Smart Blonde: Dolly Parton: The Life of Dolly PartonPaperback, 11 May 2015

In this revised edition of his definitive biography of Dolly Parton, Stephen Miller has updated his original book on the superstar.

Going behind the larger-than-life image to discover what makes Dolly tick, Miller gets to the core of a remarkable woman from a poor East Tennessee background who made it in the male-dominated world of Sixties Nashville and went on to build a respectable movie career.

Talking to Dolly's family members, musicians and producers, the author explores Dolly's private life, including her closely-guarded relationships with her husband of nearly fifty years, Carl Dean, and her lifelong friend Judy Ogle.

What emerges is a unique portrait of a strong woman who took control of her life, her music and a successful business career with resolute determination. Dolly loves making jokes at her own expense; perhaps the best joke has been how one of America's great singer-songwriters became a legend by being serious about her music while being frivolous about her image.

Dolly has been a huge star five decades. Her ability to pull in and delight large crowds remains undiminished - as many fans old and new discovered at the world's biggest open air festival in 2014.