Dolly Parton opened up about growing up in the Great Smoky Mountains, and told us of how her mother played all the sad songs from the "Old World."
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The legendary singer sat down with Rick Bragg for a Southern Living feature, where they discussed all manner of subjects. One, naturally, was of back home in rural Tennessee with her eleven siblings and hard-working parents.
Parton told of how her mother, Avie Lee, loved to play music around the house. Her favored songs, it seems, were older songs, sung with heart. Although they were sad, Dolly Parton remembers fondly listening to the emotional music with her family.
"My mama knew all the old songs, brought over from the Old World. She would cry, and we would love it," she said. Although that last sentence sounds awful out of context, it's easy to imagine the atmosphere of raw emotion, weeping over old tales of love.
"We'd say, 'Mama, tell us again about that girl who loved that boy.' Mama could jerk a tear out of you."
Parton recalled some of the music they'd listen to together, which includes "The Knoxville Girl," "Down in the Willow Garden," "Little Rosewood Casket," and others. All of these songs are murder ballads, which make a "definitive component" of traditional Appalachian music, according to Expalachians.
Dolly Parton Enjoyed Listening To The Radio With Her Mother
Parton also told of how she and her siblings would gather around and "watch" the radio with their mom. You already know Parton listened with such admiration and wonder.
She didn't just 'grow up with music,' however, for the songs her mom introduced her to at such a young age were powerful songs, with rich and emotional stories woven into them.
Parton later said, "if it happened, I wrote a song about it," recalling her staggering ability of authentic songwriting. This was likely cultivated through her exposure to those powerful Appalachian ballads.
It's no wonder that Dolly Parton grew up to be the singer she is. Her appreciation for music was fostered by her mother's deep love for it.
