Dolly Parton Reminisces About Earning the Money to Spoil Her Parents

On December 10 NBC premiered Coat Of Many Colors, a biopic about Dolly Parton and her family. The movie, which “received NBC’s biggest ratings on Thursday night since the 2009 series finale of E/R” has inspired interest in Parton’s family life and, in the spirit of the holidays, she has shared her first experience splurging on her parents after shooting to fame.

According to Billboard, Parton relocated to Nashville less than a week after her high school graduation. Before long she was producing a litany of hits: “Here You Come Again,” “9 to 5,” “Islands In The Stream,” and countless others.

And so, the following Christmas was decidedly more lavish. She recounts her memories in the video above:

“It was always my wish to do something great for my family. I loved my daddy and my mama. My daddy always drove a truck. I bought my daddy a big blue truck, and he was always so proud of that. He would never trade it in…That same year I bought my mama a Cadillac. That went back to me when Mama passed on. I wouldn’t take nothing for it. My husband drives it a lot. Because it was Mama’s car, and I still drive it some, I call it the ‘Dolly-Mama.’ Everybody knows not to mess with the Dolly-Mama, because that was such a precious thing. I was always so proud that I could do for my family when I started making some money.”

In Coat of Many Colors, Parton’s parents Robert and Avie are played by Rick Schroder and country singer Jennifer Nettles. If you’ve already seen the special, let me know about any renditions of “Jolene” — I’m always here for that, especially if Dolly is singing.