It is no secret; anyone that knows me (even if just for a day) probably knows that I am a big, no a HUGE fan of Dolly Parton.  Today, as her new movie titled “A Joyful Noise” releases in theaters nationwide, we felt it was the perfect time to dedicate an edition of The Core to Dolly.

So why is Dolly Parton the feature of a blog dedicated to fresh produce marketing? As a marketer, she embodies the attributes needed to remain relevant for over 4 decades.  Dolly’s perseverance, passion and authenticity have kept this living legend in the spotlight and in my life for 35 of my XX years (wink wink).

Fascination Becomes Admiration

When I was a kid, I can remember spending many Saturday evenings with my grandparents watching Hee-Haw and the Porter Wagoner show featuring a bright-eyed country girl from Tennessee named Dolly.  Not too long after this time in my life, I watched Dolly launch “women in the workplace” to new heights as Dorah-Lea in the movie, “9 to 5.”  From that moment on, Dolly was my hero.

People in my life have always supported my admiration for her.  The Christmas following the release of “9 to 5” my precious Mom surprised me with a membership to the Dolly Parton Fan Club complete with a photo and posters.  I couldn’t have been happier except, of course, for the times when I saw Dolly in person.  Between countless concerts from the nosebleeds to the front row, I’ve been there.  I was even blessed to attend the Country Music Awards when Dolly was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame! To say I’m a fan is, well, an understatement.

Why the obsession?

Dolly is amazing.

Over the years she has earned twenty-five number one singles, released seventy-three original albums, appeared in and wrote music for ten movies, created a theme park in Tennessee, and, in 1995, launched The Imagination Library, an organization that sends one book per month to children from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten.  And this barely scratches the surface of her many accomplishments.

Dolly is the real deal…where it counts.  Without a doubt, Dolly Parton is one of the most effective and genuine business women in the world.  She’s admired, respected, trusted and loved.  She grew up a small town girl without a pot to spit in and now she uses those roots as motivation to be the best she can possibly be while helping lift others along the way.

In her autobiography, Dolly shares this inspiration, “focus on what you have versus what you do not have and good will follow.”

As marketers in pursuit of “more, better and different” we can easily overlook what we DO have.  Dolly’s ability to stay true to her talents while molding and continuously shaping her reach and approach to existing and new audiences is what makes her a “master marketer.”

Sure, Dolly’s story may not “speak” to or inspire all like it does to me, but I do feel that we all have someone, celebrity or not, who provides similar, valuable lessons that, when shared, can inspire us all.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, who inspires you or quite simply, what’s your favorite Dolly song?  Now, I’m off to catch Dolly’s new flick…

Photo Credit: Our header is a snapshot of some of Dan’l's Dolly Memorabilia collected through the years. The photo of Dolly with the lap harp was taken by Dan’l – from the front row!

Posted by: The Entertainer (Dan’l Mackey Almy)

Tags: 9 to 5, A Joyful Noise, Celebrity Branding, Celebrity Inspiration, Celebrity Marketing, Country Music Awards, Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton Marketing, Dollywood, Dorah-Lea, Hee-Haw, Marketing Inspiration, Porter Wagoner SHow, The Imagination Library

Posted Friday, January 13th, 2012 at 12:20 pm and is filed under All, Branding & Messaging, Career Development, Culture & Creativity, Marketing Tools & Trends.