Dolly Parton notoriously rises long before dawn and the Country Music one-woman dynamo does a lot of business and makes important calls in the wee hours. Making good use of time is something that the most successful female artist in music learned at an early age. Her upbringing in Sevier County, TN as one of 12 children to Avie Lee and Robert Lee Parton brought lasting lessons in the value of hard work and helping neighbors. Any long-time fan can hear the family traditions and Smoky Mountain simplicity in many Dolly Parton classics.

The coronavirus pandemic seems to be imparting the Dolly Parton brand of positivity like never before.

From the instant that self-quarantining orders came down, Dolly didn't let working from her basement be a detriment to doing good. She found ways to comfort hearts of any age with her words and warm stories. The powerhouse entertainer is famous for never forgetting her good friends, and she sent birthday love to Willie Nelson while Kristin Chenoweth gave her loving shout outs.

Parton has put the thoughts on her heart to music again in a brand-new song, “When Life Is Good Again,” as reported by Yahoo on May 29, and as the 74-year-old music icon shared in a May 28 Time profile, she’s committed to winning the virus battle while not giving into despair.

Dolly Parton looks back, then ahead to better days

The opening frames of the official music video for “When Life Is Good Again” feature Dolly Parton in a softened glow of light, threading an old film projector that only those of us “of a certain age” will remember.

“I'll be a better friend….a bigger person then,” Parton opens in the first verse.

It's easy to pledge improvement, and harder to live it out. In more stark reality than ever, the pandemic has proven how very fleeting life is, and that none of us have tomorrow.

The lines to follow vow to “in the moment when” and “so different then.” Dolly Parton deftly places those “when’s” and “then’s” to reinforce the following verse, which echoes, “We've been so ill at ease/There are no guarantees.” Now is the only moment to cherish.

As the song flows, a montage of masked first responders, from medical staff to military and more on the front line-- is laid atop the hometown girl memories. Real faces never cease to speak volumes and remain endlessly moving.

Other verses implore to “see what's going on…” and could not be more timely in light of the tortured, inexcusable loss and raging aftermath of the Floyd George murder in Minneapolis. Music has greater power for good than even greats like Dolly Parton realizes.

Music is been an eternally healing force, from the first human cry to the initial primordial drumbeat. Dolly Parton promises that life “is gonna be good again.” “If you want rainbows, you get rain,” she tenderly reminds.

She ensures that “We will be forever changed” from this unprecedented saga, but left better, stronger, and more appreciative.

Although Dolly and her pictured responders remove their masks at the end of the video as a symbolic “return” to life, the singer’s final message says it all. “Be safe, be respectful, wear your mask, lead with love,” as the composer walks into the light.

Love means giving in action to Dolly Parton

“When Life Is Good Again” encourages that the human family should “get our knees to bend,” in whatever vein of faith embraced. The encouraging new ballad’s message to “open up our hearts, and let the love shine in,” took root back in April for Dolly Parton.

Parton admonished her friends and followers to not be “too scared,” in these times, but she also took a big step in the science and research realm against coronavirus.

She was among the first to give $1 million to the cause, and she dedicated her funding toward finding feasible treatments until a widely- available vaccine is approved.

In the designation of her gift to “Build a Bridge to Save Lives” through Vanderbilt University, Dolly Parton was “paying forward” the invaluable gift granted to her niece, Hannah Dennison, years ago. Dr. Naji Abumrad became close friends with the country star through Hannah’s cancer treatment, and in 2018, she dedicated a butterfly garden in honor of her recovered relative.

Once a viable vaccine for COVID-19 makes it through clinical trials and approval, it will likely still be months before it can go into mass production. The work at Vanderbilt is some of the most groundbreaking in the area of treatment in saving lives before the vaccine arrives.

Call Dolly Parton grateful but not a perfect fit for a feminist

Dolly Parton’s optimism and genuine spirit were on full display during her talk with TIME Editor-In-Chief, Edward Felsenthal for the “Finding Hope” series on Thursday. The change for the future starts within for the Guinness World Record-honored artist, and she insists that “I can see a lot of things that I can do better than I did before.” She hopes the same is true for everyone once the siege is passed.

The current generation of country female artists cannot speak of breath regarding their inspiration without uttering Dolly Parton's name. From her prolific and ongoing song catalog to her savvy in business negotiations, Dolly has taught those following in her high heels how to succeed in the country music business.

Her philanthropic involvement through the My People Fund, her Imagination Library literacy initiative, and many other quieter causes, stands as a hallmark of her life.

Dolly Parton is proud to be a role model to rising generations, but declares that being called “a feminist” becomes “kind of a tricky question.”

Dolly does espouse that women should be able “to do anything they want to do,” she just doesn't see herself as the sign-carrying member of the feminist contingent. She prefers to “live my femininity” and let her life be an example that being a woman doesn't stop anyone from achieving goals.

On the other hand, songwriting has always been the gift for Dolly Parton, even in the most troubled times.

“I really try to write what I think everybody is going through right now, “ she asserts. “I’ve always been grateful that I'm a writer.” Countless listeners couldn't agree more with Dolly Parton, sharing the same sense of gratitude.
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