Bob Dylan and Dolly Parton are seemingly as opposite as night and day. Parton is approachable, bubbly, and overall an apparent delight to be around. Dylan is mysterious, secluded, and seems rather volatile. Though, that is what seemingly makes him the best songwriter of all time. Regardless, the two starkly contrast each other. Hence, Parton has shared her thoughts about the songwriter and his puzzling personality.
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Both musicians are unapologetically themselves, and because of that, they can say most things and receive most comments with a grain of salt. That being so, Parton felt no need to water down her thoughts about Dylan, and Dylan seemingly didn’t see a reason to respond. In essence, Parton’s comments were what she believed, and Dylan reportedly respected that, insulting or not.
Dolly Parton & Bob Dylan’s Absent Friendship
Despite the star status the two share, they seemingly have never bonded nor connected over this unique and sometimes isolating position. Parton once opened up about her lack of a relationship with Bob Dylan in an interview with the Daily Mail. Parton stated, “I’ve met him a few times, but I never felt any warmth from him to me” and, “I think I have offended him somehow by the way I looked or the way I was. I love his music but he’s a weird buckaroo.”
Her comments to the Daily Mail weren’t the only instance where Parton acknowledged her lack of a relationship with Dylan. She also commented on the matter with the Telegraph, stating, “I don’t feel like we ever connected. Maybe he just thought I was too phony or he didn’t get to know me too well.”
Regardless of Dylan’s disposition, Dolly Parton has still openly expressed and praised his talents. “I always loved his music” and “His mind is so deep, but his melodies are so good. They lend themselves so well to harmonies,” per the Telegraph. Parton has actually covered numerous Dylan songs, and before covering “Blowin’ In The Wind” for her 2005 album, Those Were the Days, she invited Dylan to join her. However, he denied the invitation, and his son, Jakob Dylan, denied his invitation as well.
No one will ever know why exactly Dylan is so reluctant to have a friendship with a musician of a similar stature. And frankly, it’s not our place to speculate as to why that is. In totality, the relationship, or lack thereof, between the two greats is just another colorfully convoluted moment in the entertaining catalog of music history.
Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images
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