Dolly Parton has written songs from her heart about every aspect of life. From echoing the blessings in love that can be gleaned from having very little as one of 12 children in Sevier County, Tennessee to extolling love eternal in her most recognized song, “I Will Always Love You,” Dolly Parton's words and music ring true with every emotion.

No one has ever faced the sense of uncertainty and loss that is consuming humankind under the devastating wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, including Dolly Parton. The legendary Country Music icon is obediently staying home and staying safe under the self-isolation guidelines, but the loving heart and good soul of the petite superstar with powerhouse talent are still speaking to the world.

As reported March 28 by USA Today and Rolling Stone, Dolly shared words to encourage shelter-weary souls through her social media last Friday, straight from her own home. No one speaks truth and faith in humor in the way that Dolly Parton can. Her message was not lit by any spark of fire and brimstone from a pulpit, but instead, heartfelt comfort and hope from a friend.

Dolly Parton gives a little song and the light of love

Stairs can be a little tricky for many seniors, but for the ever young-at-heart 74-year-old, Parton, the lower-level stairs of her home provided the perfect backdrop for her message.

“Hello! This is Dolly,” the singer-songwriter opened, following with a melodic “Climbing the stairway to heaven.” Dolly Parton is no stranger to that famous lyrical phrase.

Parton recorded the 1971 Led Zeppelin classic, “Stairway to Heaven” on her 2002 “Halos & Horns” album, fans have been treated to several live performances. For Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, providing a vehicle for the driving, stratospheric guitar riffs and piercing vocals might have been the main focus in addition to jaded materialism.

For Dolly Parton, the message of hope and redemption lingers, along with the fiddles and dobro guitars.

Few artists have even dared to take on any rendition of the British band’s seminal ode. Dolly Parton is not a fearful woman when it comes to any genre or song. She can't say the same thing about the new virus, but she is still standing strong in faith.

“This virus has scared the H-E double L out of us,” the artist commiserates with her cumulative global following. She stresses that she's not making light of the deadly virus, but that finding the light in this universal ordeal will bring redemption and a new perspective on love for everyone. Ultimately, the death and devastation born of the COVID-19 rampage will end. There will be treatments and vaccines that work, and in spite of leadership failures, citizens are learning that there are civic leaders, heroes, and heroines in medicine and human caring who step forward to do what is right, no matter what.

Let the light shine, says Dolly Parton

Louis Brandeis wrote that sunlight is the best disinfectant.

Only light can vanquish darkness. In her uplifting message, Dolly Parton declares that “God is holding us up to the light, so we can see ourselves and see each other through the eyes of love.” Above and beyond science and medicine, Dolly insists that love is a lesson from this time, and it will eventually “dissolve” the fears along with the contagion.

If nothing else the Coronavirus pandemic has brought yet another piercing reminder that we are all part of a frail human family, no matter the ethnicity, language, or locale of our community. It has taken isolation to make us cherish the warmth from a beating heart or an outstretched hand. Every parent is being pushed and pulled until batty by the kids, and being granted the priceless gift of time that never would have come if not mandated.

Generations will retell this saga, starting now until the hereafter. Families are discovering that fun can be simple, like the one in Oregon who made their basement into a squash court with leftover plywood and tape.

No wonder Dolly Parton insists that “we'll all be better people” by the end of this completely new kind of normal, and perhaps the best parts will be lessons to stay. When the Guinness World Record-honored artist is asked about her trademark kindness to people, she often relates that she tries to find the “God-light” in everyone, and it has nothing to do with any denomination.

Faith and friends endure for Dolly Parton

In her own Tennessee paraphrase of “Fear not,” Dolly Parton closes with “Keep the faith.

Don't be too scared. It's gonna be alright. God loves us.”

The prolific songstress sounds just like a mother easing a child to bed after a nightmare. Parton never had children of her own, but she has comforted millions of hearts through a lifetime with her songs. Dolly has sent millions of books to children around the world through her Imagination Library children's literacy initiative. She knows something about pulling through life by bootstraps and faith, and the superstar called Mother Goose when she reads to children knows that bad dreams end.

Dolly Parton also paid a touching personal tribute to Kenny Rogers last week. Rogers died March 20 at age 81. She tearfully recalled their friendship while holding a favorite photo of herself and Rogers together.

The friends didn't ever waste a minute in sharing their mutual feelings and memories. The hit-making duet partners sang of the rarity of lasting, real friendship in 2013 with “You Can’t Make Old Friends.”

While illness is consuming the full effort and attention of those on the frontlines and those following “stay home” guidance, the joy of friendship, the comfort of faith, and the soothing familiarity of a Dolly Parton song always eases the soul.
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