When Dolly Parton’s fame grew in the 1970s, fellow musician Brenda Lee gave insight into the way her life would change. Parton idolized Lee throughout her childhood, and they became friendly as Parton’s career grew more successful. With Parton’s success came complaints from those who knew her about the way fame changed her.
Lee shared why Parton might be more distant with her old friends. Brenda Lee shared the way Dolly Parton’s life changed after fame When Parton hired a management team from Los Angeles to take control of her career, many people in Nashville were aghast. They felt she was turning her back on country music and the community that uplifted her.
Lee, who understood the position Parton was in, offered insight as to why she may be more distant. “Maybe old friends are a threat to Dolly inasmuch as she’s trying to live a life that’s in accordance with what she’s doing,” Lee said in the book Dolly by Alanna Nash. “She’s leading a jet-set life now.
Let’s face it. That’s how you live when you’re in those circles. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
There are a lot of great people in that circle. But I think maybe she’s afraid to relate to the sort of semi-stardom and fans that she had before. She doesn’t want to lose what she’s gained.
She’s worked hard for it.” Lee said she could completely understand what Parton was going through, but she hoped she wouldn’t change too much. “There are all different things that go on,” sh.