Would Dolly Parton be Dolly Parton if she grew up outside Appalachia? Unlikely, says Martha Ackmann.
Ackmann, the author of “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton,” spoke with Joanna Weiss, the editor of Harvard Magazine, about Parton’s upbringing, career, and legacy in a Radcliffe book talk this month.
“There are many, many books about Dolly Parton, but I wanted to locate her in her historical and cultural setting,” Ackmann said. “When I was writing, I would say to myself, ‘Would Dolly Parton be Dolly Parton if she had grown up in Wyoming?’ And I think the answer is no.”
“There are many, many books about Dolly Parton, but I wanted to locate her in her historical and cultural setting.”Martha Ackmann
Parton, who turned 80 in January, has made a name for herself not only as a singer, but as a songwriter adept at drawing inspiration from her surroundings. This year, the Academy of Country Music named her a recipient of its Poet’s Award for her “honesty, heart and unmatched storytelling power.” Parton, the group said, has written songs that “have shaped the culture of country music and continue to resonate far beyond genre lines.”
