Dolly Parton wants to leave enough music behind so her legacy can continue after she dies
“There’s enough stuff to go on forever with my music"
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
Dolly Parton is recording a tonne of music so her legacy can continue after she dies.
It is going to be a dark day in the world when the iconic ‘9 to 5’ singer passes away but to ensure her legacy continues, Dolly is making sure she has everything prepared so we can continue to enjoy her music days, months and years after she passes away.
Speaking on the most recent episode of NPR’s podcast, ‘Dolly Parton’s America’, she said: “For me, as far as what I hope my music will be left behind, I hope that it will always live.
“I would like to think that I’ve left some good pieces of music. And I think as long as time lasts, people will be doing music all kinds of different ways.
“I am a lucky person because I’ve got hundreds, hundreds, even thousands of songs and a big part of them haven’t even been recorded.
“There’s enough stuff to go on forever with my music: to do compilation albums, to do, actually, new and original stuff, and I am purposely trying to put songs down for that very purpose.
“To have a click track and my vocals, to where any arrangement can be done. So I think ahead.”
Parton goes on to explain that she is recording music for the future so someone taking on the project will have the freedom to use her vocals and arrangements however they please.
She continues: “Any producer anywhere in the world, hot producer—when I’m gone—they can take my songs, just the click track of my vocal and build a complete arrangement around that—any style, anything.
“As you know, if you have a good click track and a vocal, anything can be done with that.
“So that will go on forever. I’m one of those people that believe in being prepared.
“I don’t want to ever leave my stuff in the same shape like Prince or Aretha [Franklin], or anybody that don’t plan ahead with that.”
Listen to the full podcast below: