Dolly Parton Says Johnny Cash Taught Her What Sex Appeal Was

Getty Images / Hulton Archive, Ochs Archive

Dolly Parton, who is one of the most beloved and treasured singers in all of country music, has been singing at the Grand Ole Opry since she was just 13 years old.

Growing up dirt poor in the Great Smoky Mountains, Dolly Parton knew she was destined to be a singer from a young age. She would make up all sorts of songs as a child and loved to sing along with any musical instrument.

In her early teens, Dolly’s Uncle Bill would take her back and forth to Nashville. He took her to the Opry for the first time she ever sang there, too.

As Dolly recalled it in an interview with Seth Meyers, she says that as a youngster seeing all these singers get up and play on stage really taught her some stuff…and as she continued, she revealed that one of those was all about sexiness and sex appeal.

“It was amazing,” Dolly said about her first Opry days. “My uncle, Bill Owens, used to take me back and forth to Nashville – that was when Johnny Cash was first on the scene.”

“He was all…you know – he was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen!”

Well, young teenage Dolly seemed to take a liking to Mr. Johnny Cash and his songs, moves, and sex appeal.

“…And I was lookin’ at him and I was feelin’ all those things that you feel!” she said with a little squeal. “That was the first time I really understood what sex appeal really was!”

“And I just really fell into a burnin’ ring of fire!”

Dolly is too funny! Such a witty character, with great stories!