Sweet Tea: Live like Dolly

I’ll be honest, I was worried at first about committing Dolly overload. Since the great Dolly Parton died, there’s been no end to the anecdotes, quotes, video clips and stories about her remarkable life and work.

Then I thought, what a legacy that is, to have sown so much genuine kindness and positivity in the world that it sprouts up like wildflowers the moment you leave it.

DOLLY PARTON’S SECRET TO LIFE

A mural of Dolly Parton adorns a wall in Nashville, Tenn. (George Walker IV/AP)

By now, much has been said about Parton’s artistic legacy, her monumental philanthropic efforts and the general sense that she left the world better than she found it.

However, I think one of her most important lessons is something more simple.

Parton met people without judgment, and believed every situation can be handled with kindness. But she also knew that kindness begins with oneself. She had pride in her Tennessee roots, in her appearance, in her talent and in her own worth.

I think of a famous 1977 interview, when Barbara Walters asked some frankly rude questions about Parton’s appearance.

“You don’t have to look like this,” Walters said. “You’re very beautiful, you don’t have to wear the blonde wigs, you don’t have to wear the extreme clothes, right?”

After some explanation about show business and simply being yourself, Parton cut straight to the meat of it:

“I am sure of myself as a person. I’m sure of my talent … And I’m sure of my love for life … I’m very content. I like the kind of person that I am. So, I can afford to piddle around and do-diddle around with makeup and clothes and stuff because I am secure with myself.”

It’s the kind of answer that deserves to be stitched onto a cushion or bedazzled in a frame. How did that strong foundation help her to support others, and what can we learn from that?

Let’s be honest. The average person doesn’t have fame, a beloved reputation and gobs of money to throw about to change the world. But what made Parton great is something that can be found inside any one of us.

There may never be another Dolly, but there is a you, now. And that is something pretty special.

ART IS MAGIC

Self-taught visual artist Steve Allen shows talent doesn’t have a timeline. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)

It’s never too late to nurture your talents or your passion. In fact, the future may be patiently waiting for you. Take Atlanta artist Steve Allen.

• Born in 1954 in segregated North Carolina, he didn’t paint his first piece until he was 38.
• His paintings had such life and movement, he became an official artist for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. His Olympics paintings capture the energy of soccer matches, foot races, and the joy and diversity of sport.
• This year marks the 30th anniversary of Atlanta’s time in the international spotlight, and Allen’s works were recently on display at the Hammonds House Museum.
• But Allen has also used his talent to explore the timeless connective cultural threads of Black American history.
• His work in this sphere has been described as being touched by “divine inspiration.”

“This is just an infinite progression and integration of what has been and what we are,” Allen says. “This is a testament to how fantastic, how great, how strong we are mentally, psychologically.”

🎨 READ MORE: What Allen wants to pass down to new generations of artists

SIPS FROM AROUND THE SOUTH

🎹 Charlotte, NC: Blind musician Angel Paez taught himself to play six instruments by ear alone. He’s since played at the White House, been nominated twice in the Carolina Country Music Awards and is gaining recognition on the country music scene. More from the Nashville Voyager

🪩 Atlanta, GA: DanceOut Atlanta has been a haven for queer line dancers, two-steppers and all-purpose groovers since 2018. They recently hosted Hoedown South, the city’s first convention for queer country dancing. This is a great read. More from the AJC