... excellent ... divided into three equally invaluable and roughly chronological sections ... There’s a gold mine of little-seen photos of Parton’s little-seen husband of 54 years.
Writer Dolly comes through in Songteller. Not only do we get to marvel at lyrics from a small sampling of the 3,000 songs she’s written, but we also get to read Parton’s take on what inspired the songs, where she was when she wrote them and what they mean to her now. Despite the book’s gorgeous and glittering embossed cover and coffee-table format, Songteller reads like a memoir. Parton’s voice—emotive and funny—kept me turning pages.
... fascinating and revealing ... Parton’s voice shines, along with her indomitable spirit, throughout the book ... She also documents some of the fun and productive encounters she’s enjoyed with many of the greats: Tammy Wynette, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and a wide net of others, including Andy Warhol.
The book’s format typically follows one page of lyrics, with the opposite page of either story or photos about those lyrics. Also, while most chapters are written in first person by Dolly, the occasional chapter is written by her co-writer, Robert K. Oermann. The reader should note that the lyrics begin in chronological order, but later jump back between the 1970s and recent songs. Though many people are Dolly fans, readers may feel too many lyrics were tossed in. The book could have easily ended at 300 pages instead of 380. In addition to Dolly’s compelling life story, the reader will delight in the many color, and black-and -white photos, as well as hundreds of lyrics from Dolly’s songwriting career.
While fans love Parton for her crystal-clear vocals and her charming, witty stage presence, she’s always thought of herself as a songwriter first, and this book illustrates her deep devotion to music that captures a moment or tells a heart-rending tale ... Parton tells her stories with a grin and a twinkle in her eye. Her book invites us to sit a spell as she weaves her enchanting storytelling web around us, wrapping us in the warm, silky threads of her voice and comforting us with her presence.
Though Parton has been the subject of much biographical, critical, and musicological commentary of late, this one stands out for its keen insights from the songwriter herself ... Throughout, it’s clear that Parton understands both the sheer power of music and her own considerable gifts as a songwriter, performer, storyteller, and collaborator. And the work is just plain heartening. One could do worse to cue up a Spotify playlist and curl up in a comfortable chair with a mug of tea and this book ... Heartwarming and insightful in equal measure. For Parton fans.
Each of the lyrics is preceded by a couple sentences of context provided by Oermann and notes on the song from Parton, many of which showcase her wry sense of humor ... Copiously illustrated with pictures of Parton, her costumes, lyric sheets, and other memorabilia, this is a sweet treat for the artist’s many fans.
... a handsomely produced collection ... Parton conceals more than she reveals about her 50-plus-year marriage to the reclusive Carl Dean and whether she’s had affairs. She is frank, however, about professional setbacks ... A splashy, entertaining guide to the lyrics of one of the most popular musicians of our time.
