Dolly Parton, the name invokes a series of images: big hair, country music, cowboy boots. Things, in all honesty, never really interested me before, so why would I ever want to listen to a podcast about the life of Dolly Parton? I gave “Dolly Parton’s America” a try, and became hooked with her fascinating story.  Â
“Dolly Parton’s America ” is a nine-part biographical podcast based on the life and career of America’s country sweetheart. The show got its start after journalist Jab Abumrad learned about the relationship between the singer-songwriter and Abumrad’s father Dr. Naji Abumrad. After Dolly Parton suffered minor injuries in a car incident, she went to the Vanderbilt hospital where the aforementioned doctor treated her. The bond that grew between the two inspired Parton to donate over a million dollars to COVID-19 vaccination efforts in Dr.Abumrad’s name. When his son learned of their relationship, he took the opportunity to learn more about how Dolly Parton became such an icon in American pop culture.Â
I was fascinated right away by how Jad Abumrad weaves the tale through first-person accounts, as well as interviewing friends and sources close to Parton. While I have never had a particular affinity for Dolly or even country music before, each and every episode focused on an aspect of her life and history that was incredibly eye-opening. Once I started the podcast, I simply could not stop listening. So the next time you are doing your incline walk on the gym treadmill or stuck in traffic on the way to your 9-5 (what a way to make a living!), I recommended you look up this podcast. Trust me on this one, you will not regret it. Â