Dolly Parton on Dollywood's Success, Business Ventures, and Life Advice

Dollywood's 40-Year Success

• 🎢 Dollywood is celebrating its 40th anniversary and has been named America's favorite theme park for three consecutive years.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The park's success is attributed to its focus on entertaining families, offering diverse attractions for all ages, including the best food and rides.
• 🎬 A new documentary, "The Dollywood Dream," chronicles the park's growth from a roadside attraction to a global tourist hub.

Business Acumen and Ventures

• 💼 Dolly Parton views show business as a business, emphasizing the importance of publishing, copyrights, and production management.
• 🤝 She collaborates with experts, like the Herschend family for Dollywood, admitting she didn't know how to run a theme park but knew she wanted one.
• 🚀 Current ventures include the Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show (with new locations in Panama City Beach, FL, and Myrtle Beach, SC), a musical previewing in Nashville and heading to Broadway, a line of Dolly Parton Southern-inspired frozen meals, and a children's book.
• 📚 Her new book, "Star of the Show: My Life on Stage," follows previous works "Songteller" and "Behind the Scenes: My Life in Rhinestones."

Best Advice and Faith

• 💡 The best advice Dolly received came from her mother: "To thine own self be true," emphasizing self-knowledge and sacrifice.
• 🙏 She draws strength from her faith and Bible scriptures like "Through God all things are possible" and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
• 🎤 Regarding her voice health, Dolly attributes her sustained vocal ability to constant singing and talking, likening it to an athlete staying in shape.
• 🎶 Her favorite childhood Sunday school song is "Yes, Jesus Loves Me."

Honoring a Legacy

• 🏛️ An exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum honors her life, with a personal hotel and museum set to open next spring.
• 💔 Dolly shared how her faith has helped her cope with the loss of her husband, Carl Dean, after 60 years of marriage, finding solace in knowing he is in God's arms and that they will be reunited.
• 💍 She marked their anniversary by visiting the church in Ringgold, Georgia, where they were married, placing a plaque and reflecting on their life together.
• ✨ Dolly expresses no intention of retiring, stating that she loves her work and feels energized by new projects, believing she is doing what she was meant to do.