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(More customer reviews)Not since Alanna Nash published her book on Dolly Parton (aptly called "Dolly" in 1978 at the heighth of her superstardom) has there been a book on the country music singer that has been more informative, interesting, and insightful. Fans of Dolly and followers of music will enjoy this well-written account of the most popular singer Nashville has ever shelled out.
The book follows Dolly's humble beginnings in east Tennessee, the daughter of a farmer who along with his wife had 11 other children to support. Financially destitute, but rich in love, the Parton's were survivors which explains how Dolly has been able to exist in an industry for over 50 years where most country music acts are popular for 5 years, only to be washed-up and to be never heard from again after a few chart hits. We discover the tough times Dolly had when she first came to Nashville in 1964, her association with Porter Wagoner, her signing with RCA Records and their belief she couldn't sell records (with Porter putting his own name and royalties on the line for her), their eventual break-up in the mid seventies which was followed by a 3 million dollar lawsuit against Dolly by Porter for breach of contract, and Dolly's eventual pop success with "Here You Come Again", her roles in movies, and her theme park "Dollywood".
For me the best part of the book are the pages where Les Leverett is interviewed. He was Dolly's album photographer on her early RCA albums and it's neat hearing him discuss the mechanics behind these LP pictures. For example I didn't know her cover for the 1973 "Bubbling Over" record was taken at the Hall of Fame in Nashville and that he won an award for that pic. Did you also know her elusive husband appears on her 1969 album "My Blue Ridge Mountain Boy"?
The book goes on to discuss Dolly's breakdown in the early eighties and how she contemplated suicide when things in her life simply got out of hand, her association with her beloved friend Kenny Rogers, the moment when her record label, Columbia, dropped her in 1996 because they felt she was too old and couldn't sell records and her formation of the successful "Dolly Records" (take that Columbia!), and her decision to go on a world tour in 2010.
"Iron Buttterfly" is a great title for a book on Dolly as she has often used the butterfly as a personal logo. The word "iron" comes from being tough and Dolly is anything but. She was first given this name back in 1974 when Elvis' people wanted her to sign over half the publishing rights to "I Will Always Love You" for the King to sing and she refused. If she had signed half these rights over to him she would have lost millions in the nineties when Whitney Houston covered the song.
The book is also filled with wonderful photos, and a discography and chart data listing (from Duane Gordon who runs "Dollymania" on line).
Click Here to see more reviews about: The Words and Music of Dolly Parton: Getting to Know Country's "Iron Butterfly" (The Praeger Singer-Songwriter Collection)
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