Click here to read the full article.
On Tuesday, WNYC Studios and Radiolab‘s Jad Abumrad launched the first episode of Dolly Parton’s America, a new podcast examining the life, art, and cultural influence of one of country music’s most beloved figures. Beginning with a look into the East Tennessee native’s music, or “Sad Ass Songs,” as this episode is titled, the nine-part weekly series delves into what the “Jolene” singer’s life says about America.
Abumrad, who was raised in Nashville, grew up with an awareness of Parton but listened to what he calls “an amalgam of opera, bad hair metal, and Lebanese music” when he was younger. He got the idea for the podcast after recognizing the many different types of people brought together in appreciation of Parton, whether through music, her film work like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, or just her larger-than-life personality. Against the backdrop of the rancorous 2016 election and beyond, that felt like a unique ability.
<p class="canvas-atom canvas-text Mb(1.0em) Mb(0)–sm Mt(0.8em)–sm" type="text" content="<strong>More from Rolling Stone</strong>"…
