In an interview with Billboard Dolly Parton talks about everything from new music to the pandemic to the Black Lives Matter movement.
Although Dolly Parton has not attended any recent BLM marches she expressed her “unequivocal” support for protesters and the movement.
Back in 2018 she renamed her Dixie Stampede dinner attraction to Dolly Parton’s Stampede when she learnt of the harmful connotations. “There’s such a thing as innocent ignorance, and so many of us are guilty of that,” she said.
“When they said ‘Dixie’ was an offensive word, I thought, ‘Well, I don’t want to offend anybody. This is a business. We’ll just call it ‘The Stampede’. As soon as you realise that [something] is a problem, you should fix it. Don’t be a dumbass. That’s where my heart is. I would never dream of hurting anybody on purpose.”
She has not been the only artist to demonstrate their support by recognising and changing their language and titles. The Chicks have removed ‘Dixie’ from their band name and Lady A was formally Lady Antebellum.
Now, with the protests sparked by the killings of unarmed Black Americans George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and more Parton is speaking out about her support for the movement. “I understand people having to make themselves known and felt and seen,” she said.
“And of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!”
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This is not the first time this year that Dolly Parton has made a statement about an American and also worldwide issue. In May she released ‘When Life Is Good Again’ encouraging people to do the right thing about the COVID-19 threat and to stay positive.
Dolly Parton will release her first Christmas album since 1990 in October this year with A Holly Dolly Christmas.
Check out ‘When Life Is Good Again’ by Dolly Parton:
