On this day (August 26) in 1989, Dolly Parton released “Yellow Roses” as the second single from her album White Limozeen. Parton has sent one more song to the top of the country chart since “Yellow Roses” reached No. 1 later that year. “Rockin’ Years,” a duet with Ricky Van Shelton, went to No. 1 in 1991. Since then, Parton has seen success elsewhere. Most recently, she landed a No. 1 single on the classic rock chart for “Home Sweet Home,” her collaboration with Motley Crue.
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Chart success doesn’t always match an artist’s impact on the world. Parton is a perfect example of this. Over the course of her long career, she has sent 25 singles to the top of the Hot Country Songs chart. Two of those were crossover hits, also topping the Hot 100. Several less impactful artists boast much more chart success.
[RELATED: Dolly Parton Just Snagged the No. 1 Spot on the Classic Rock Charts]
However, she has influenced countless artists to follow their dreams. More importantly, she has been a light in the world and has shown others how to exude compassion, love, and generosity. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame, the East Tennessee native is nothing short of a legend.
Dolly Parton Returns to Her Roots with White Limozeen
White Limozeen came at an important time for the singer/songwriter. Parton had just walked away from her short-lived variety show, Dolly, after 26 episodes. “It was really bad for me, that TV show,” Parton told author and journalist Alana Nash for the 1978 biography, also titled Dolly. “It was worse for me than good because the people who didn’t know me, who like the show, thought that’s how I was,” she explained. “The people who did know me thought I was crazy. They knew that wasn’t me. Including me. I didn’t know that woman on TV.”
The album saw Parton returning to her roots with uptempo bluegrass-infused songs. Then, there was “Yellow Roses.” The self-penned heartbreaking ballad about a loving relationship that begins and ends with the titular flower. The narrative she wove with the song is the kind of emotion-stirring storytelling that made the “Coat of Many Colors” singer an icon.
Featured Image by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
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