In an exclusive video featured on AOL, Dolly Parton shares a special story from her past about a big surprise she gave her parents and younger siblings once her music career had begun to take off. Dolly said,
"One of the greatest joys of my life was when I made enough money to do something special for my family, because my family was always number one with me and still is."
With the help of some friends, Dolly and a few of her older siblings managed to completely decorate and furnish her parent's house with new furniture and curtains for a special Christmas surprise.
Dolly's love for her family can be heard in many of her songs, especially her 1971 hit, "Coat of Many Colors." This song is the focus of her new movie of the same name airing on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 9/8c on NBC.
"Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" stars Alyvia Alyn Lind, Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder and Gerald McRaney.
AOL Video Exclusive: Dolly Parton
Update (Aug. 19, 2015): It’s official, "Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors" is set to air on NBC, Thursday, Dec. 10, from 9-11 PM!
Update (May 11, 2015): NBC confirms first in series of made-for-TV movies will be "Coat of Many Colors."
Read more about the movie on NBC.
In early January 2015, Dolly and NBC announced their joint plans to make a collection of two-hour television movies based on Dolly's life and songs. Not only will Dolly produce the films, she will also reunite with Bob Greenblatt on the project. She remarked,
"I am so excited to be involved with my friend Bob Greenblatt, who produced the Broadway version of '9 to 5: The Musical' with me, and my longtime friend and former agent Sam Haskell. We want to create projects for NBC that are both fun and inspirational with a family audience in mind."
The network noted the films will incorporate Dolly's always-present positive outlook on life which has inspired her fans and those around her. In a release, NBC Entertainment chairman, Robert Greenblatt said,
"I don't know anyone in the world who doesn't love Dolly Parton, and the idea of developing television movies inspired by her incredible life and the stories she has sung about for decades is exciting to all of us at NBC."
Dolly wrote many of her hit songs based on personal experiences from her childhood and from other times in her life. Songs like "Coat of Many Colors," "My Tennessee Mountain Home" and "I Will Always Love You" were inspired by real events. Through these songs and many others, Dolly builds strong emotional connections with her fans. Now these beloved stories are set to play out on the small screen for loyal fans and new audiences alike.
