“God has put a lot of great people in my path to help me,” Dolly Parton tells Billboard. Here, her team’s key players reflect on the country legend — and she gives the story on them.
Dolly Parton Q&A: The Country Legend on 50 Years in Nashville and Why She Supports Her Gay Fans
Steve Martin, APA Executive VP of Worldwide Music
He says: “She transcends being a country artist — she’s really a cultural icon. I attribute that to her remarkable sincerity and work ethics. People don’t realize the amount of time and effort that she personally puts into the performances to make it look effortless.”
Dolly says: “Steve works very close with Danny to make sure I perform in the best venues in each market that we tour within North America. Steve shows up on the road and I just love seeing his smiling face! He does a great job.”
Dolly Parton: The Billboard Photo Shoot
Chuck Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Sony Music Masterworks U.S.
He says: “It’s really hard to talk about Dolly without engaging in hyperbole because there really hasn’t been anybody like her. We overuse the words ‘legend’ and ‘icon’ so when we use these words about someone to whom it really does apply, it may sound like, ‘Oh, here we go again.’ But Dolly is an extraordinary figure in American music. Plus she’s got the larger-than-life persona to go with it.”
Dolly says: “Chuck and the Sony team have worked really close with Danny and the Dolly Records team to market my latest album Blue Smoke. The partnership we created with Sony has brought me the opportunity to do a live special on QVC — something I had not previously done. Everyone at Sony, including the staff in New York and Europe, have really gone above and beyond. They have been great to work with.”
Dolly Parton Planning LGBT-Friendly Dance Album
Danny Nozell, CEO of CTK Management and Dolly Records
He says: “I wish some of the younger entertainers would take some lessons from Dolly because she is the most professional person. Is she tough? Absolutely she is. Behind closed doors, the gloves come off and the nails come out. At the same time, she’s the sweetest, nicest person I’ve ever met. But she’s a very hardcore businesswoman.”
Dolly says: “Danny is a go-getter. He’s always out there working. He reminds me a lot of myself in the fact that he never stops. He’s surrounded himself with a lot of great people — a lot of great people [who] make me look good.”
Dolly Parton Longs for ‘Home’ in Playful Video
Steve Summers, creative director who also designs Parton’s clothes
He says: “My job as creative director requires me, obviously, to be relatively artistic, and as an artist, there is not a better canvas to work with. Dolly has so many sides to her personality that all require a specific looks: I get Dolly the actress; I get Dolly the singer; I get Dolly the philanthropist; I get Dolly the book lady — I get all different kinds of Dollys. I get to dress them all and to dream up looks for each one.”
Dolly says: “Steve Summers worked at Dollywood as a dancer and he first started as a singer there and then he got promoted, too, because everybody realized he could just do everything creative. When I would go up there to work I just kept seeing how great he was. I always pray for God to put the right people in my life and take all the wrong people out. One day I was making some changes he just popped in my mind like a light bulb. That was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made because Steve is fantastic with everything. He’s so talented and so creative whether he’s designing my clothes or making them. He’s also a great decorator: He decorates all our places.”
Dolly Parton Mulls Recording Glastonbury Festival Mud Song
Kirt Webster, publicist and president of Webster PR
He says: “Dolly is more than a singer/songwriter, she is a brand! Everyone was trying to get a puff of that smoke trail she was leaving behind, as Dolly talked to 97 reporters in two days worth of press.”
Dolly says: “Kirt is great and has been around a long time. He represents me and even does some work with the folks at Dollywood. If I am hawking it, Kirt’s talking about it! He’s worked with Kenny [Rogers] and a lot of other people through the years. He’s got a great team as well with his company: It just takes a village and they’ve got it.”
Kent Wells, bandleader, co-producer
He says: “I auditioned for her band in January, 1989. I got hired to play guitar for her back then, so I’ve known her 25 years. She’s an incredible artistic force of nature on every level. She’s inspiring to work with as a businessperson, as a songwriter, as a singer, as a performer. Her work ethic — to be around that is really exciting for me and my team. When she comes in, everybody’s in another gear.”
Dolly says: “Kent is a great musician. He’s a great, talented person. He doesn’t like to write lyrics but he’s really good on melodies, so he’ll usually come up with a sound or a little riff or something and he’ll send me a tape and I’ll start writing. We’ve written a few songs together. It’s always fun.”
An edited version of this story appears in the Nov. 1 issue of Billboard.