Dolly Parton reveals she was told to “tone down” her look by a country star
International treasure Dolly Parton has revealed a fellow musician tried to dull her sparkle at the start of her career.
Parton has launched a new four-part series called What Would Dolly Do? Radio. In the episodes, the country icon is looking back at her life in the music business for Apple Music, sharing previously unheard anecdotes and hidden facts from her lengthy career.
In the first release, Parton dived into her early days, recalling a moment when a friend and advisor told her to calm down her signature style. Revealed to be country star Chet Atkins, the man that she calls a “dear friend” suggested she “tone down” her look.
The piece of advice was an attempt to get Parton the respect she deserves as a songwriter. The singer-songwriter recalled: “He pulled me over to the side because he really liked me. He said, ‘Dolly, I really don’t believe that people are going to take you serious as a singer and songwriter unless you tone down your look. You’re a right pretty girl. You don’t need all that.”
Parton laughed off the advice and only got more glamorous as her career went on. However, Atkins didn’t change his mind despite her massive success, recalling: “Years later, after I became a star, he sidled up beside me and said, ‘Now, ain’t you glad you listened to my good advice?'”
Atkins wasn’t the only one to fixate on her clothes, Parton also revealed her husband, Carl Dean, once also remarked about her choice of attire: “I remember Carl said one time, he says ‘Sometimes I go out in the closet when you’re gone, and I think those look like doll clothes. They look like a little girl’s clothes,'” Dolly recalled. “I said, ‘Well, they do ’til I get in them.'”
Luckily, Parton didn’t listen to their advice, becoming the sequin, sparkling star we know her as today.
Parton is set to release her new album Rockstar on November 17th.
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