Dolly Parton is an amazing singer, and she got her talent from her family. Way back in 1976, she had a TV show called Dolly, and in one special episode, almost her whole family joined her on stage. Her three oldest brothers weren’t there, but her parents, Avie and Robert, and seven of her other brothers and sisters sang with her. They performed an old song called “In the Pines,” which has been around for hundreds of years.
These days, people sometimes call it “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” It’s a mix of two old songs, “In the Pines” and “The Longest Train.” No one knows who wrote them, but they started in the 1870s in the mountains of places like Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia. Lots of singers have done their own versions, like Bill Monroe and Lead Belly in the 1940s and 1950s. It got really popular again in the 1990s when the band Nirvana sang it on MTV Unplugged, and even a newer singer, Koe Wetzel, has tried it too.
Dolly started the performance by telling everyone how her family used to sing old mountain songs together when she was a kid. She said, “I remember how we’d all sit around back home and sing those old timey mountain songs. Do you remember that? Songs like ‘In the Pines’ and ‘Little Brown Jug.’” Her dad made a funny joke, saying he knew the “brown jug” well because he used to make moonshine, a kind of homemade liquor, back in the day. Dolly and her mom laughed, and her mom, Avie, who didn’t like her dad drinking, said, “Yeah, leave that part in!”
Dolly thought “In the Pines” was perfect for the show because her dad used to drink his moonshine in the pine forests of Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains. She said, “Why don’t we sing ‘In the Pines?’ That’s where you used to go drink it. Let me see if I can get my pickin’ finger working—I learned from Mother Maybelle Carter.” Then they all sang together.
Her parents both sounded great, but her mom’s voice was especially beautiful and strong. Watching them, you can tell they’re a sweet family. It’s easy to see why Dolly grew up to be such a fantastic singer and a really nice person too. You should watch this special moment—it’s so fun and heartwarming!
