In her 77 years on this earth, Dolly Parton has taught us many important lessons—like never skimp on hair spray. So, in honor of the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, Oscar/Emmy/Tony–nominated actress (EGOT status, ya’ll), philanthropist extraordinaire and godmother to Miley Cyrus, here, 20 of the greatest quotes from the “Dolly Lama” herself.
20 Epic Dollyisms to Celebrate Dolly Parton’s Birthday
Published Jan 19, 2023
1. “My weaknesses have always been food and men—in that order.” — Dolly Parton
2. “I was the first woman to burn my bra—it took the fire department four days to put it out.” — Dolly Parton
3. “It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world.” — Dolly Parton
4. “If I see something saggin’, baggin’ or draggin’, I’m gone have it nipped, tucked or sucked!” — Dolly Parton
5. “I’m not offended by all of the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb…and I also know that I’m not blonde.” — Dolly Parton
6. “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.” — Dolly Parton
7. “I have a strict policy that nobody cries alone in my presence.” — Dolly Parton
8. “If you talk bad about country music, it’s like saying bad things about my momma. Them’s fightin’ words.” — Dolly Parton
9. “People say I look so happy—and I say, ‘That’s the botox.’” — Dolly Parton
10. “I tried every diet in the book. I tried some that weren’t in the book. I tried eating the book. It tasted better than most of the diets.” — Dolly Parton
11. “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.” — Dolly Parton
12. “I’m old enough and cranky enough now that if someone tried to tell me what to do, I’d tell them where to put it.” — Dolly Parton
13. “Me jumpin’ up and down? I’d blacken both my eyes!” — Dolly Parton
14. “I don’t kiss nobody’s butt.” — Dolly Parton
15. “I wish you joy and happiness. But above all of this, I wish you love.” — Dolly Parton
16. “If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.” — Dolly Parton
17. “The seeds of dreams are often found in books, and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.” — Dolly Parton
18. “You’ll never do a whole lot unless you’re brave enough to try.” — Dolly Parton
19. “I have pretty good skin considering my age, and I think a lot of it is mineral oil and bacon grease.” — Dolly Parton
20. “Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” — Dolly Parton
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