On a list of accolades that includes 10 Grammys, 22 Billboard Hot 100 hits and inductions into both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame, Dolly Parton was also a Billboard cover star.
The legendary musician and cultural icon — whose death at age 80 on Tuesday (Aug. 25) has made for an indescribable loss — was on the cover of Billboard in 2020, a historically difficult year for many during which Parton’s infallible optimism and kindness were needed more than ever. She spoke to executive editor Melinda Newman about keeping her groundbreaking Dollywood enterprise on its feet in the face of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic at the time, as well as her industry savvy and endurance over the course of her six-decade career. Above everything, though, she emphasized her commitment to generosity.
“As the scripture says, ‘To whom much is given, much is required,’” Parton said in the piece, which also served as 2020’s Billboard Country Power Players issue. “So I look at my life with that every day and think that God expects it of me. I expect it of myself, and I think people expect it of me. If I can be an inspiration, then I want to be that. That makes me feel good.”
Parton was also featured six years prior in a 2014 issue of Billboard, answering questions about everything from her long marriage to late husband Carl Dean to her love for her LGBTQ fanbase and position as a role model with her signature sparkling wit. “I’ve lived a lot and I’ve done a lot,” she said at the time. “I’ve been around so long that I think people just kind of feel like I’m a member of their family — like a favorite aunt or an older sister. People relate to me because I grew up poor and in a big family. They know I understand all the hardships.”
In honor of the irreplaceable superstar, take a look at the photos from Parton’s unforgettable shoots with Billboard in 2020 and 2014 below.
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