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CMP OCTOBER 2026
Thank You, Dolly From the Editor
I was driving home from London when I heard that Dolly Parton had passed away, and I was so stunned that I took a wrong turn and added another twenty miles onto my journey. My head stayed on the road, but my heart had already gone somewhere else.
Dolly Parton meant a great deal to me. She’ d been my hero for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of sitting beside my great-grandmother as she played Dolly’ s records and it was through those songs that I fell in love with her voice, her wit, her warmth and, ultimately, with country music itself.
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“ An Evening with Dolly Parton” was the first concert I ever went to, too – a teenager sitting in a crowd that felt like it might swallow me whole until the lights went down and Dolly walked onto the stage.
Years later she became the very first person I ever interviewed for this magazine. I hadn’ t planned to do any interviews at all – I was working behind the scenes when I emailed her manager to enquire about publicity for her new record. His reply caught me completely off guard: they wouldn’ t be taking an ad, but they’ d love for us to put Dolly on our cover. Who could possibly say no?
With a gentle nudge from our editor at the time – my late partner Duncan Warwick – it was decided I’ d be the one to talk to her. I’ d never been more excited or terrified in my life.
But Dolly, being Dolly, was everything you’ d hope for and more. She was warm, funny, gracious and genuinely kind right the way through. At the end of our chat, I nervously asked her if I sent her a copy of the magazine, would she be kind enough to sign it and send it back to me.“ Of course I will,” she said. And true to her word, she did exactly that. It’ s still one of the most treasured things I own to this day.
In so many ways, she set the course of my life. The truth is, I wouldn’ t be sitting here editing this magazine today if it wasn’ t for her. That little kid listening to Dolly’ s records all those years ago could never have dreamed that her hero would open a door like that for her. But she did. Without ever even knowing it.
So thank you, Dolly. Thank you for the songs, for the laughter, for the kindness you gave to this world so freely, and for the wrong turns that somehow led us exactly where we needed to go.
Her records will keep turning, her songs will keep finding the people who need them, and her sense of humour will keep making us smile long after the news cycle moves on.
24 features
12 | 9 to 5, And Then Some Dolly Parton, 1946- 2026 Photo: The Dollywood Foundation
20 | The Book Lady Dolly Parton’ s Imagination Library and what happens to it now
24 | Dolly: A personal memory From Tony Byworth
26 | Dolly By The Numbers Six decades of songs, sales and chart history
30 | From The Archives... CMP interview with Dolly from the February 1975 issue
46 | Truvy, There’ s a Memorial in My Purse Memorial by Rosie Carter
reviews
34 | Reviews
regulars
4 | News
8 | Tour Guide 11 | The David Allan Page
19 | The Hymn Sheet
23 | Corner of Music Row
33 | Boots & Suits
47 | Americana Roundup
charts
48 | Americana, Texas, Kickin’
Cuts & UK Country Charts
49 | Billboard Country Charts
Courtesy of Billboard Inc.