As Big as Her Hair: The Dolly Parton Fandom

 As Big as Her Hair: The Dolly Parton Fandom

    There are many names in country music that people consider to be the major names in the genre. Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves, and Brad Paisley are some artists that most people would know about if they were asked to name a few. If a person was asked to name some older country artists, that may be harder to identify. There were several country artists who had made a name for themselves in the 1960s and 1970s, such as Loretta Lynn, Glen Campbell, and Patsy Cline. However, these artists may not be as well known to modern music fans. Despite the big names that have entered country music over the years, there is one name that has never faded into oblivion. Dolly Parton first stepped into the country music scene in the late 1960s and has kept her fame alive every year since then. She has created a brand for herself that has become synonymous with her name, from her massive blonde hair, flashy outfits, and smart yet self-deprecating wit. Her rags-to-riches story of achieving fame has also helped in winning over fans, as everyone loves to cheer for an underdog on their way to success. These factors of who she is as a person have helped her name stand out in the music industry, allowing her to still perform and create new songs long after her contemporaries' careers were finished. Throughout the years, Parton has also shown immense kindness and generosity towards struggling communities and minorities, allowing her name to touch base with groups of people who may not even regularly listen to country music. It is why her name seems to be a part of every social circle with a resounding majority expressing their love and appreciation of her and her music. Parton's fanbase is made up of every group of people thanks to her easygoing, open, and relatable persona.

Several of the larger-than-life looks Parton has worn over the years (Unknown).

    The group of people who consider themselves Dolly Parton fans cannot be categorized into one group. There is no one population that her music is the most popular with, and the same goes for which group of people enjoy her the most. Parton and her persona have been able to reach people from every walk of life, and her legacy still stands strong today. One of the ways this has been able to occur is through her avid support of the LGBT+ community, a group of people whose popularity has strengthened in recent years. Parton often voices her support of rights for the LGBT+ community and even wrote a song for the 2005 film Transamerica that focused on the transgender community (Lynskey). Parton's voice has been able to reach groups of people that struggle to have a voice in the first place. She uses her platform to spread awareness in her own way, whether it is through the messages in her songs or publicly delivering her stance. She also makes inclusivity her priority, as she does not want anyone to feel as if they cannot enjoy her music or be loved simply for who they are. Parton has remained unabashedly honest in her appearance and views, as she proudly tells others that this is who she is and cannot be swayed otherwise. She continually flaunts more feminine qualities in her appearance but has songs with lyrics that are rife with messages about independent women who are more than what they look like on the outside. This has led her to become a leading figure in the feminist community, especially in regards to third-wave feminism (Markey). Parton's songs spoke of feminist messages as early as the late 1960s, when feminism was first beginning to be present in modern society. These songs have managed to withstand the test of time because their stories are ones that continue to be told today. Parton was one of the first women with a platform to use it as a means of fighting for equality and acceptance within society and continues to uphold that mission today. Parton is not only an advocate for marginalized groups, but she also fights for those who are less fortunate economically. Despite the wealth she has acquired since achieving fame, she still keeps her roots in poverty close to her. This has led her to continually use her money in donations and establish programs to help those struggling financially. This includes "scholarships, wildlife charities, hospitals and a literacy programme that has given away more than 100m books to children" (Lynskey). Parton has never taken her wealth for granted and always keeps those in need close to her heart. She has even spoken of them in her songs, as many of them discuss her impoverished roots and the experiences of the working-class American (Markey). Parton has found a way to appeal to every group of people that exist not only in America but globally as well. She includes every type of person in her art and everyday life, making sure that everyone gets a chance to have a voice and let it be heard. When talking about why she loved Parton so much, a fan once said, "'Dolly is everything I never dared to be. Sure, she's outrageous looking. But just once, didn't you ever want to do something outlandish - without worrying what everyone will say?'" (Zoladz). Parton inspires her fans to be their truest selves and not feel like they need to fit into the societal norm. Her goal in creating acceptance and a welcoming environment through her art has lasted in a career that spans almost fifty years and continues to be enacted today. This allows Parton's fanbase to spread worldwide and share her influence with those who may not be familiar with her.

A drag queen resembling Parton during a performance at Dollypalooza (Faibyshev).

    Parton's fanbase appears to come together through environments where they can interact in public settings and simply celebrate their love of the singer. Whether these events are in-person or online, they exist as a way for fans of Parton to appreciate her work and what she does for others. The main way fans seem to show their love for the singer is through public festivals. One festival is Dollypalooza, an event in New York where fans come together for a day to celebrate Parton's work and famous style. Dollypalooza's main audience appears to be those in the LGBT+ community, as a highlight of the evening is a drag show where fans can dress up like Parton and win if they have the strongest resemblance. The event also includes other types of games, such as trivia shows and silent auctions for Parton memorabilia (Hernanz). Fans enjoy these types of events because they allow them to be their truest selves among other people who accept them for who they are. They do not need to hide their love of Parton or hold themselves back from others, instead celebrating in their passion with those like them. A photographer at the event once said that people enjoy Dollypalooza so much because "'[i]t's a celebration of Dolly Parton...but also, it's a celebration of being the best version of yourself'" (Hernanz). Parton's message of acceptance and love for every kind of person shines through at Dollypalooza, as it is truly emulated in the crowd that it creates. Those who may be shunned in everyday life are able to bask in who they are and share that with others without feeling ashamed. Dollypalooza emulates the singer's true spirit and allows the fans she has accepted into her fanbase to appreciate all that she has done for them. Fan festivals have even expanded on a global scale, as one plans to be held in the town of Narromine in Australia. The Dolly Festival plans on being annual and will have events such as "live music, street parade, family-friendly events, and so much more" ("Dolly Festival Narromine"). Similar to Dollypalooza, Dolly Festival will also allow fans to dress up as the singer if they choose to or another country singer Parton often collaborated with, Kenny Rogers ("Dolly Festival Narromine"). Despite the plans that are in store for the festival, the event has yet to have actually occurred. Its initial run was to occur in 2020 but had to be postponed to April of 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic ("Dolly Festival Narromine"). Festivals are a way for fans to come together and celebrate their shared love of something that they are passionate about. They also emulate Parton's larger-than-life style that she conveys as a performer, aligning perfectly with who she is. By coming together as a fanbase, fans are able to express why they love Parton and her work and celebrate in the style that best suits them.

Dolly Pawton, a dog with a popular Instagram
account who shares the same name as Parton (Stella & Lucy). 

    Parton fans have also made their presence known on several online platforms. Social media accounts exist that are dedicated to the singer and the variety of work she does as both a performer and a philanthropist. One page can be found on Facebook under the username @missdollyparton. The page, whose official title is Dolly Rebecca Parton Fans, is dedicated to sharing news and updates on the singer in current times as well as sharing old pictures of her from her early days of fame. The page appears to remain up to date, as one of their recent posts is a shared video from Parton's official account of her receiving the COVID-19 vaccine she helped finance. The page has over 3,000 members attached to it and also has an Instagram tie-in under the handle @dollyparton46 (Dolly Rebecca Parton Fans). This page has attracted a variety of people rather than one specific group. There are mainly women who comment on the posts on the page, but there are also comments from men who admire the artist. (Dolly Rebecca Parton Fans). This Facebook page illustrates how widespread Parton's audience is, as she does not appear to attract one specific group of people. People may expect her audience to be solely comprised of older women when her appeal is actually much broader. While Facebook allows Parton fans to come together in a wide audience, it is not the only place where fans can meet through social media. There are also Instagram pages that are dedicated to Parton. One account has the handle @daily_dolly_parton, where one picture of Parton is posted a day. These photos range from older photos of Parton from the 1970s or 80s to more recent photos from this year. The page has over 7,000 followers and also contains a widespread following, as its followers range from older white women to younger men of color (@daily_dolly_parton). Parton's influence has allowed her to spread across various platforms. There is no single social media account that she uses in order to communicate with her fans. Instead, she makes herself widespread and adaptable across different sites, allowing her to have different accounts to interact with. This also lets fans who may not be on every social media site still talk with one another and celebrate their love of Parton together. Parton's fans do not only extend into people, however. There are also animals who have taken part in the growing Dolly Parton fandom. A popular Instagram account is that of a dog named Dolly Pawton. The verified account focuses on a dog from the United Kingdom that posts pictures of herself in various outfits and around staged backdrops. However, Dolly Pawton does not seem to be focused on her fanbase's growth but rather inspiring the same virtues the real Dolly Parton upholds. This can be seen on her official website, as she states on her About page that she has "been leading the Fashion, LGBT+, Travel & lifestyle, Motivational and all inclusive IG scene since 2015" ("Meet Dolly"). Parton's legacy and influence has proven to be flexible time and again. Dolly Pawton's page shows this, as she has taken on the singer's name and values in order to spread them to a different type of audience that may not be familiar with Parton's music. Even if Parton's fans and Dolly Pawton's fans are not the same, they are still able to find common ground in the ideas that Parton holds close to her. Pawton is not the only animal to have received their name from the singer, as a cloned sheep from the Roslin Institute in Scotland that was born in 1996 was named Dolly in her honor as well ("The Life of Dolly"). Fans have been able to take their love of Parton to the next level and share it with every type of creature that lives on Earth. Having animals that have taken on Parton's name shows how popular and beloved she truly is, as she has been able to become a namesake for those who may not be familiar with her music. Parton's fanbase has spread to every type of group that exists in the world, emphasizing her message of inclusivity within her art.

    The fact that Parton has been able to maintain a widespread fanbase for over fifty years is a feat that is astonishing in and of itself. Many artists from the time of her initial widespread fame, especially country artists, have faded into anonymity and are not as well known in the general public. While they certainly may have fans of their own, they are not as vast or do not make an impact in the same way that Parton's fandom does. This begs an understanding of what it is that fans love about her so much to have continued to make her this prominent in the public eye. The main reason is the flexible, open persona she exudes as both a person and an artist. Parton is able to bend her image so that it appeals to every type of audience that could be listening to her music, allowing her to be someone they can relate to and rely on for support. While she is seen as an artist with a predominantly American fanbase, her impact has also stretched around the world. In Zimbabwe, American country music has been adopted into the country's daily lifestyle. Their radios play a variety of country music and air country music performances on their televisions. Parton appears to have made a large impact there, as her songs and performances are given a prominent amount of airtime. In his article on the subject, Jonathan Zilberg writes, "So many Zimbabweans relate in the most basic ways to Dolly Parton, her music, and with the experiences she sings of. Her songs bring them pleasure, relaxation, and even strength and hope" (Zilberg 115). Parton's music is fundamentally appealing to the common working-class individual, as they communicate a message of living in poverty and working every day in order to lift themself out of it. These are experiences that are common not only in America but around the world as well. Parton's songs allow people to feel as if they are being heard and understood through music that is essentially telling their stories. She gives them a voice that they may not be able to receive in everyday life and hope that their struggles will one day come to an end. Another community that tends to focus on and enjoy Parton's music is the LGBT+ community. A popular way that her music is explored by them is through close examination of the homoerotic undertones present in one of her most famous songs, "Jolene." The song talks about the narrator being both jealous that a beautiful woman with the titular name has attempted to flirt with her lover and nervous that her affections will eventually win him over. However, fans have often distorted the song to say that the narrator is actually in love with Jolene given how much she latches onto her. Nadine Hubbs argues that the song has been able to have such an impact on the LGBT+ community because of how easily the song lends itself to being open to interpretation. Parton's continuous support of the LGBT+ community emphasizes solidarity with members interacting with her music, allowing them to provide a unique glance into her work that mainstream audiences may not consider. (Hubbs 73). Hubbs also suggests that the song provides a unique take on a popular topic within the country genre, which is a female narrator feeling threatened by another woman stepping into the picture. While most of these songs tend to be hostile in tone and lyrics, Parton's is gentler and pleading with the female interloper rather than trying to start a fight (Hubbs 72). This has given fans an opportunity to apply a homosexual lens over Parton's work, allowing it to appeal to their beliefs. The flexibility in her music gives fans a chance to hear themselves in her lyrics and have a place where they can feel accepted without being ridiculed for what they have to say. Promoting inclusivity has always been a major factor in Parton's lifestyle, so having LGBT+ interpretations of her work emphasizes that idea further than before. The different voices that are present within the Dolly Parton fandom create conversations that showcase the growing power of her fanbase.

Another reason Parton's fanbase has been longstanding is the continuous feminism present in both her work and how she presents herself. Many of Parton's songs discuss independent women that are able to work hard to achieve what they want in life. They also discuss the misogyny and sexism women have to endure throughout their lives, which are discussed in her songs "Just Because I'm a Woman" and "9 to 5" (Wiggins 19, 21). The messages in these songs are ones that every woman can relate to no matter what their background is. Her address of the unfair treatment women received in society allowed a conversation to be started that promoted feminism and equal rights. These are topics that are still discussed today, allowing these songs to be more relevant to modern audiences. While her songs promoted more concrete feminism, Parton's appearance presents a more feminine style. Parton is known for her signature "girly" looks, from her large blonde hair and breasts to her affinity for sequined outfits. Although this style garnered plenty of criticism and parodies over the years, Parton managed to take charge of this gimmick and even took part in the criticism through self-deprecating public interviews she gave (Wiggins 24). This allowed the image to continue and become the staple of her persona that fans continue to try and replicate today. In discussing how Parton's views on her image enhance her appeal, Dana C. Wiggins writes, "Her humor diffused tension in those who may have criticized or found her sexuality too attractive. She maneuvered social standards and then used those codes to her own advantage without transgressing them. This became a key to her acceptance as a non-threatening but powerful influence" (Wiggins 24). Parton was able to joke about herself while still retaining who she is, never letting the criticism completely change her. While creating work that spoke about equality for women that defied societal norms, she also said that adhering to more feminine styles was still acceptable if a person enjoyed that. As previously stated, Parton ushered in the third-wave feminism that is beginning to be more prevalent in today's world, where women are more open to the choices around them and are free to live their lives however they like. In talking about these topics as early as the late 1960s, she created a conversation that lasted into the twenty-first century and continues to spark it in her work today. Parton's appeal has proven to be everlasting because of the way her work opens up new ideas that allows everyone to contribute.

A commercial Parton participated in for the 2021 Super Bowl (Squarespace).

    Dolly Parton is a person whose influence did not reach me until last year. I have never been a fan of modern country music and often avoid it, so I tended to lump older country music into the same category. However, that did not mean that Parton as a person evaded me throughout the years. I grew up seeing Parton's recurring guest appearances on the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana, where she played the titular character's godmother. I also have a friend who often tells me about her frequent visits to Dollywood, Parton's theme park located in her hometown of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Since she had always been on my radar, I had always thought I should invest in her work further than what I had been exposed to. I finally did this last year through watching Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, a Netflix anthology series where each episode's plot is based off of one of Parton's songs. As a creative writer, I have always loved the idea of crafting larger stories out of smaller ones, such as the stories that can be found in songs. When I heard that this was the series premise, I knew I had to watch it even though I was unfamiliar with her music. Heartstrings was the perfect way for me to be introduced to who Parton is as both an artist and a person, and it quickly became one of my favorite shows. Each episode seems to embody her spirit, style, and the core ideas of her songs, giving viewers a visual representation of the singer. It also urged me to begin listening to her songs and converted me into calling myself a fan, my personal favorite song being "Two Doors Down." What I have come to love about Parton is essentially all of the reasons that the rest of her fans love her. Her aspiration to include everyone that exists in society is admirable and is something that I always try to embody in my daily life. I also love the style of third-wave feminism that she exudes in promoting equality while also using more feminine imagery in her own appearance. Parton always seems to be fighting for "the little people," those in society whose voices may not be heard as often or are pushed down. Given that her fame first began in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when these ideas were first being promoted and talked about, this may have influenced her rise to stardom and the lasting power she still possesses. Her art is used as a voice for those who are often told not to speak, and her status as a philanthropist allows those who are less fortunate to have the resources they need to succeed in life. Parton acknowledges that she has a platform and uses it for all the right reasons, allowing her fame to live on through the twenty-first century and onward. Dolly Parton's fanbase continues to grow as the years go by, and new fans will be sure to find a group of people who will forever be grateful to the woman who has allowed them to be themselves in her presence.

Works Cited

"5 to 9 by Dolly Parton - Extended | Big Game Commercial 2021 | Squarespace." YouTube, uploaded by Squarespace, 2 Feb. 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4FYL8twE6Q.

daily_dolly_parton. Instagram, 2021, https://www.instagram.com/daily_dolly_parton/?hl=en. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Dolly Festival Narromine. Dollyfestivalnarromine, n.d., https://www.dollyfestivalnarromine.com/. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Dolly Rebecca Parton Fans. Facebook, 5 June 2018, https://www.facebook.com/missdollyparton/?ref=py_c. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Faibyshev, Dolly. Coat of Many Colors. 2018. Retrieved from Hernanz, Clara. "Inside Dollypalooza, the Epic Dolly Parton Fan Festival." Vice, 19 Feb. 2018, https://www.vice.com/en/article/evmap4/dollypalooza-dolly-parton-fan-festival. Accessed 7 March 2021.

Hernanz, Clara. "Inside Dollypalooza, the Epic Dolly Parton Fan Festival." Vice, 19 Feb. 2018, https://www.vice.com/en/article/evmap4/dollypalooza-dolly-parton-fan-festival. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Hubbs, Nadine. "'Jolene,' Genre, and the Everyday Homoerotics of Country Music: Dolly Parton's Loving Address of the Other Woman." In Honor of Suzanne G. Cusick, special issue of Women & Music: A Journal of Gender and Culture, vol. 19, 2015, pp. 71-76.

Lynskey, Dorian. "How Dolly Parton Became the World's Best-Loved Celebrity." BBC, 7 Dec. 2020, https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20201204-how-dolly-parton-became-the-worlds-best-loved-celebrity. Accessed 1 March 2021.

Markey, Nora. "Dolly Parton's Message of Acceptance Unites Fans From All Walks Of Life." StudyBreaks, 11 July 2020, https://studybreaks.com/culture/music/dolly-parton/. Accessed 1 March 2021.

"Meet Dolly." Dolly Pawton, 2020, https://www.dollypawton.co.uk/meet-dolly. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Stella & Lucy. Dolly 4. 2019. Retrieved from Sony Corporation. "Strike a Paws: The Ultimate Guide to Making Your Pet Instagram-Famous." Sony Press Centre, 27 June 2019, https://presscentre.sony.eu/pressreleases/strike-a-paws-the-ultimate-guide-to-making-your-pet-instagram-famous-2889859. Accessed 10 March 2021.

"The Life of Dolly." The Roslin Institute, n.d., https://dolly.roslin.ed.ac.uk/facts/the-life-of-dolly/index.html. Accessed 5 March 2021.

Unknown. Untitled Collage of Dolly Parton. n.d. Retrieved from Fisher, Lauren Alexis. "Dolly Parton's Bedazzled Country Style Over the Years." Bazaar, 11 Feb. 2019, https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/g6733/dolly-parton-photos/. Accessed 7 March 2021.

Wiggins, Dana C. "When Country was 'Cool:' Gender, Race, Class, and Region in Female Country Music, 1980-1983." Southern Historian, vol. 30, 2009, pp. 17-36.

Zilberg, Jonathan. "Yes, It's True: Zimbabweans Love Dolly Parton." Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 29, no. 1, 1995, pp. 111-125.

Zoladz, Lindsay. "How Dolly Parton is Captivating a Whole New Generation of Fans." Independent, 27 Nov. 2019, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/dolly-parton-netflix-heartstrings-9-5-jane-fonda-miley-cyrus-a9216661.html. Accessed 1 March 2021.