Dolly Parton on life, love and loss in her own words

Dolly Parton, the fascinating creator of three-minute films, possessed a prodigious narrative ability. Her storytelling was not only concise but also deeply personal, often autobiographical. Accompanying these tales, she delivered them with a compelling performance and her signature bright vocal. Throughout her acts, she peppered in jokes and engaged with the audience.

The package was pure entertainment, yet her stories often delved into more serious matters. In her song "Coat of Many Colors," Parton recounted how her mother patched her worn-out coat with remnants of fabric given by relatives and friends, as they could not afford new materials. The young Dolly attended school wearing the patched garment and ill-fitting shoes.

The other children laughed at her. "They didn't understand, and I tried to make them see that one is poor only if they choose to be," she reflected. "Now I know I was poor, but I was rich as I could be with my Coat of Many Colors that my mother made just for me." This was one of her early hits, which she penned in a tour bus from a receipt at a tailor's shop.