On Wednesday morning, country music legend Dolly Parton celebrated Tennessee reopening amidst the COVID-19 pandemic at her Dollywood amusement park by sitting down with “Good Morning America” for an interview. She also performed her hit song “Coat of Many Colors.”
In her interview, Parton reflected on just how far her 150-acre Pigeon Forge theme park has come since the 2020 seasons, which was put on hold because of the pandemic.
LIVE RIGHT NOW: We’re catching up with @DollyParton in #Dollywood! @RobinRobertshttps://t.co/wit76rD9Zl pic.twitter.com/DWOaJV6aVF
— Good Morning America (@GMA) May 12, 2021
Parton Talks Reopening
“I think it’s amazing how our crew has done all the things that they’ve done. Last year, of course, like everybody else, we were open on a limited basis but everybody was so great to practice the safety rules,” Parton told host Robin Roberts while sitting outside at her park.
“The people here are like family so any time you have a process of any kind you just kind of pull together and get it done. People always brag about the staff here at Dollywood.”
Parton went on to say that 2021 is Dollywood’s 36th season, and her staffers feel like a family.
Despite her fame, Parton still sees herself as a “coworker” at the park along with her fellow staffers.
“We’ve had all kinds of people who have been here from the very start,” she explained. “That’s the way I’m with my band. We’re just all partners here. It takes us all to make it work.”
Related: Dolly Parton’s Sense Of Humor Shines When She Gets COVID Vaccine She Helped Fund
‘Coat Of Many Colors’
A statue filled with flowers was recently unveiled at the park, and it is dedicated to Parton’s mother.
The statue is called the “Coat of Many Colors,” which Parton says symbolizes the significance her parents had on her when she was growing up.
She also performed the song “Coat of Many Colors” onstage with a rainbow guitar!
“I was really emotional and I took a lot of pictures,” Parton said of the first time she saw the statue this week. “I had seen brochures of it and I knew what it was supposed to be but just seeing that whole thing knowing my life as it’s turned out, thinking about my mom and having that thing there that represents who I am as a person, who my parents were and the kind of mother that I was lucky enough to have — and that little coat that’s carried me so far.”
“It’s kind of like a figurative thing,” she added. “My life has been a life of many colors, not just a coat. It’s significant to me but just seeing that whole thing just made me grateful.”
Related: Here’s Why You’ll Never See Dolly Parton Without Makeup
Parton Returns To Dollywood
Wednesday was a big day for Parton. It was her first time visiting Dollywood in over a year.
“We came up here last year to open the show and that’s when they closed everything down,” she stated. “We came here to have a press conference, we didn’t even get to have it. I just walked off that bus, they said, ‘No we’re closed down.’ This is my first time back so it’s exciting to see all the new things we’ve got for the flower and food festival for this season. We’ve got a lot of things to be thankful for.”
We’re glad to see that life really is getting back to normal everywhere. God bless you, Dolly Parton!
Related: Dolly Parton Sings Touching Tribute To Kenny Rogers While Quarantining From Coronavirus
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