PERFORMING ARTS

Dolly Parton All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track

Black Dog & Leventhal. Sept. 2024. 608p. ISBN 9780762482276. $60. MUSIC
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Dolly Parton has been a fixture on radio, television, movie screens, and more for nearly 60 years. Guitarist/sound engineer Benoît, production studio founder Damien Somville, and scriptwriter/essayist Lalie Walker have put together a monumental exploration of Parton’s career through her albums. In a book dissecting her songs, personal life, career partnerships, and her role in country music, not much goes unmentioned. A huge amount is devoted to the authors’ deep analysis of the working relationship Parton had with her frequent collaborator Porter Wagoner. The basic details about Parton are covered, along with fun, perhaps lesser-known facts. To some who have read other books about or by Parton, this work might seem redundant, but it offers more than just a simple biography. Other women country singers are profiled, along with important cultural touchpoints that helped shape and inspire Parton’s life.
VERDICT This book may be about Parton’s songs, but it is also a walk through musical history beyond just one woman. An extensive volume that would be a great addition to music collections.
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