Dolly Parton produced and wrote a lot of new songs for the musical theatre version of “9 to 5,” which I happened to see in Los Angeles last year. It was good fun in an escapist way. Dolly plays up her bubbly image, but she’s extremely smart and talented. The BBC interviewed her about the experience and here are a couple of interesting comments by her:
“I've never done this before so I've just got those butterflies in my stomach, mostly hoping that it does good. I just got in there and gritted my teeth, rolled up my sleeves and did the best I could.”
On writing a musical rather than stand-alone songs:
“There was a little bit more freedom in it. You can just write until you've said what you think the character needed to say. I got a chance to write for different personalities, for the men. The Mr Hart character, I got a big kick out of doing that and performing his part in my manly voice and writing what I think a man would think.”
On becoming an icon for many artists:
“I've always been so busy doing my work that I don't think about what I've accomplished I just think about what I'm gonna accomplish next. I'm very proud and very humbled by everything good that's happened to me. I've worked my butt off there's no doubt, and I'll continue to do that, but it's a nice compliment when people talk nice about you.”
Those thoughts reflect her “just get down to work and do it” attitude that helps explain her success, and I think the last comment works both when things have gone well and when they haven’t gone well—don’t spend too much time thinking about the last thing (unless there are some lessons to be learned)—just get on with the next one, and if people talk nice about you, well, that’s a bonus.
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