Dolly Parton, gender, and country music

Dolly Parton is instantly recognizable for her iconic style and persona, but how did she create her enduring image?

Dolly crafted her exaggerated appearance and stage personality by combining two opposing stereotypes - the innocent mountain girl and the voluptuous sex symbol.

Emerging through her lyrics, personal stories, stage presence, and visual imagery, these wildly different gender tropes form a central part of Dolly's media image and portrayal of herself as a star and celebrity.

Here, Edwards explores Dolly's roles as musician, actor, author, philanthropist, and entrepreneur to show how Dolly's gender subversion highlights the challenges that can be found even in the most seemingly traditional form of American popular music.