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
Kentucky Gambler
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He wanted more from like
Than four kids and a wife
And a job in the dark Kentucky mines
A twenty-acre farm
With a shacky house and barn
That's all he had
At gambling he was lucky
So he left Kentucky
Left behind his woman and his kids
Into the gay casino
In Nevada's town of Reno
Kentucky gambler planned to get rich quick
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna love your woman in Kentucky
Who's gonna be the one to give her what she needs
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna raise your children in Kentucky
Who's gonna keep them fed and keep shoes on their feet
At the gamblers' paradise
Lady luck was on his side
Kentucky gambler played his cards just right
He won at everything he played
Kentucky gambler had it made
And he should have quit and gone on home that night
But when you love the greenback dollar
Sorrow's always bound to follow
Reno dreams fade into neon amber
And lady luck, she'll leave you on
She'll saty awhile, and then she's gone
You'd better go on home Kentucky gambler
But a gambler never seems to stop
Til he loses all he's got
And so, Kentucky gambler, he played on
He played til he lost all he won
He was right back where he started from
Then he started wanting to go home
Kentucky gambler, there ain't nobody waiting in Kentucky
When you walked out, somebody else walked in
Kentucky gambler, looks like you ain't really very lucky
Seems to me a gambler looses much more than he wins
So you think about it
Kentucky gambler
The song Kentucky Gambler by Dolly Parton tells the story of a man who wanted more out of life than what he had in Kentucky. He had a wife, four kids, and a job in the dark mines, but all he wanted was to get rich quick. He was lucky at gambling, and so he left Kentucky and his family behind and journeyed to Reno, Nevada, to try his luck there. In Reno, Lady Luck was on his side, and he won at everything he played. However, he did not know when to stop, and eventually, he lost all of his winnings and ended up right back where he started.
The lyrics of the song tell a cautionary tale about the dangers of gambling. While the Kentucky Gambler was fortunate at first, his luck quickly ran out, and he lost everything he had. The song also highlights the consequences of putting wealth and self-interest over family and loved ones.
Line by Line Meaning
He wanted more from life
The Kentucky gambler was unsatisfied with his current life and wanted something more.
Than four kids and a wife
He didn't feel fulfilled simply by having a family to support.
And a job in the dark Kentucky mines
His job in the mines was not enough to satisfy him either.
A twenty-acre farm
The gambler had a small farm, but even that wasn't enough for him.
With a shacky house and barn
The house and barn on his farm were not very stable or well-built.
That's all he had
The Kentucky gambler didn't have very many material possessions.
And all he left behind
When he decided to leave, he didn't have much to leave behind.
At gambling he was lucky
The gambler had a talent for winning at gambling.
So he left Kentucky
He decided to leave his home state.
Left behind his woman and his kids
The gambler didn't consider the impact of his leaving on his family.
Into the gay casino
He went to a flashy casino in Nevada.
In Nevada's town of Reno
The casino he went to was located in the town of Reno.
Kentucky gambler planned to get rich quick
The gambler had high hopes of making a lot of money through gambling.
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna love your woman in Kentucky
The gambler didn't think about who would take care of his wife when he left.
Who's gonna be the one to give her what she needs
He left his wife without anyone to support her or their children.
Kentucky gambler, who's gonna raise your children in Kentucky
He also didn't think about who would take care of his children.
Who's gonna keep them fed and keep shoes on their feet
His children would be left without a provider.
At the gamblers' paradise
The casino was a place where many people came to gamble.
Lady luck was on his side
Initially, the gambler was winning and doing well at the casino.
Kentucky gambler played his cards just right
He had good luck at the casino because he played the games well.
He won at everything he played
The gambler had a winning streak at the casino.
Kentucky gambler had it made
At this point, the gambler was doing really well and believed he had it made in the casino world.
And he should have quit and gone on home that night
The gambler should have stopped while he was ahead and gone home to his family.
But when you love the greenback dollar
The gambler was motivated by his love of money.
Sorrow's always bound to follow
When you're too greedy, you'll always end up feeling unhappy.
Reno dreams fade into neon amber
The excitement and glamour of Reno starts to dissipate over time.
And lady luck, she'll leave you on
Eventually, even if you're lucky, you will lose everything.
She'll saty awhile, and then she's gone
Luck is fickle and unpredictable.
You'd better go on home Kentucky gambler
It's better for the gambler to go home to his family.
But a gambler never seems to stop
Unfortunately, many gamblers can't seem to stop even when they should.
Til he loses all he's got
The gambler can keep playing until he loses everything.
And so, Kentucky gambler, he played on
Despite his earlier success and warnings, the gambler continued to gamble.
He played til he lost all he won
Eventually, the gambler lost everything he had won.
He was right back where he started from
After losing everything, the gambler was back to his original situation in Kentucky.
Then he started wanting to go home
After losing everything, the gambler realized he wanted to go home to his family.
Kentucky gambler, there ain't nobody waiting in Kentucky
Unfortunately, there was no one waiting for the gambler back in Kentucky after he had neglected his family.
When you walked out, somebody else walked in
After he left, someone else may have taken his place to take care of his family.
Kentucky gambler, looks like you ain't really very lucky
Despite his earlier success, the gambler was unlucky in the long run.
Seems to me a gambler looses much more than he wins
Overall, the gambler lost much more than he won in his life of gambling.
So you think about it
The song ends with a warning to others to think about their choices and consequences in life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DOLLY PARTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Romy K.
on Gypsy Joe And Me
As a matter of fact she's contemplating suicide standing on the bridge, that's how they'll be together again.