Parton began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. At age 12 she was appearing on Knoxville TV, and at 13, she was recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved to Nashville, taking many traditional elements of folklore and popular music from East Tennessee with her.
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, with her songs being covered by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Jr., Skeeter Davis, and a number of others. She signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Top 100. Additional pop singles also failed to chart.
The label agreed to have Parton sing country music after her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as recorded by Bill Phillips (and with Parton, uncredited, on harmony) went to No. 6 on the country charts in 1966. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde" (one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but didn't write), reached No. 24 country 1967, followed later the same year with "Something Fishy," which went to No. 17. The two songs anchored her first full-length album, Hello I'm Dolly, that same year.
In 1967, Parton was asked to join the weekly syndicated country music TV program hosted by Porter Wagoner, replacing Norma Jean. She also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, during this period, where she would remain for the next two decades. Wagoner and Parton immediately began a hugely successful career as a vocal duet in addition to their solo work and their first single together, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind," reached the top ten on the U.S. country charts in late 1967, and was the first of over a dozen duet singles to chart for them during the next several years.
Parton is a hugely successful songwriter, having begun by writing country songs with strong elements of folk music in them based upon her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" have become classics in the field, as have a number of others. As a composer, she is also regarded as one of country music's most gifted storytellers, with many of her narrative songs based on persons and events from her childhood.
In 1982 Dolly Parton sang her song "I Will Always Love You", for the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Parton and Burt Reynolds. The song - originally composed around 1974 - made few ripples, but it wasn't until Whitney Houston re-recorded it for "The Bodyguard" a decade later, that the song made yet another international hit for Dolly Parton. She later put out her own version on the 1996 album of the same name.
In 1987, Parton left her longtime label, RCA, and signed with Columbia Records, where her recording career continued to prosper, but by the mid 1990s, Parton, along with many other performers of her generation, found that her new music was not welcome on country radio playlists. She recorded a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and "Little Sparrow" (2001), both of which won Grammy Awards. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven. In 2005, Parton released Those Were The Days, her interpretation of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s through early 1970s. The CD featured such classics as John Lennon's "Imagine," Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play," Tommy James' "Crimson & Clover," and the folk classic "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", as well as the title track.
In 2007, Dolly paved new musical ground by forming her own record label, Dolly Records. The label's first release - Backwoods Barbie - debuted at #2 on the Billboard country albums charts and marks Parton's first mainstream country album in 17 years. Parton is touring North America and Europe throughout 2008 in support of her latest release.
1955
Amazing Grace
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I'm found
Was blind but now I see
Amazing grace, oh amazing grace
That saved a wretch like me
Oh amazing grace, amazing grace
Dolly Parton's rendition of Amazing Grace is a moving and heartfelt expression of gratitude for the redemptive power of grace. The song's opening line- "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound"- sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which describe the transformative effects of grace on the singer's life. The phrase "saved a wretch like me" speaks to a sense of personal unworthiness that is common among those who have experienced grace. The singer acknowledges that they were once lost, but now feel found, and that they were blind but now can see- a powerful metaphor for the transformative effects of grace.
The lyrics also touch on the idea that grace is both a source of fear and a source of relief. The phrase "Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved" speaks to the idea that grace can help us confront our fears and sins, while also providing comfort and reassurance. The song's final verse - "When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun/ We've no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun" - offers a hopeful vision of eternity, where the singer will continue to praise God for the gift of grace.
Overall, Dolly Parton's rendition of Amazing Grace is a powerful articulation of a fundamental human experience - the search for redemption and the hope of salvation.
Line by Line Meaning
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
The grace of God is a beautiful thing to behold
That saved a wretch like me
God's grace saved me, even though I was undeserving
I once was lost but now I'm found
I was hopeless and lost, but through God's grace, I have been saved
Was blind but now I see
I was ignorant and unaware, but through God's grace, I now have understanding
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
God's grace instilled a sense of reverence and respect in my heart
And grace my fears relieved
God's grace gave me comfort and alleviated my anxieties
How precious did that grace appear
God's grace was a priceless gift that I could never repay
The hour I first believed
I received God's grace when I first believed in Him and accepted Him into my life
Through many dangers, toils and snares
Despite facing various challenges and difficulties,
I have already come
I have made progress and have come a long way
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far
God's grace has protected and guided me to where I am today
And grace will lead me home
God's grace will continue to guide me until I reach my ultimate destination in heaven
When we've been there ten thousand years
When we have spent countless years in heaven
Bright shining as the sun
Radiant and glorious
We've no less days to sing God's praise
We will never run out of time to give thanks to God
Than when we first begun
Our gratitude and praise for God will remain just as strong as when we first started following Him
Amazing grace, oh amazing grace
The grace of God truly is astounding and wonderful
That saved a wretch like me
God's grace saved me, even though I am a flawed and imperfect human being
Oh amazing grace, amazing grace
The power of God's grace never ceases to amaze me
Contributed by Vivian P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Enid Banks
any song Dolly sings brings tears to my eyes....LOVE her!
dollyaddict
Thanks for watching : )
Hayleigh Aveline
Ive loved Dolly since I was about 9 months old and Ill always love her no matter what anyone says. If Im ever upset all I have to do is listen to her voice. It helps me calm down.
Diane mcnicholl
Beautiful dolly really enoyed her since time and memoria
Tiwa Gift
A day can't go by without me listening to dolly I love her so much she gives me courage with her songs I love u so much dolly
Andrew Ikp
Me too ✋️
Wanda Taylor
@Melody Moon~ auto
Melody Moon~
Me too♡
Frank Machotka
She's got a voice I can't get enough of yet enough. Beautiful. Voice. I. Love you. Dolly Parton.
Bonnie Gaspard
She has a voice I can't get enough of. She was her blessed. may God grant her many more yrs.