Dolly Parton has revealed that her grandfather would punish her for the clothing she wore.
The country music icon developed her image around bold looks that included short skits, high heels, low-cut tops, and red lipstick. But in an interview with The Guardian, she said her grandfather, the Rev. Jake Owens, would physically abuse her for her outfits.
"I was willing to pay for it. I'm very sensitive, I didn't like being disciplined — it hurt my feelings so bad to be scolded or whipped or whatever," she said. "But sometimes there's just that part of you that's willing, if you want something bad enough, to go for it."
Parton, 77, added: "I’ve been at this so long, I’ve worn some of the most bizarre things — my hairdos have always been so out there. At the time you think you look good, then you look back on it, like, What was I thinking?"
During her interview, Parton estimated that she has written about 3,000 songs and sold over 100 million records worldwide. She is also a co-owner of the Dollywood company, which includes a theme park and a water park.
She is currently hard at work on her new album, "Rockstar," her 49th studio album that is set to be released in November.
Further, Parton is releasing a new book, "Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones," which documents her life and career in clothes and costume.
Some have speculated about whether she will retire sometime soon, but Parton slammed the notion earlier this year, saying she'd rather "drop dead."
"I would never retire. I'll just hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday, and hopefully one I've written," she said during an appearance on "Greatest Hits Radio." "That's how I hope to go. Of course, we don't have much of a choice in that."
Parton did however share what would make her reconsider her stance on retirement.
"As long as I'm able to work, as long as my health is good, and my husband is good," she said. "I mean, the only way that I would ever slow down or stop would be for that reason."
She added that, in the meantime, "I'm gonna make hay while the sun shines."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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