Meeting Dolly

It was Friday the 13th -- a few months ago -- and I guess I should begin with the background story, as I love to do.

I figure I owe my entire career to Dolly Parton. When I was a little kid we used to listen to the local radio station and we didn't have a great selection because of there only being one in the whole town. As a child I would sit and listen to classic gold country with songs by the likes of artists like Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, etc. I used to ALWAYS call the request line and ask for them to play her stuff for me.

Years later, I was in high school when I ran into a lady, who asked me some questions and I politely answered. She asked if I was old enough to have a job, and I said no. Then come to find out, it was the general manager of the radio station, and I told her who I was, the one that would request Dolly all the time.
She told me she loved my voice and would give me a job when I turned old enough to work. I did, and went to see her. No interview, she hired me on the spot without a resume', which I didn't even know what that was at the time. I was put in charge of an all-request 7 - midnight classic gold country radio show. It was a good learning experience to say the least.

Also -- along the way, I found out that I played softball and was in band in high school with the granddaughters of Porter Wagner, the man who discovered Dolly. That only increased my liking of her as I heard true stories from the mom, Debra.

As the years went by, and the hardships within my messed up family life, I could always find a smile in Dolly. Her persona was amazing to me, and to this day I'm still not sure what exactly it is about her that I love, I just know that I do.

Skip to a few months ago -- a group of six of us girls decided to go on a cabin retreat to Gatlinburg, TN -- home of the Smokey Mountains. The cabin was awesome and was smack dab in the middle between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We had made plans to go to Dollywood, since we had never been. We get there and realize that it was opening day and Dolly was there to open a new ride, The Mystery Mine. Not to mention she was going to come through with a parade to see all of the people! So we stood in line and sure enough, as she turned the corner, I could see her on her white chariot. I yelled "Dolly We Love You!" and she looked right at me and waved!

My life is now in AD -- After Dolly, and I can die now in peace.

Another day in the life of me!