ABSTRACT
Dolly Parton’s comedic persona of a hypersexualized, cartoonish, and garish hillbilly girl-woman has provided her with a foundation through which she slyly has gained a great deal of power in the male-dominated country music industry of the time. Her empowerment has opened doors for a generation of other women to step onto the country music stage without needing to embody Parton’s masquerade. The chapter will explore how Dolly Parton has used humor to continue to navigate the complex gender politics and ideological waters of country music as a much-admired pioneer and icon in the industry, a beacon for female singers and songwriters as well as one of the wealthiest country music stars (and magnate of The Dollywood Company).
