Gauntlet

I’ve always loved Dolly Parton. There’s the voice, the face, old and new (before all the plastic surgery it was beautiful, now it’s fascinating), the strength, the outlandish outfits, the glitz and the glamour, the cartoon body, invisible husband, rumoured affairs, intelligence, the giddy laugh like a yelping pup, and that bizarre mix of downright dirty talk and god-fearing wholesomeness.

And, of course, there are her songs. Like all the true country greats, Parton can sum up situations and emotions with brilliant economy.