Singer and songwriter Dolly Parton has become an American icon over her 60-plus-year career, which also includes acting, business ventures and philanthropy. But beyond her obvious talent and charm, there is something about Parton that transcends cultural barriers.
“What is it about her that connects to everyone?” asks Will Bonfiglio, MA ’23, lecturer in American culture studies in Arts & Sciences. “The left and the right, blue collar, white collar, young, old, across race, across sexuality … what is it?”
Bonfiglio’s course, “A Diamond in a Rhinestone World: The Performance and Politics of Dolly Parton,” uses this question as a jumping off point to examine topics such as race, gender, class and sexuality through a Dolly lens. Students from across the university are drawn to the class — hailing from architecture, business, engineering, American culture studies and more — and they bring a wide range of perspectives to class discussions. Along the fandom spectrum, they range from big Dolly fans who have been to Dollywood to those casually familiar with her work.
“It’s a really interesting mix of students,” Bonfiglio says. “And Dolly is the perfect conduit for this type of conversation that is so important, so necessary and so urgent.”
Bonfiglio notes that there are no easy answers as to why Dolly Parton appeals to such a wide range of people. “We might have more questions now than conclusions,” he says. Students have noticed that Parton avoids talking about politics and religion, he says, but instead promotes ideas like love, hope, acceptance, caring, community and belonging. “I think that allows her to be kind of everything to everyone,” Bonfiglio says. “We’re thinking that might be the way she’s the great unifier. She has blazed her own trail.”
Student Hannah Gallin agrees that by not alienating portions of her audience, Parton can make a bigger social impact. “Most of my classes have taught me how politicians and policy have shaped American history and culture,” she says. “But this class revealed how apolitical figures, such as Dolly Parton, have been similarly, if not more, influential.”
In addition to her careful navigation of hot-button topics, Parton draws in diverse audiences through three main avenues: the sheer length of her career, a bevy of popular businesses and her generosity.
“This woman is constantly sharing her wealth,” Bonfiglio says. “Maybe the great unifier is that so many people have benefited from her through things like the Imagination Library or her support of the Moderna COVID vaccine.”
Of course, Parton’s main connection to her fans is her music. Throughout the semester, students give presentations on selected Parton songs, including hits like “Jolene” as well as hidden gems like “Backwoods Barbie.” Each presentation covers a song’s history, commercial and critical success, interpretation of the lyrics, and what was happening in the U.S. when the song was released.
In addition, students write papers on Dolly topics as diverse as the disciplines in the room. “We have an architecture student who’s looking at the postmodernism of Dollywood as an amusement park,” Bonfiglio says. “And we have a business student who’s looking at Parton’s different business models, such as her cookbook line.”
Bonfiglio is proud of the community that has formed among his students, and he hopes he’s passed on a new appreciation for Dolly Parton. “We’re tired as a country,” Bonfiglio says. “But there’s something about the messages she preaches through her music, the hope for the future. I don’t know who doesn’t love that. We all leave class feeling a little better.”
