Smart Blonde

In the first entirely new major biography of Dolly Parton for over 15 years, Stephen Miller goes behind the larger-than-life image to find out what makes Dolly Parton tick. A self-made woman in every sense, Dolly arrived on the Nashville scene as a solo performer bedecked with lurid outfits and exaggerated accessories designed to get her noticed. Later she would bring the same approach to rebuilding her face and figure, but behind the showbiz excesses were always the exquisite voice and an exceptional songwriting talent. Talking to Dolly's family members, musicians and producers Miller gets to the core of a remarkable woman from a poor East Tennessee background who made it in the male-dominated world of 1960s Nashville and went on to build a respectable movie career as well. The author explores Dolly's private life, especially her closely-guarded relationships with her husband of nearly forty years, Carl Dean, and her lifelong friend Judy Ogle. What emerges is a unique portrait of a strong woman who came to town looking like a burlesque hooker but who took control of her life, her music and her career with resolute determination.