Dolly Parton and the Time She Nearly Committed Suicide
Dolly Parton's dog kept her from committing suicide, according to a new book of interviews the country music legend has done through the years. While stories of her contemplating suicide are not new, what the book claims led to that day is.
The end of an affair to an unnamed lover left Parton depressed, according to Dolly on Dolly: Interviews and Encounters with Dolly Parton. Reports originating in the Daily Mail put Parton in her bedroom holding a gun she kept in a dresser in case of burglars. The book claims (amongst other things) that Parton and her husband of over 50 years have an open marriage.
"Then, just as I picked it up, just to hold it and look at it for a moment, our little dog, Popeye, came running up the stairs," Parton says in the book (quote via Daily Mail). That jolted her back to reality and she never came close to following through.
"I don’t think I’d have done it, killed myself, but I can’t say for sure. Now that I’ve gone through that terrible moment, I can certainly understand the possibilities even for someone solid like me if the pain gets bad enough." Taste of Country reached out to Parton's representatives for clarification as it's not clear which interview the Randy L. Schmidt edited book is sourcing. However since the book is unauthorized they declined to comment.
See Pictures of Dolly Parton Through the Years
This allegedly happened in the early '80s and it's not the first time she's talked about it. A 2010 article at the Boot quotes Parton as saying her inability to have kids with husband Carl Dean was the root of her depression.
Parton is known as one of country music's most influential female artists and businesswomen. Her rags-to-riches story has been documented in movies and in her music. Most recently her philanthropy has stood out above her music. Checks for $1,000 to families affected by the East Tennessee fires of 2016 turned into $5,000.
11 Unforgettable Dolly Parton Moments