Dolly Parton’s No. 1 singles -- 25 on the country music charts and two that topped the Billboard Hot 100 -- are a testament to her ability to tell compelling stories.
Parton -- who died on Tuesday at the age of 80 -- was more than a singer and actress. Her sense of humor and the ability to poke fun at herself made her more endearing to generations of fans.
She could be sassy, off-color or hilarious -- sometimes, at the same time -- but many times, her perspectives, wisdom and ability to spin a good story about life were meaningful.
[ Dolly Parton dies at 80: Remembering an iconat 80: Remembering an icon ]
Here are 20 of Parton’s more memorable quotes and quips through the years.
“I always count my blessings, more than I count my money,” she told CBS News. “I don’t work for money, never did. It was the art, it was the job. I loved the work. And I’ve done well, and I’m thankful for it.”
“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap!” she posted on X and has since been on numerous media platforms.
[ Dolly Parton: Tributes pour in for music legend ]
“I look totally artificial, but I am totally real, as a writer, as a professional, as a human being, Parton told Elle in 2019. ”A rhinestone shines just as good as a diamond.”
“Nothing’s ever easy. If it is, it ain’t worth it.” — Parton, from her 2020 book, “Songteller: My Life in Lyrics.”
“Now I usually try not to give advice. Information, yes, advice, no. But, what has worked for me may not work for you,” Parton said during her 2009 commencement address at the University of Tennessee. “Well, take for instance what has worked for me. Wigs. Tight clothes. Push-up bras.”
“I joke with God,” Parton told Playboy in a 1978 interview. “He don’t ever say nothin’ back.”
“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain,” Parton wrote in her 1994 book, “Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business.”
“I refuse to settle for something less than great. And if it takes a lifetime, then that’s how long I’ll wait,” Parton wrote in her 2012 book, “Dream More: Celebrate the Dreamer in You.” ’Cause all I want is everything ... is that too much to ask?”
“(If you called me a hillbilly) it would’ve been something very natural, but I would have probably kicked your shins or something,” Parton told Barbara Walters during a 1978 interview.
“Making memories with those you love is what matters most in life.” -- 2023 news release, according to Rolling Stone.
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life,” from the 2016 book, “Pocket Dolly Wisdom: Witty Quotes and Wise Words from Dolly Parton.”
“I ain’t never gonna be old because I ain’t got time to be old,” Parton told Oprah Winfrey in an interview. “I can’t stop long enough to grow old. I’m just gonna be the best I can be at whatever age I am.”
“I’m very real where it counts, and that’s inside,” Parton told Walters in 1978.
“I never tried quitting, and I never quit trying,” Parton, quoted by The Guardian.
When CBS News correspondent Tony Dokoupil asked Parton if it bothered her that “I Will Always Love You” was thought of as Whitney Houston’s song, she replied, “No. I always say, she can have the credit, as long as I get my cash!”
“I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb — and I’m not blonde either,” from “Pocket Dolly Wisdom: Witty Quotes and Wise Words from Dolly Parton.”
“Above everything else I’ve done, I’ve always said I’ve got more guts than I’ve got talent.” — Parton told CBS News in 2006.
“I look so totally artificial, but I’ve always been the simplest person in the world,” Parton told Rolling Stone in 2003.
“When I get bored with what I’m doing now, I’ll try something else. Movies might be as boring as anything else,” Parton told Johnny Carson during a 1977 interview on “The Tonight Show.”
“When I’m done, I can rest in peace knowing I’ve done my best,” Parton wrote in her 2025 book, “Star of the Show. ”I hope that when my time comes, I’ll leave something behind that others can use to lift themselves up.”
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