Dolly Parton is one of the most successful performers of the last 50 years. She has been a movie star, has had dozens of her songs go gold or platinum, and created a successful theme park. Her sound influenced hundreds of pop and country singers. Yet to many, she is a dumb blonde with an oversized bosom.
A new biography by Martha Ackmann, “Ain’t Nobody’s Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton,” blows away that myth. It reveals her as a serious artist and a shrewd businesswoman. Moreover, it reveals her to be a remarkably decent person, authentic, grounded in reality, loyal to her friends, and faithful to her husband.
