Kitty Wells and Dolly Parton: Two Trailblazing Women in Country Music
Country music has long been dominated by male voices and perspectives. Yet throughout the decades, pioneering female artists have gradually opened doors for women in the genre. Two groundbreaking stars who embodied strength, savvy, and unapologetic femininity were Kitty Wells in the 1950s and 60s and Dolly Parton starting in the late 60s.
Though there is no documented evidence that Dolly Parton directly cited lessons learned from Kitty Wells, Wells’ bold career moves and success as a female country artist in the male-driven era before Dolly came onto the scene undoubtedly influenced Parton’s own approach. Examining the context of their careers and personas reveals striking thematic similarities that suggest Dolly Parton followed – whether consciously or not – in the footsteps blazed by Kitty Wells years before.
Breaking Barriers for Women in Country Music
Kitty Wells was one of the first female country singers to find major success in her own right, paving the way for the many women who followed. When she first rose to fame in 1952 with her hit “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels,” the country music world was almost entirely dominated by men. Singing from a woman’s perspective was rare, let alone singing a response song that challenged male narratives – which is exactly what Wells did with “Honky Tonk Angels.”
Wells’ song was a rebuttal to the popular tune “It Wasn’t God Who Made Honky Tonk Angels” by Hank Thompson, which blamed women for marital unhappiness and infidelity. Wells took a bold stand, singing from the woman’s point of view and arguing it took “two to make a love go wrong.” The song resonated with female listeners who were tired of one-sided blame, and it became an instant hit. It was the first song by a solo female artist to top Billboard’s country charts.
Wells overcame attitudes that women couldn’t sell records or hold their own on the country circuit. She proved female perspectives had commercial appeal and blazed a trail for the many women who became country stars over the following decades. Johnny Wright, Kitty’s husband and manager, reflected on her impact, saying, “Kitty Wells pretty much gave birth to female country music…It was only men up to that point.”
Among those following in Wells’ footsteps was Dolly Parton. When Parton rose to fame with 1967’s “Dumb Blonde,” country music was still a difficult arena for women. But Parton went on to become one of the genre’s most successful and beloved artists, known for songs that unabashedly celebrated women’s viewpoints.
Parton’s hits like “Just Because I’m a Woman,” “9 to 5,” and many others echoed Wells’ spirit of speaking openly about female experiences. And Parton has credited other pioneering women like Loretta Lynn for opening doors in country music, so she was certainly aware of those who came before her. Though their eras did not directly overlap, Wells’ bold example no doubt informed Parton’s own approach to writing and singing proudly from a woman’s perspective.
Business Savvy and Independence
In addition to her music, Kitty Wells was known for taking charge of her career in a time when women in the industry were expected to be passive participants. Wells took the reins when it came to managing bookings, contract negotiations, and other business aspects that were usually left to male managers and partners.
This independent streak was evident from early on. When she first started performing on local radio shows, Wells was billed as “Johnnie Wright’s wife” as a novelty. But when the radio station tried to cut her pay since she was a woman, Wells asserted herself, saying she would only perform if paid the full amount.
As her career took off, Wells continued to retain control. Unusual for the time, she handled all of her own bookings rather than relying on a middleman or male manager. Wells also had a hand in managing royalty rights to her songs. And she was a savvy negotiator, demanding upfront payment rather than settling for questionable royalties.
Dolly Parton demonstrated similar business savvy as she built her career in country music. From a young age, Parton insisted on handling contract negotiations herself, gradually buying back the rights to all her own songs, a remarkably forward-thinking decision at the time.
Parton also formed her own production company in the 1980s so she could manage her own music and tour schedules. And she focused intently on building her personal brand through business ventures like Dollywood theme park and various licensed products.
Like Wells, Parton understood the value of retaining independence and control rather than ceding decisions to male gatekeepers. Though Parton has not directly commented on being influenced by Wells’ business approach, the clear parallels suggest she followed Wells’ model of savvy self-management. Their mutual determination to steer their own careers flew in the face of conventional gender roles of their times.
Embracing Femininity on Their Own Terms
Both Kitty Wells and Dolly Parton shared another trait that set them apart – neither shied away from embracing their femininity in an era when women were encouraged to downplay their looks.
In the 1950s country scene, female performers tended to adopt a relatively toned-down style – homespun dresses, minimal makeup and hairdos. But Wells put her own spin on this, often performing in elegant Western-inspired outfits with full skirts, fringe, and a signature cowboy hat perched atop her curled blonde hair.
Wells’ look conveyed both her country roots and her personal style. And it signaled a shift towards women in country music being allowed to express their femininity on their own terms.
When Dolly Parton burst onto the scene in the late 1960s, she took this to the next level. With her bouffant hair, exaggerated curves, sequined outfits, and glamorous makeup, Parton created a hyper-feminine persona that became legendary.
At a time when the women’s liberation movement often equated femininity with submission, Parton’s look made a bold statement that women could be strong, savvy, and in control while still reveling in their feminine beauty. Parton noted that she patterned herself after the iconic blonde bombshell Mae West, saying “I based my look and style on hers because she was so outrageous.”
Both Wells and Parton refused to tone themselves down to fit in with the male-dominated country world. Their courage to embrace their personal styles blazed a trail for the genre’s female artists to put their own spin on country glamour in the decades that followed.
Legacy of Influence
Though their eras in country music did not directly overlap, the success Kitty Wells found honoring female perspectives and maintaining her self-direction appears to have paved the way for Dolly Parton’s own unprecedented career. While Parton has not specifically cited lessons she learned from Wells, the similarities in their boldness, business savvy, and feminine flair suggest Wells’ boundary-breaking example left its mark.
Speaking of other country female pioneers like Loretta Lynn, Parton summed up their influence, saying “We were all allowed to be ourselves.” The same could be said of how Wells’ musical courage and individuality opened doors for Parton and others to succeed on their own terms.
Both women emerged as country originals who remain beloved icons decades later. They each helped prove not only that women belonged in country music, but that they could steer their own creative paths and styles without sacrificing success.
Kitty Wells once reflected, “I wasn’t trying to be a pioneer…I was just trying to make a living doing what I loved.” But in the process, she and Dolly Parton left an indelible mark and inspired generations of female artists who followed in their footsteps. Their legacies remind us that a woman’s voice and perspective have the power to resonate when expressed with honesty and authenticity.