Coat of Many Colors

The rolling hills of Tennessee farmland, framed in lovely patchwork quilt patterns, set the stage for Dolly Parton's (of Grand Ol' Opry fame) warm childhood memories. The text comes directly from Parton's autobiographical hit country and western song of the same name. Perhaps the grammar is imperfect, but what C&W song ain't rife with grammatical errors--it's part of the vernacular. The story centers on a poor, but happy and loving, family (yes, they do exist) who find clever ways to deal with their poverty. As winter approaches, Mama sews a coat for her daughter from a box of scraps that someone has given her. Of course her classmates make fun of her for having a coat made of rags. But sticks and stones... "And although we had no money / I was rich as I could be / in my coat of many colors / that Mama made for me." That doesn't mean the child's feelings aren't hurt, or that she didn't feel angry. But the message comes through loud and clear (like Parton's voice): the child's mother has provided her with the strength to deal with other children's jeers, and family love can sometimes be enough to pull a person through.

In the 30 years since setting out alone for Nashville at the age of 18 with the hope of making a career for herself as a country singer, Dolly Parton has released 62 albums, many of which have gone gold and/or platinum, selling more than 50 million copies worldwide.

Admired as much for her song writing ability as for her singing, Parton composed such classics as "I Will Always Love You," "Coat of Many Colors," and "9 to 5," and has earned some 30 awards including 4 Grammys. She has also starred in several films, including "Steel Magnolias," "9 to 5," "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," and "Straight Talk." Her theme park, Dollywood, built in 1986 in her native eastern Tennessee attracts hundreds of thousands of fans each year. About to release her own cosmetics line, Parton is one of the smartest businesswomen in the entertainment industry.

Parton also is as much a humanitarian as an entertainer. She is the founder of the Dollywood Foundation, a nonprofit organization established to support education and reduce the large high school dropout rate in her native Sevier County, Tennessee. In addition, she is the national honorary chairperson for the Dr. Robert F. Thomas Foundation, which supports the Dolly Parton Wellness and Rehabilitation Center of Sevier County Medical Center.