Regent's academic and music journalist Jacqui Swift reflects on her experience of meeting and interviewing country music icon Dolly Parton, following the singer's sad passing in August 2026.
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The world of entertainment is grieving for Dolly Parton.
When news of her death at 80 was announced earlier this week, I joined millions heartbroken at the passing of this remarkable woman.
A Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman, LGBTQ+ advocate and philanthropist, Dolly was a true one-off. A global superstar whose warmth, wit and generosity were as memorable as her music.
In my career as a music journalist, I was lucky enough to interview her twice - first in Nashville and later in London.
Nashville and Something for For the Weekend
My first assignment was in 2010 when my editor at The Sun newspaper’s Something For the Weekend entertainment section asked if I could go to Nashville to interview the legendary artist. 'What? THE Dolly Parton in Music City?' This was an offer I didn’t think twice about.
Arriving in Tennessee, I was slightly nervous about meeting one of the most famous women in the world. The star behind classics including Jolene, 9 to 5, I Will Always Love You, Islands in the Stream and Here You Come Again.
But there was no need. As I walked into the room, there was Dolly – diminutive, dressed in skin-tight trousers with red talon nails flashing. Her warmth shone through as she offered a hug and said in her Southern drawl: 'You must be pretty tired - come here, sit down and have some water.'
An insight into Dolly's enduring appeal
By the time of her death, Dolly had been a star for almost six decades. When we met, she was open about the secret of her enduring appeal.
'The reason I am still loved and still around is that people think they know me.
'They’ve seen me in the movies and they’ve seen me on TV. They’ve read about me and heard all my songs. I’m more like family to my fans than any of those stars and icons around today.'
Dolly was one of the biggest stars of all time. She sold more than 100 million records worldwide, won 10 Grammys and received two Oscar nominations, as well as a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dolly was also a shrewd businesswoman, owning restaurants, a radio station, a record label, a TV company and her own Dollywood Theme Park. For her, femininity was never at odds with intelligence or ambition and she knew how to navigate sexism and succeed in a male-dominated music industry.
She told me: 'I look like a woman and think like a man.
'I look trashy. I did when I was younger, I still do, and I like that. It’s worked in my best interest.
'Businessmen would think I would be easy or they could take advantage of me on the casting couch,' she revealed. 'But I’d have the deal done and signed and get out of there before they realised what had hit them. I’ve used my femininity to my advantage and benefit.'
Growing up as one of 12 children on a farm in Sevierville, Tennessee, she believed this had helped her hold her own around men.
She said: 'I grew up with six brothers and was very close to my uncles and dad. I know all the different sides to men.'
Dolly was a dream interviewee - open, self-deprecating, and funny. She talked frankly about her appearance, sexism and cosmetic surgery.
'Some celebrities say they haven’t had work done — do they think we believe they woke up looking like that one day?' she said with her characteristic dry humour.
'When I see anything sagging, dragging or bagging I’ll get it nipped, tucked or sucked. It makes me feel better about myself.'
Memorable generosity
The following year I returned to Nashville to interview Dolly again, but this time things didn’t go to plan. She was suffering from a throat and lung infection and our interview had to be postponed. Yet even then, her generosity made the trip a memorable one, with her manager arranging for me and other journalists on the trip to visit her merchandise warehouse, where we were let loose to fill our suitcases with Dolly mugs, T-shirts and other memorabilia.
We were also shown around her tour bus, where we saw where she slept on the road – in a pink bed of course - and a collection of stage wigs waiting for upcoming shows (and yes, we all tried them on).
A true one-of-a-kind artist
When I finally met Dolly again a few weeks later at London’s Savoy Hotel, she was genuinely apologetic that she had been too ill to meet us in Nashville. It was another glimpse of what made her such a one-off. She was warm, thoughtful and gracious.
This time we spoke about what would become one of the most important parts of Dolly’s legacy - her Imagination Library.
This children’s literacy programme has now given hundreds of millions of books to children around the world. It was deeply personal to Dolly, who founded it after growing up with relatives who could not read.
'My own daddy couldn’t read because he didn’t get the chance to go to school. That’s what inspired me to do it,” she told me. “I love kids and you can never go wrong helping the kids.'
Dolly later wrote that, before her father died, he told her the Imagination Library was 'probably the most important thing I had ever done.'
Bringing industry experience into the classroom
My interviews with Dolly are among hundreds I have carried out during my 30 years working as a national music and entertainment journalist, alongside my academic career. From Sir Paul McCartney, Oasis and Coldplay to Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar, interviewing some of the world’s biggest artists has given me first-hand experience of a media industry I teach students about at Regent’s.
Continuing to work within the industry means I can bring those experiences, contacts and understanding of how the media works in practice directly into the classroom.
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