Dolly Parton Uses ‘Coat of Many Colors’ to Inspire Tennesseans

Dolly Parton Uses ‘Coat of Many Colors’ to Inspire Tennesseans

By Movieguide® Staff

Country icon Dolly Parton celebrated the reopening of businesses in Tennessee at her Dollywood theme park.

Despite the pandemic’s effect on theme parks everywhere, Parton noted how Dollywood persevered.

“I think it’s amazing how our crew has done all the things that they’ve done. Last year, of course, like everybody else, we were open on a limited basis but everybody was so great to practice the safety rules,” Parton told GOOD MORNING AMERICA host Robin Roberts. “The people here are like family so any time you have a process of any kind you just kind of pull together and get it done. People always brag about the staff here at Dollywood.”

This year marks Dollywood’s 36th season and has become a second home for many of the employees.

“We’ve had all kinds of people who have been here from the very start. That’s the way I’m with my band. We’re just all partners here. It takes us all to make it work,” Parton said.

In honor of her late mother, Parton performed the song “Coat of Many Colors” beneath a flower-filled statue of the same name.

“I was really emotional and I took a lot of pictures,” Parton said. “I had seen brochures of it and I knew what it was supposed to be but just seeing that whole thing knowing my life as it’s turned out, thinking about my mom and having that thing there that represents who I am as a person, who my parents were and the kind of mother that I was lucky enough to have—and that little coat that’s carried me so far.”

“It’s kind of like a figurative thing. My life has been a life of many colors, not just a coat. It’s significant to me but just seeing that whole thing just made me grateful,” she added.

LIVE RIGHT NOW: We’re catching up with @DollyParton in #Dollywood! @RobinRoberts https://t.co/wit76rD9Zl pic.twitter.com/DWOaJV6aVF

— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 12, 2021

Parton’s recent visit to her park was the first since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic last year.

“We came up here last year to open the show and that’s when they closed everything down. We came here to have a press conference, we didn’t even get to have it. I just walked off that bus, they said, ‘No we’re closed down.’ This is my first time back so it’s exciting to see all the new things we’ve got for the flower and food festival for this season. We’ve got a lot of things to be thankful for,” Parton said.