Dolly Parton is an icon both in and out of the country music world. Her songwriting ability and singular voice put her in a place to share her wealth, wisdom, and light with the world. With a career spanning more than fifty years, Parton has released 49 studio albums. The combination of her live albums, compilations, and EPs numbers in the hundreds. So, it’s safe to say that the Tennessee-born songwriter has a massive collection of music.
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However, it sometimes seems like people only know a handful of her songs. “I Will Always Love You,” “Jolene,” and “9 to 5” are amazing songs, without a doubt. They don’t encompass the width and breadth of Dolly’s greatness as a singer or the prowess of her pen. The three songs below won’t do much more than put a slightly deeper scratch in the surface but any excuse to listen to Dolly is a good one.
[RELATED: Behind The Song: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton]
“My Tennessee Mountain Home”—Dolly Parton Shares Childhood Memories
Dolly gave her fans a musical autobiography in the form of her 1972 concept album My Tennessee Mountain Home. The first single and title track from the album is also its beating heart.
In the song, Parton paints a vivid picture of her upbringing in rural East Tennessee. However, in this song, she only touches on the bright spots. There’s no mention of the poverty—see “In the Good Old Days (When Times Were Bad)” for that—or any of the other hardships. Instead, she focuses on the simple pleasures of life, nature, and nostalgia for the place where her parents raised her.
“Silver Dagger”—Showing Her Mountain Roots
Dolly Parton showcased both her versatility as an artist and her Appalachian roots on her 1999 album The Grass Is Blue. The album contained covers as well as original songs. “Silver Dagger,” though is a standout because it sees Parton tapping into a deep-rooted tradition.
This song has existed—in one form or another—since the 1800s. Joan Baez popularized the folk tune in 1960 and countless artists have put their stamp on it since. Dolly naturally nails her rendition.
“Joshua”—Dolly Parton’s First No. 1 Single
Dolly released her first single “Puppy Love” in 1959 and it failed to chart. The same was true for her next eight shots at the country chart. Finally, in the mid-60s, she started to find some traction. However, she failed to break into the Top 10 until 1970. Her first entry into the upper echelon of the survey came when she released a cover of Jimmie Rodger’s “Mule Skinner Blues (Yodel No. 8) in 1970. It peaked at No. 3.
[RELATED: The 10 Songs of Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ Ranked]
Later that year, she released the lead single and title track from her seventh solo album Joshua. It topped the chart and earned Parton her first Grammy nomination for Best Country Female Vocal. However, she wouldn’t win her first Grammy until she took home the Best Country Female Vocal trophy in 1979 for “Here You Come Again.”
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