stand bad grammar but, I kept two things in mind. The first thing was that everyone, including children, are different with everything. The second thing I kept in mind was, we as Americans may speak English, but our version is evolving into its own language pretty much. In short, please realize that you are not perfect and stop trying to tell others how to speak, it's not your place.

June 01 2010 at 2:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
LINDA GALE TERRY

2 blog critic 73:

You are blasting this person for their silly blog,[it WAS sooooo silly!]but you misspelled expanding in line 5 of the p.s., so you made a mistake while blasting him for making mistakes! lol

June 01 2010 at 2:02 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Steven R. Russell

There's no one like Dolly Parton? What's so unique about Dolly Parton? God has created each and every one of us unique.

And as far as Dolly Parton being a real Christian. We can't inherit salvation from our grandparents or parents. We must accept Christ for our own soul's salvation. The Bible also tells us "These people do honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me". The bottom line is that "man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart," and I cannot judge from Dolly's outward appearance, and what she says with her lips, whether she is a Christian or not. Only God knows that for sure.

The Bible also tells us that "Wide is the path that leads to destruction, and many [people] go that way. But straight and narrow is the path that leads to life everlasting, and few there be that find it."

"Many will say unto Me on that day, Lord Lord, did we not do many mighty works in Thy name? Then will [Christ] declare unto them, depart from me, I never knew you." "Judge nothing before the time", and "by their fruits ye shall know them".

Only God knows the truth.

God speed Dolly.

June 01 2010 at 1:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chuck

Allegedly, she is known to have had plastic surgery and the legendary "Jane Doe" doesn't have her husband or one of her assistance pick her up after the surgery, however, there is woman who is in her life that is considered her partner...as in "domestic partner'. You do the math.

June 01 2010 at 1:34 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
goslingmodeling

Dolly, you've always been such an inspiration, and you're extraordinarily talent is absolutely remarkable.

June 01 2010 at 1:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sarah

I really like Dolly because she is one of those few stars who doesn't act like their better than everybody else. I think she dresses better too than other stars. I've seen a picture of her husband on television. Hes pretty normal looking and pretty handsome. You would never guess that it was her husband.

June 01 2010 at 1:14 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply