We will always love you

I grew up with Dolly Parton.

That’s right. You may scratch your head, or raise an eyebrow. But Dolly and I were part of that batch of American children born after World War II. I arrived during the Silent 

Generation’s final throes. She Boomered her way out of Appalachia and into the hearts and minds of the American people for eight decades.

And this is how we grew up together: She, writing and singing songs. Me, listening and cherishing those beautiful words.

If I were to write a thank you to her it would be something like this:

Dear Dolly, your words had a special way of opening up my well-defended interior. Because of you, I felt a little less like the oddball who never quite fit in.

I respected you so much for honoring your mother’s gift of the Coat of Many Colors”despite being teased about it. You stood tall. I probably would have have been embarrassed. turned and run, hoping no one saw my tears.

I owe you a debt of gratitude for that gift of a lifetime. And, it’s no secret, millions around the globe have benefitted similarly. Dolly, you welcomed all with open arms, seeing in them their God-given worth.

Country music was your foundation, but you were loved and your music enjoyed beyond the sometimes artificial boundaries of genre.

Requiescat in pace, dear Dolly. I will always love you.

Mary Patricia Trainor 2026