In an increasingly divided and polarized country, public figures who are nearly universally loved are an increasingly rare thing. Is it her philanthropy? Is it her angelic singing voice? Is it her down-to-earth personality? Many have posited that it's her natural aversion to 'getting political', but is that even the case? On this episode we discuss what's to love about Dolly, and trust us there is a lot. We also chronicle Dolly using her voice on political issues and lay out how she's able to do so without alienating significant chunks of her fan base. It may just be that she's a more skilled politician than anyone who holds public office...
On the heels of the news that Dolly donated a million dollars to Vanderbilt University that directly funded research projects that led to the Moderna COVID vaccine, Parton praise is all over the place. Dolly being lauded for her good will is a pretty common occurrence, whether it’s for raising money for the Gatlinburg wild fire relief, her Imagination Library organization, or any number of philanthropic initiatives.
That walking the walk gives her credibility when she uses her voice on social issues. There’s a prevailing notion that Dolly Parton is an apolitical figure, partly fueled by Parton herself. However, she has a history of being outspoken on several topics that career politicians need to lean on polls and focus groups for their market-tested messaging. She may never endorse a specific candidate or weigh in on the hotly contested topic of the day, and she’s certainly not going to spend time on Twitter arguing with handles like @jeff9029382347 about conspiracy theories. Although, she does know how to use her platform to fight for equality. That is what we wanted to examine on this podcast. How does a music icon, a country music icon at that, navigate these things and remain a beloved figure from people of all ideologies.