PODCAST: Dolly Parton’s America

I never thought I’d be someone who listens to podcasts. Don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing wrong with people who prefer some audio story time, I just never thought I fit the stereotype or had the attention span.

I consider myself more of a visual person, so the thought of listening to people talk about topics, instead of watching a story unfold, didn’t fully appeal to me — not even on my 45-minute/7 mile daily commute.

Well, my friends, it’s a new day and I’ve officially become a “podcast person.”

The series that made me a convert? Dolly Parton’s America.

If you know me, this is surprising for one main reason — I’ve always been pretty open about the fact that I’ve never understood the draw of Dolly. In some circles, this would be considered sacrilegious.

If you asked my friend Roxanne what’s the first thing I revealed about myself when we first met, she’d tell you how I confessed I was “afraid of cats and Dolly Parton.” She was horrified and it’s honestly incredible how despite this confession, she (a lifelong Dolly fan) and I are still friends to this day.

The 9-part podcast is based on a University of Tennessee course of the same name that delves into Dolly Parton’s impact on music, religion, and American society.

From the series, I learned everything about Dolly’s life story, her early career beginnings and stories behind some of her biggest songs, and how her appeal transcends every race, religion, political party, sexuality, and gender. She’s a songwriting legend, a strong woman with incredible comedic timing, and an all-around icon… just to name a few.

Book me a trip to Dollywood, because I’m now a fan. Better late than never, right…?

LISTEN to the podcast here.