There are a lot of famous people who have had a connection to square dancing. Country singers have recorded songs that callers have used. Actors have appeared at dances. Politicians have proclaimed it a wholesome American pastime. Even Elizabeth II, the late Queen of England partook of the dance floor herself in her younger years.
But every once in a while, you learn of someone a little more fun…
Dolly Parton was featured on the cover of a square dance magazine as “the world’s most famous square dancer.”
And no, that’s not something I made up.
There is a framed copy of Square Dancing Today, Volume 2, Issue 2. The cover features Dolly in all her big-haired, big-hearted, rhinestone-covered glory, holding a guitar and looking exactly like Dolly should look.
Now, we all have questions…
First of all, who decided Dolly Parton was the world’s most famous square dancer?
Second, and much more importantly, what in the world did they ask Dolly about square dancing?
This Wasn’t Just a Dolly Magazine Cover
The magazine wasn’t a mainstream (pun intended…) country-music publication that happened to put Dolly on the cover. Square Dancing Today was a publication specifically devoted to the square dance world, published by Grand Square International.
And Dolly’s interview was important enough the GSI still lists it among the notable accomplishments of the magazine. GSI describes Square Dancing Today as a glossy, full-color magazine featuring square dance information from around the world, and specifically mentions its interviews with Dolly Parton and Louise Mandrell.
That’s pretty remarkable, right?
Somewhere along the way, the square dance world decided it wanted to sit down with Dolly Parton and talk to her as a square dance celebrity.
And Dolly apparently said yes!
Which raises an even more important question: Why Dolly?
Dolly and the World of Square Dancing
For anyone who grew up around Tennessee music, the connection isn’t really as strange as it might seem.
Dolly came out of the musical traditions of East Tennessee and Appalachia. The same broad musical culture that gave us mountain music, old-time fiddle tunes, bluegrass and country music also gave us traditional Appalachian dancing.
And Dolly’s career eventually brought her into the Grand Ole Opry family, where the square dancers were very much part of the show.
The Grand Ole Opry square dancers have a long history of their own. The Appalachian-style dancing they perform has been part of the Opry’s presentation since 1952. Marcia Campbell, who spent decades as one of the Opry square dancers, described learning the style from her grandmother and eventually joining the Opry dancers herself.
So Dolly didn’t come from some completely foreign world where square dancing was an odd little hobby happening somewhere off to the side.
It was part of the musical culture she came from.
Dolly Actually Put Square Dancing on a Record
Here’s another piece of the story that makes the magazine cover even more interesting.
On Dolly’s 2001 album Little Sparrow is a song called “He’s Gonna Marry Me.”
And Dolly wanted it to have a square dance rhythm.
That’s according to Marcia Campbell, who was danced on the Opry for 40 years. She said you can actually hear her feet dancing on Dolly’s recording.
Think about that the next time you hear the song.
That’s not somebody in Nashville saying, “Hey, let’s make this sound a little country.”
That’s Dolly saying, essentially, “I want a square dance.”
For those of us who listen to music a little differently because we are constantly thinking about what we could dance to, that’s a pretty cool detail.
So was Dolly really a Square Dancer?
Well…
Probably not in the way most of us would mean it.
You’re not going to find Dolly’s name on a Roll Call sheet with a list of club dances attended.
She wasn’t out every Saturday night dancing to the rhythm of the Square Dance band.
But she belonged to the culture of music and performance that square dancing grew out of.
And she had enough of a relationship with square dancing that a square dance publication could interview her and present her to its readers as the world’s most famous square dancer without it seeming completely ridiculous.
Honestly, that’s a pretty good square dance brag.
And the Square Dancers still love Dolly
The relationship hasn’t disappeared.
When the Grand Ole Opry celebrated Dolly’s 80th birthday, the Opry square dancers came out wearing… You guessed it! Big blonde Dolly wigs and performed as part of the celebration.
Which might be the most square dancer way to honor Dolly, you might as well go all the way.
Big hair.
Big smiles.
Big hearts.
And probably a little extra sparkle.
Dolly was a part of the world that produced us.
I think what I like most about this story is that Dolly’s connection to square dancing isn’t really about trying to make square dancing seem cool by attaching a famous name to it.
It’s the other way around.
So here’s to Dolly.
To the girl from the Smokies who became a country-music legend.
To the music that came out of those mountains.
To the Opry dancers who shared the stage with her.
To the square dance rhythm she put on a record.
And whoever came up with the absolutely delightful idea of putting “The World’s Most Famous Square Dancer” on a magazine cover.
If Dolly had ever walked into one of our dances, we would have put her in a square and danced with her.