Dolly Parton’s Words to Live By: 10 Quotes from Our Cover Story Interview

Dolly Parton had a way with words, whether in her witty lyricism or in the tidbits of wisdom she dropped in interviews. When the late country icon sat down for our 2023 cover story Rockstar Forever: Dolly Parton in Conversation with Paramore’s Hayley Williams, she proved true to her reputation. Speaking candidly with Williams about her career, philanthropy, politics, and worldly ethos, Parton shared insights into life in ways that only she could. In honor of her passing, we’ve collected the 10 best quotes from this once-in-a-lifetime conversation. Revisit the full cover story for more depth and detail. On Being True to Yourself “My mama told me that when I was young and starting out on my own. She said, ‘Just be true to you.’ And that statement says a lot more than just the words. I said in a book I wrote one time, ‘Find out who you are and do it on purpose.’ That’s what that’s about; be as true to that as you can. We all fail, we all fall. Nobody’s perfect.” “Like they say, there’s never an excuse to be rude, but sometimes there’s a reason. I’m 77 now and I’ve been in this business for 60-plus years. I’ve seen a lot, been through a lot, but I’ve still maintained. I’ve just tried t...