Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors: A Song Woven from Poverty, Love, and MemoryIn the autumn of 1971, country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton released Coat of Many Colors. At first glance, it seemed like a simple, homespun tune about a little girl wearing a handmade patchwork coat to school. But to those who listened closely — and to anyone who had ever grown up with very little but carried the dignity of love in their hearts — it became clear that this was not just another country ballad. It was Dolly’s life, stitched into music.
