Dolly Parton on Her Success: ‘It is a Big Responsibility’

Dolly Parton might be one of the hardest working people in music, but she isn’t about to complain. The 72-year-old recently spoke on a “Leading Ladies” panel as part of Nashville’s Music Biz conference, where she shared why she is responsible to keep working harder than ever.

“When I was a little kid I always dreamed of being this,” said Parton (quote via Variety). “I wanted to be a star — I wanted to shine and make money and travel and wanted my songs to be heard and show off, I guess. And all of my dreams came true!

“So now I have to work,” she continued. “People ask, ‘How do you work all the time?’ Because I dreamed myself into a corner and I have to be responsible to those dreams. And I couldn’t be happier, because every dream I have brings on a new dream, like a tree with deep roots and branches and a lot of leaves, and every time something happens it makes something else happens. I like being there, but it is a big responsibility.”

The country music icon is currently working on the music for Dumplin’, a new movie starring Jennifer Aniston. The soundtrack will feature six songs written by Parton and fellow music icon, Linda Perry, and sung by Parton and various artists, along with new versions of previously-released songs by Parton. The film is based on Julie Murphy’s best-selling book about a plus-sized girl who enters a beauty pageant to spite her former pageant queen mother.

Parton has plenty of experience in the film world. The Country Music Hall of Fame member has starred in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias, Joyful Noise and 9 to 5, her film debut co-starring Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, which is currently in talks for a remake.

“Actually all these years, we’ve talked about doing a sequel to 9 to 5 and it never made any real sense until just recently,” said Parton. “We’re trying to get the script and all that. Everybody is very interested and we’ve all agreed that we’d love to do it if it’s right.”

In addition to film work, Parton is interested in creating a wig and make-up line, and is also working on a Broadway musical based on her own life. She recently was honored by the Guinness Book of World Records, for being the artist with the most hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, with 107 hits by a female, and the most decades with a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, spanning six decades on the chart.

Photo Credit: Instagram/dollyparton