Dolly Parton plays several instruments, with guitar her strongest instrument by her own account. She started playing the guitar when she was just a child and has also described playing the banjo, autoharp and dulcimer. She was born into a musical family, but the exact total depends on what you count as a separate instrument.
An instrument heard on a Dolly Parton record is not automatically one she played herself. For a clearer picture of her playing, look for performances that show her with a guitar, banjo, dulcimer or autoharp. These mountain instruments are a useful starting point for exploring the instrumental side of her music.
Dolly’s versatility is part of her appeal, but occasional stage playing is different from mastering every instrument. Here are the instruments often associated with her, with a few distinctions to keep the total in perspective:
- Dulcimer: one of the mountain instruments she has described playing.
- Autoharp: another instrument she has named in interviews.
- Banjo: part of her mountain-music background.
- Guitar: the instrument she identifies as her strongest.
- Electric guitar: a guitar type, so counting it separately changes the total.
- Fiddle: often included in lists, but not a separate instrument from the violin.
- Piano: included among the instruments observed on her Pure & Simple tour.
- Recorder: also reported in her tour performances.
- Saxophone: a stage instrument she has played, rather than a reason to assume concert-level mastery.
- Harmonica: an often-repeated claim that should not be added to a firm total without a clear performance example.
- Violin: the same instrument as the fiddle, not an additional entry in a count.
- Mandolin: another claimed addition that needs a clear example before being counted.
- Pan-flute: associated with her Pure & Simple stage show, which she described as playing for show.
Pretty impressive, right? But being the true musician that she is, she even made an instrument out of her acrylic nails!
During her appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show, she revealed that she played parts of the chorus with her nails. According to her, she used her acrylic nails while she was writing the song “9 to 5” on the set because they made noise and sounded like a typewriter.
What is Dolly Parton’s Music Style?
Dolly Parton is a country singer, songwriter, and actress. She was born in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and raised with traditional country music. Those roots are central to her sound, even when she moves into pop or rock.
However, she has also experimented with other genres over the years. For example, her album “Here You Come Again” helped bring her country-pop crossover success. “I Will Always Love You” originally appeared on “Jolene,” while “Rockstar” explores rock songs and collaborations. Her song “Jolene” has also been covered by many artists, including The White Stripes.
So what can you expect from recordings of a Dolly Parton concert? A mix of country music with some pop and rock thrown in there! Her stage shows also included covers and playful instrumental moments. If you enjoy country music, her live recordings offer plenty to explore, while the crossover songs provide an easy route in for pop and rock listeners.
About Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, and author whose career spans music, film and television. Her recordings range from her work with Porter Wagoner and classic country albums to pop crossover hits and rock collaborations. Her honors include Grammy Awards and induction into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Summary
Dolly Parton is a versatile musician whose guitar, banjo, autoharp and dulcimer playing reflects her mountain-music roots. She has also used other instruments onstage, but a fixed total can be misleading when lists count guitar types separately or include both fiddle and violin.
Not only is she a musician, but she is also known as a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Exploring her recordings and filmed performances reveals a mix of country music with pop and rock, along with the instrumental touches that make her music distinctive.
Dolly Parton Featured Image by: Curtis Hilbun, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
