Dolly Parton‘s music touched millions of people throughout her remarkable career, but her sister Stella Parton says there was something deeply personal behind the way the country icon chose to use her gift.
Following Dolly’s death at 80, Stella reflected on the childhood experiences they shared and the “deep wounds” that stayed with them into adulthood.
According to Stella, Dolly didn’t let those painful experiences harden her. Instead, she used her music to reach people who knew what it felt like to be hurt, overlooked, or made to feel insignificant.
Turning Childhood Pain Into Something Positive
“My sister was a positive influence to the world into which she was born,” Stella wrote in a Friday (Sept. 4) social media post. “She used her music as a tool and a passion to move people in a positive way.”
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Stella then explained why that part of Dolly’s legacy meant so much to her.
But her heart was so big and tender toward anyone who felt, as she often felt as a child. The feeling of being told you were less than, undeserving or insignificant were deep wounds on all of us as children.
Those experiences could have shaped Dolly in very different ways. Instead, Stella says her sister carried a deep tenderness toward people who were hurting.
Dolly’s Music Became Part of Her Legacy
That compassion became an important part of Dolly’s life and music.
Throughout her career, she wrote and sang about heartbreak, loneliness, poverty, faith, family and people searching for a place where they belonged.
Songs such as “Coat of Many Colors” drew directly from her childhood, while countless others connected with listeners facing their own struggles.
Read More: Dolly Parton’s Sister Stella Urges People to ‘Show More Compassion’ After Her Death
For Stella, Dolly’s ability to turn those experiences into something positive was one of the most important parts of who she was.
Stella said she “walked alongside her” throughout their lives and also experienced many of the same “slights and insults,” including during the family’s recent loss.
But Dolly’s response was to keep putting something positive into the world.
Her sister’s reflection offers a poignant way to understand Dolly’s legacy following her death on Aug. 25: The things that once hurt her became part of the music through which she helped other people feel seen, understood and less alone.
That may be one of the most lasting things Dolly Parton leaves behind.
9 Times Dolly Parton Sang About Heaven and Her Faith
Dolly Parton has an extensive catalog of music from her decades in the genre. And while there are several big hits like “Jolene” and “9 to 5,” it’s the songs about her faith that she might have loved the most.
Parton was open about her love for Jesus, and she often sang about it, weaving in beautiful imagery of what Heaven would be like one day.
She kept her faith on her sleeve until the day she passed, finally getting to where she was going.
Gallery Credit: Jess Rose
