1A

Music: Dolly Parton's Legacy

1A

Show Notes

On Tuesday, August 25th, American country musician, philanthropist, and icon Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Years before her death, she asked her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver, to make a video announcing her passing. In the video posted to social media yesterday, he shared this exchange with his aunt:

“Dolly called me and said she wants to rest on a beautiful bed of plush cotton because after a life of wearing heavy rhinestones, she finally deserves to be comfortable, and have some rest.”

In 2023, we celebrated the queen of rhinestone’s achievements and music here on 1A. Please enjoy this replay of that show in honor of Dolly Parton’s legacy. Here's what we wrote about that conversation at the time.

–

Dolly Parton’s resume is as big as her hair. And at age 77 she’s adding another title to it: “Rockstar.”

Her new album was released on Nov. 17. It’s a mix of covers of classic rock songs, featuring collaborations with a whopping list of who’s who in Rock-n-Roll. And there are almost 30 tracks – give or take a few – depending on the version of the album that you buy. With 9 new singles, “Rockstar” is Dolly’s most significant foray into Rock and Roll music.

While Dolly has fully embraced a new “Rockstar” persona – down to the black studded outfits – glimmers of rockstar have existed in Dolly’s previous eras. And over the past fifty years, Dolly has won plenty of awards and accolades for her songwriting, becoming one of music’s most prolific songwriters.

Sit back and grab yourself a cup of ambition. For this edition of the 1A Record Club – Dolly Parton’s new album “Rockstar” and what her latest musical evolution represents.

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

More from 1A

Oct 23, 2026

This week, President Donald Trump announced that he’s spent $300 million on ads this midterm season, with plans to spend another $100 million before Election Day.

Oct 22, 2026

In just a dozen days, voters across the country will cast their ballots in midterm elections that could shift the balance of power in Washington. A lot of focus has been devoted to the contested races for Congress, with billions of dollars being spent on critical statewide contests and referendums.

Oct 21, 2026

The sticker shock on everything from gas to food to housing continues to push Americans into tough choices about how to stretch their money.

Oct 20, 2026

In the decades following the signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement, the U.S. and Canada built strong economic ties across their border. That robust partnership — which accounts for billions of dollars of goods — made Canada a key trading partner for northern states, like Michigan.

Oct 19, 2026

1A comes to you from the Mitten State. We travel to the Midwest to talk about the Midterms. It’s a place that has become everything these elections are about: identity, power, and affordability.

See all episodes →