October 6: Dolly Parton
“But for all her reach and command as an entertainer…Ms. Parton viewed herself, first and foremost, as a songwriter. ‘Writing’s just as natural to me as getting up and cooking breakfast,’ she told The Times in 2002. “I ain’t never far away from a pencil and paper or a tape recorder. I write every day, even when I’m on a plane, in the tub or on the bus. It burns in me.”
She continued: ‘Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn’t get some of that stuff out. Not everything I write is good, but it’s all good for me — like therapy.’” New York Times, August 25, 2026
Great songs are composed by great storytellers. In Lyrical Musings, we take a deeper dive into how good lyrics fit a storytelling structure, exploring the way the song’s musical arrangement heightens the listener’s experience of the story. Join us as we dive into Dolly’s catalogue and discuss her power as a storyteller, lyricist, musician, and performer.
We’ll meet via Zoom at 7:30 p.m. Eastern/6:30 p.m. Central for about an hour. Sign up for reminders and links to the songs we’ll discuss!
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