Dolly Parton's America (with Jad Abumrad)

Switched on Pop

Vox Media Podcast Network

Music Interviews, Music History, Music, Music Commentary

4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2019

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

There are icons, and then there’s Dolly Parton. The country singer-turned-actress-turned-cultural phenomenon has produced a nearly unparalleled body of work, in both quantity (Parton is the sole or co-author of more than three thousand songs) and in legacy. Despite releasing her first album over 60 years ago, Parton’s songs are still covered and performed live by today’s pop artists. Presidential candidates are still selecting her songs as official walk-on music. So what is it exactly that makes her music so enduring? Today, we select four essential Dolly songs for dissection and try to answer that big question with the help of composer, longtime radio-maker and host of the new hit podcast, Dolly Parton’s America--Jad Abumrad. Whether or not you identify as a Dolly Parton fan, or even a country music fan, we think you’ll love this one. Songs discussed Dolly Parton - Dumb Blonde Dolly Parton - Down from Dover Dolly Parton - Jolene Dolly Parton - Light of a Clear Blue Morning Kesha - Praying Mariah Carey - Hero Andra Day - Rise Up Dolly Parton - 9 to 5 Stevie Wonder - I Wish Dolly Parton - Mule Skinner Blues Thanks to Jad, producer Shima Oliaee and the rest of the Dolly Parton’s America team. You can check out the eight episodes they’ve released so far, and keep an eye out for the final one at www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dolly-partons-america. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We want to kick things off with a song.
0:15.6	Okay.
0:30.0	What are we listening to?
0:46.8	Dumb blonde.
0:47.8	This is Dali Paran's song.
0:48.8	I think she made this song in 67.
0:51.7	When I hear that song, I think about the way she's singing a lot.
0:54.8	You know, there's that kind of quivering.
0:57.0	I don't know what you call that style of singing, but it's very much aero-spot.
0:59.9	It's specific from that moment.
1:01.7	The high-loansome sound for that kind of like a warbly sound in her voice, which was
1:07.0	very common at that time.
1:08.1	I think this was her big break, which ultimately would land her on the Porter Wagner show,
1:12.6	which was her really big break.
1:14.4	Can you introduce yourself?
1:15.4	Yes, my name is Chad Abumrod.
1:16.7	I'm the host and creator of Dali Paran's America and Radio Lab.
1:19.5	I'm more perfect.
1:20.5	I'm musicologist, Nate Slun.
1:21.5	And I'm songwriter, Charlie Harding, and you're listening to Switched On Pop.
1:24.6	And today we're going to talk about Chad, your newest project, Dali Paran's America, the
1:29.2	nine-part podcast series that dives deep into the life and legacy of Dali Paran.
	...

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