Dolly Parton talks 9 to 5 musical, diversity in country music, funding Moderna vaccine & UK return!

Baylen Leonard was joined by country music royalty on Absolute Radio Country today (16th August) – the legend that is Dolly Parton.

Celebrating the upcoming '9 to 5 the Musical' UK tour, which opens in Southampton on 31st August 2021 and continues through to Manchester in March 2022, Dolly Parton spoke to good “southern boy” Baylen from her home in Nashville, Tennessee.

Commenting on the 9 to 5 musical, Dolly told Baylen that she can’t wait for UK audiences to see it after turbulent events of the past 18 months.

“We’ve just been holed up for so long with the pandemic, people are so anxious to get back out.” Dolly said.

Watch Dolly Parton's interview with Baylen Leonard:

“I’m hoping they can get out, have a wonderful time going to see 9 To 5 The Musical and make a night of it – take your friends, your family, maybe a dinner before or after and just have big old time! I think they’re going to be entertained with all of the music, the dancing and all the good fun stories and things that the musical entailed.

“There are a lot of songs that are very singable. Even if you don’t sing along, you can clap along. We have wonderful dancing, wonderful acting, wonderful guest stars or artists performing that do such a great job. We’re just so happy to be back on stage!”

Dolly went on to reflect on the important message of female empowerment that runs through 9 to 5 and how she deals with the subject through her timeless music.

“I think (women) should all be allowed to be ourselves, whether its women in the workplace, if they’re mistreated or if they do the work and don’t get the credit for it,” Dolly said.

“I think whoever does the job should be recognised and paid for that, shouldn’t matter whether you’re male or female. So, I really understand and accept all the situations that I see going on in this world, in the music business, or just in the world of business or out there in the workplace as well.

“So, I try in my own way to write songs about it, to talk about it in my way. I don’t feel I have to hold up a sign or go marching in the streets – although we’ve got to get the word out. For me, I’ve always been able to express myself through my music and my words, so I’m all for people getting treated with respect and allowing people to be themselves.”

Dolly also told Baylen she’s “very proud” of the diversity in country music today with black artists including Mickey Guyton and Jimmie Allen enjoying huge success, and musicians including TJ Osborne, Brooke Eden and Brandi Carlile all out and proud.

“I love the diverse aspect of the business today,” Dolly enthused. “We’ve got all kinds of people, and the women are doing so well, I’m so proud of them, they’re so gifted and talented. Wouldn’t it have been a great loss in this world for us not to have the Brandi Carliles and all these wonderful girls that are out there doing so well?!”

She added: “I’m real proud of the girls and I'm so proud of the music business now that they’re allowing people in that weren't allowed to be there before and they are treated with respect. We’ve got a long way to go, just like the saying with 9 to 5 and the message in the movie as well as the musical. We have come far, but we have got far to go.”

Elsewhere in the chat, Dolly commented on donating $1 million to coronavirus vaccine research that resulted in the Moderna vaccine.

Ever humble, Dolly said: “Vanderbilt hospital (Vanderbilt University Medical Center) is a wonderful hospital here in Nashville, Tennessee and they’ve always been good to me, and I’ve made donations for different things through the years.

“When the pandemic came out, I just felt led to do something because I knew something bad was on the rise and I just kind of wanted to help with that, so I donated to help with that.

“So, mine was a small part of course, but I probably get a lot more credit than I deserve but I was happy to be part of that, and to be able to try stop something in its tracks that’s really become such a monster for all of us. I was happy to do that.”

Dolly also opened up about her debut novel ‘Run, Rose, Run’ - a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive.

Written alongside James Patterson, the book is released in March 2022, and it comes complete with an album of music of the same name.

“I’ve been working on this book Run Rose Run with the great James Patterson,” Dolly told us. “This is my first novel and I've also written music, a whole CD to go along with it, based on the characters in the movie, their situations, attitudes and that sort of thing. It’s the first time I know of that a book comes along with a CD. They’re separate but they’re together and they work well together.”

Baylen ended the chat by asking Dolly whether she has plans to come back to the UK any time soon. Dolly’s last UK concert took place in Nottingham in July 2014, a month after her historic Glastonbury performance.

“Well I don’t have any plans to come unless it would be to do something with the 9 to 5 musical, but I'm not planning to do any touring right now,” Dolly explained.

“We have got to let all this Covid stuff, we have got to let all the travelling be a little easier, we have got to all stay smart and be good but I definitely want to come back to the UK, because I love my fans there.”

Tickets to 9 to 5 the Musical are on sale right now, RIGHT HERE.

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• Dolly Parton