Tune in to Alberta Morning each day between January 19 and 23. Host Grant Stovel has chosen Dolly Parton as the featured artist for that week. Why? Because she’s awesome, that’s why. Oh, and also, she’s turning 80 years old!
Dolly Rebecca Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a one-room cabin on the banks of the Little Pigeon River in Pittman Center, Tennessee. The fourth of twelve children, she moved to Nashville the day after she graduated from high school in 1964. Her musical career as a writer, singer, and actor has been extraordinary.
“I’ve long thought that Dolly Parton and David Bowie are kinda like kindred souls,” says Stovel. “Both were creative supernovas from a very young age, and spent the next 50+ years crafting a wildly diverse and voluminous body of work, blazing trails that countless others have since walked, and just generally inspiring millions to see and celebrate the uniqueness their own true selves — and the humanity within us all.”
Coverage will include music and reflections. Stovel says, “We’ll sample songs from her vast discography, touching on her countless collaborations and covers. We’ll also hear from a diverse assortment of artists interpretating Dolly’s prolific work as a composer. And we’ll poll a bunch of CKUA community members, to hear about their feeling for the great Ms. Parton.”
Coverage will also include mention of Dolly Parton’s activism and her role as a champion of human rights. She’s donated millions of dollars and millions of books to charitable humanitarian causes.
Stovel says, “We’ll do our best to get a sense of Dolly’s coat of many colours, and explore the ways that she encourages everyone to ‘be the star of your own life.’”
Alberta Morning airs each weekday from 6am – 9am MT. Dolly Parton will be the featured artist for the week of January 19 – 23.
It’s not easy to choose just one Dolly song to share in advance of the week of celebrations, but Grant has chosen “Early Morning Breeze.”
