Dolly Parton

The Profile

Dolly Parton (born 1946, Sevierville, Tennessee) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and philanthropist. Rising in the late 1960s (including her tenure on The Porter Wagoner Show), she crossed from country to pop with hits like Here You Come Again and is the songwriter behind Jolene and I Will Always Love You. She starred in 9 to 5 and later championed bluegrass on albums such as The Grass Is Blue and Little Sparrow.

Reviews here highlight her late-1970s pop/disco turn (Heartbreaker), the uneven covers of Treasures featuring Ladysmith Black Mambazo on Peace Train, and the critically panned Hungry Again with Blue Valley Songbird as a bright spot. Publicly known for signature songs Jolene, I Will Always Love You, and 9 to 5, and for successful pop and bluegrass phases.

Three reviews orbit Dolly Parton’s country-to-pop journeys and late-90s reset. Heartbreaker marks a slick disco-pop turn with easy listening polish. Treasures is deemed an uneven covers set, though Peace Train and Behind Closed Doors stand out. Hungry Again gets the harshest notes, with Blue Valley Songbird singled out as the highlight. Across all, her voice earns respect.