
Unlikely Angel
The Songs of Dolly Parton
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Janet Metzger
About this listen
Dolly Parton's success as a performer and pop culture phenomenon has overshadowed her achievements as a songwriter. But she sees herself as a songwriter first, and with good reason. Parton's compositions like "I Will Always Love You" and "Jolene" have become American standards with an impact far beyond country music.
Lydia R. Hamessley's expert analysis and Parton's characteristically straightforward input inform this comprehensive look at the process, influences, and themes that have shaped the superstar's songwriting artistry. Hamessley reveals how Parton's loving, hardscrabble childhood in the Smoky Mountains provided the musical language, rhythms, and memories of old-time music that resonate in so many of her songs. Hamessley further provides an understanding of how Parton combines her cultural and musical heritage with an artisan's sense of craft and design to compose eloquent, painfully honest, and gripping songs about women's lives, poverty, heartbreak, inspiration, and love.
Filled with insights on hit songs and less familiar gems, Unlikely Angel covers the full arc of Dolly Parton's career and offers an unprecedented look at the creative force behind the image.
©2020 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (P)2021 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Dream More
- Celebrate the Dreamer in You
- By: Dolly Parton
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton
- Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary Dolly Parton shares for the first time her deeply held philosophy of life and her heartfelt hopes for everyone. Based on the hugely popular commencement speech Dolly Parton gave at the University of Tennessee that became a sensation, Dream More is a deeper and richer exploration of the personal philosophy she has forged over the course of her astonishing career as a singer, songwriter, performer, and philanthropist. Using her speech as a jumping-off point, Parton explores the four great hopes she urges us to embrace: Dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.
-
-
Dolly Does It Again!!!
- By Rich Holland on 12-04-12
By: Dolly Parton
-
Dolly Parton, Songteller
- My Life in Lyrics
- By: Dolly Parton
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton
- Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Recorded Books Audio Original production of songs and stories performed by Dolly herself, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics goes beyond the glitz, glamour, and rhinestones to the warmth, heart, and soul of a treasured pop-culture icon.
-
-
Interview without questions
- By Jen loves travel on 11-19-20
By: Dolly Parton
-
If You Ask Me
- (And of Course You Won't)
- By: Betty White
- Narrated by: Betty White
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between. Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything....
-
-
I'd ask Betty!
- By Lizz on 11-30-11
By: Betty White
-
Dolly Parton : The Life of a Legendary American Singer, Actor, and Businesswoman
- By: Newbury Publishing
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dolly Parton is best known for her musical prowess, but there is so much more to her character than people realize. Nowadays, she is the epitome of old Hollywood glamor. She is pretty well known for getting a lot of cosmetic surgery over the years in order to keep up the gaudy, glamorous image we’ve come to know and love. Even through all this she’s still modest. What people may not realize is that her early life was anything but glamorous.
-
-
bland
- By Emily maurer on 01-04-24
-
Behind the Seams
- My Life in Rhinestones
- By: Dolly Parton, Holly George-Warren - contributor, Rebecca Seaver - curator
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton, Holly George-Warren, Rebecca Seaver
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world. Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, this audiobook spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. T
-
-
5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- By LFM on 11-21-23
By: Dolly Parton, and others
-
Not That Fancy
- Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots
- By: Reba McEntire
- Narrated by: Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best things in life are really not that fancy. This audiobook featuring all-things-Reba invites you to get back to the basics of life: fun, food, friends, and family. In her first book in over two decades, actress and country music legend Reba McEntire takes you behind the scenes and shares the stories, recipes, and Oklahoma-style truths that guide her life.
-
-
The queen didn’t disappoint
- By jojouknow on 10-18-23
By: Reba McEntire
-
Dream More
- Celebrate the Dreamer in You
- By: Dolly Parton
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton
- Length: 1 hr and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The legendary Dolly Parton shares for the first time her deeply held philosophy of life and her heartfelt hopes for everyone. Based on the hugely popular commencement speech Dolly Parton gave at the University of Tennessee that became a sensation, Dream More is a deeper and richer exploration of the personal philosophy she has forged over the course of her astonishing career as a singer, songwriter, performer, and philanthropist. Using her speech as a jumping-off point, Parton explores the four great hopes she urges us to embrace: Dream more, learn more, care more, and be more.
-
-
Dolly Does It Again!!!
- By Rich Holland on 12-04-12
By: Dolly Parton
-
Dolly Parton, Songteller
- My Life in Lyrics
- By: Dolly Parton
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton
- Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A Recorded Books Audio Original production of songs and stories performed by Dolly herself, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics goes beyond the glitz, glamour, and rhinestones to the warmth, heart, and soul of a treasured pop-culture icon.
-
-
Interview without questions
- By Jen loves travel on 11-19-20
By: Dolly Parton
-
If You Ask Me
- (And of Course You Won't)
- By: Betty White
- Narrated by: Betty White
- Length: 2 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It-girl Betty White delivers a hilarious, slyly profound take on love, life, celebrity, and everything in between. Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything....
-
-
I'd ask Betty!
- By Lizz on 11-30-11
By: Betty White
-
Dolly Parton : The Life of a Legendary American Singer, Actor, and Businesswoman
- By: Newbury Publishing
- Narrated by: Colin Fluxman
- Length: 1 hr and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dolly Parton is best known for her musical prowess, but there is so much more to her character than people realize. Nowadays, she is the epitome of old Hollywood glamor. She is pretty well known for getting a lot of cosmetic surgery over the years in order to keep up the gaudy, glamorous image we’ve come to know and love. Even through all this she’s still modest. What people may not realize is that her early life was anything but glamorous.
-
-
bland
- By Emily maurer on 01-04-24
-
Behind the Seams
- My Life in Rhinestones
- By: Dolly Parton, Holly George-Warren - contributor, Rebecca Seaver - curator
- Narrated by: Dolly Parton, Holly George-Warren, Rebecca Seaver
- Length: 4 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Global superstar Dolly Parton shares, for the first time, the full story behind her lifelong passion for fashion, including how she developed her own, distinctly Dolly style, which has defied convention and endeared her to fans around the world. Featuring behind-the-scenes stories from Dolly Parton’s life and career, this audiobook spotlights her most unforgettable looks from the 1960s to now. T
-
-
5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- By LFM on 11-21-23
By: Dolly Parton, and others
-
Not That Fancy
- Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots
- By: Reba McEntire
- Narrated by: Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, Carly Pearce, and others
- Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The best things in life are really not that fancy. This audiobook featuring all-things-Reba invites you to get back to the basics of life: fun, food, friends, and family. In her first book in over two decades, actress and country music legend Reba McEntire takes you behind the scenes and shares the stories, recipes, and Oklahoma-style truths that guide her life.
-
-
The queen didn’t disappoint
- By jojouknow on 10-18-23
By: Reba McEntire
-
Love, Lucy
- By: Lucille Ball
- Narrated by: Lucie Arnaz
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love, Lucy is the valentine Lucille Ball left for her fans—a warm, wise, and witty memoir written by Lucy herself. The legendary star of the classic sitcom I Love Lucy was at the pinnacle of her success when she sat down to record the story of her life. No comedienne had made America laugh so hard, no television actress had made the leap from radio and B movies to become one of the world’s best-loved performers. This is her story—in her own words.
-
-
What a great book
- By SCOTT on 07-11-18
By: Lucille Ball
-
Yours Cruelly, Elvira
- Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark
- By: Cassandra Peterson
- Narrated by: Cassandra Peterson
- Length: 10 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The woman behind the icon known as Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, the undisputed Queen of Halloween, reveals her full story, filled with intimate bombshells - and told by the bombshell herself.
-
-
Chapter 14 cut off
- By Wildgreenthumb on 09-24-21
-
My Love Story
- By: Tina Turner
- Narrated by: Heather Alicia Simms, Tina Turner - introduction
- Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From her early years in Nutbush, Tennessee, to her rise to fame alongside Ike Turner to her phenomenal success in the 1980s and beyond, Tina candidly examines her personal history, from her darkest hours to her happiest moments and everything in between. My Love Story is an explosive and inspiring story of a woman who dared to break any barriers put in her way. Emphatically showcasing Tina’s signature blend of strength, energy, heart, and soul, this is a gorgeously wrought memoir as enthralling and moving as any of her greatest hits.
-
-
Great story but...
- By Amazing Customer on 10-28-18
By: Tina Turner
-
The Faith of Dolly Parton
- Lessons from Her Life to Lift Your Heart
- By: Dudley Delffs
- Narrated by: Webb Wilder, Dudley Delffs
- Length: 5 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dolly Parton has entertained, educated, and inspired millions of fans for over five decades. Whether she’s writing songs, performing live, recording new albums, acting in or producing new movies and TV programs, expanding her wildly successful Dollywood amusement park, helping children around the world learn to read with her Imagination Library nonprofit, or donating millions of dollars to schools, charities, and people in need, the Queen of Country Music has never been shy about crediting her Christian faith for her success.
-
-
slightly disappointed
- By Lily on 03-06-21
By: Dudley Delffs
-
In Pieces
- By: Sally Field
- Narrated by: Sally Field
- Length: 10 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this intimate, haunting, literary memoir read by the author, an American icon tells her story for the first time, in her own gorgeous words - about a challenging and lonely childhood, the craft that helped her find her voice, and a powerful emotional legacy that shaped her journey as a daughter and a mother.
-
-
Riveting Life Story of Sally Field's
- By DAW on 09-20-18
By: Sally Field
-
Surrender
- 40 Songs, One Story
- By: Bono
- Narrated by: Bono
- Length: 20 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As one of the music world’s most iconic artists and the cofounder of the organizations ONE and (RED), Bono’s career has been written about extensively. But in Surrender, it’s Bono who picks up the pen, writing for the first time about his remarkable life and those he has shared it with. In his unique voice, Bono takes us from his early days growing up in Dublin, including the sudden loss of his mother when he was fourteen, to U2’s unlikely journey to become one of the world’s most influential rock bands, to his more than twenty years of activism.
-
-
Fantastic!
- By Josh on 11-04-22
By: Bono
-
Me and Sister Bobbie
- True Tales of the Family Band
- By: Willie Nelson, Bobbie Nelson, David Ritz
- Narrated by: Willie Nelson, Bobbie Nelson
- Length: 6 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Abandoned by their parents as toddlers, Willie and Bobbie Nelson found their love of music almost immediately through their grandparents, who raised them in a small Texas town. Their close relationship was the longest-lasting bond in both their lives. In alternating chapters, this heartfelt dual memoir weaves together both their stories as they experienced them side by side and apart.
-
-
Willie and Bobbie Nelson Are The Best of Friends
- By Linda on 03-07-21
By: Willie Nelson, and others
-
It's a Long Story
- My Life
- By: Willie Nelson, David Ritz - contributor
- Narrated by: Christopher Ryan Grant
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
"Unvarnished. Funny. Leaving no stone unturned"...So say the publishers about this audiobook I've written. What I say is that this is the story of my life, told as clear as a Texas sky and in the same rhythm that I lived it. It's a story of restlessness and the purity of the moment and living right. Of my childhood in Abbott, Texas, to the Pacific Northwest, from Nashville to Hawaii, and all the way back again. Of selling vacuum cleaners and encyclopedias while hosting radio shows and writing song after song, hoping to strike gold.
-
-
An Enjoyable Listen
- By Patrick on 05-19-15
By: Willie Nelson, and others
-
Me & Patsy Kickin' Up Dust
- My Friendship with Patsy Cline
- By: Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton - foreword
- Narrated by: Patsy Lynn Russell
- Length: 4 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Loretta Lynn and the late Patsy Cline are legends - country icons and sisters of the heart. For the first time ever, Loretta tells their story: a celebration of their music and their relationship up until Patsy's tragic and untimely death. Full of laughter and tears, this eye-opening, heartwarming memoir paints a picture of two stubborn, spirited country gals who'd be damned if they'd let men or convention tell them how to be. Set in the heady streets of the 1960s South, this nostalgia ride shows how Nashville blossomed into the city of music it is today.
-
-
Awesome!
- By Anonymous User on 04-10-20
By: Loretta Lynn, and others
-
Petty: The Biography
- By: Warren Zanes
- Narrated by: Warren Zanes
- Length: 13 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one other than Warren Zanes, rocker and writer and friend, could author a book about Tom Petty that is as honest and evocative of Petty's music and the remarkable rock and roll history he and his band helped to write. Born in Gainesville, Florida, with more than a little hillbilly in his blood, Tom Petty was a Southern shit kicker, a kid without a whole lot of promise. Rock and roll made it otherwise.
-
-
Tom Petty gets some bio love
- By tru britty on 12-15-15
By: Warren Zanes
-
Talking to My Angels
- By: Melissa Etheridge
- Narrated by: Melissa Etheridge
- Length: 6 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over the past twenty years, Melissa Etheridge has been blessed with success, love, joy, contentment, freedom, and release. She became a mother again, recorded eleven albums, toured the world, performed at the Grammy Awards, won an Oscar, discovered her one true love, and underwent a profound spiritual awakening. She also experienced illness, incomparable loss, heartache, guilt, shame, and devastating grief. Yet through it all, Melissa found the strength and courage to carry on. Talking to My Angels is a profoundly honest look into her inner life as a woman, an artist, a mother, and a survivor.
-
-
just in time
- By horsecrazy on 09-15-23
-
Out of the Corner
- A Memoir
- By: Jennifer Grey
- Narrated by: Jennifer Grey
- Length: 11 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this beautiful, close-to-the bone account, Jennifer Grey takes listeners on a vivid tour of the experiences that have shaped her, from her childhood as the daughter of Broadway and film legend Joel Grey, to the surprise hit with Patrick Swayze that made her America’s sweetheart, to her inspiring season eleven win on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars.
-
-
nothing new
- By DH on 05-12-22
By: Jennifer Grey
Interesting and easy listening audible book.
Excellent book about Dolly
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.