OP-ED: DOLLY PARTON EMBODIED GENTLENESS

By JAMES A. MARPLES

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Like most people, I was saddened to read in the news the reports surrounding the passing of Music legend, philanthropist, actress, business-woman, and universally-likeable person, Dolly Parton, who recently died at age 80. To say that she was a “Superstar” would be no understatement. She mingled with almost every celebrity imaginable in the past eight decades. However, she remained down-to-earth and not conceited in the least. If anything, she joked about her big -hair blonde wig, and her voluptuous figure that was her trademark.

I first remember Dolly on “The Wilburn Brothers TV Show”. That was a popular music program on TV in 1967. Off-stage, those singing Brothers, Teddy and Doyle Wilburn were very active in Masonic Lodge and Shriners Hospitals for Kids. While Dolly is being remembered for her hits such as “9 to 5” and “I Will Always  Love You”; I think the song-lyric: “Love is like a Butterfly, a rare and gentle thing” sums-up Dolly Parton,  perfectly.

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