Those people who wake up and they're just beautiful, they're just born that way. Well that ain't me. I gotta work for everything I've got.

In the country field, we’re brought up in spiritual homes, we’re taught to “judge not lest you be judged,” and it’s always been a mystery to me how people jump all over things just to criticize, condemn and judge other people when that is so un-Christian – and they claim to be good Christians! We’re supposed to love one another. We’re supposed to accept and love one another. Whether we do or not, that’s a different story. But that’s what we’re supposed to do.

When I sit back in my rocking chair someday, I want to be able to say I've done it all.

My first job was singing on the Cas Walker radio show in Knoxville, Tennessee. I was about 10 years old and I thought it was big time.

When I wake up, I expect things to be good. If they're not, then I try to set about trying to make them as good as I can 'cause I know I'm gonna have to live that day anyway. So why not try to make the most of it if you can? Some days, they pan out a little better than others, but you still gotta always just try.

We give scholarships to high school kids and a new library of books to every preschool child in the county where I was born. I didn't have books at home so I did all my reading at school. I love books and I believe that helping kids to read gives them a great start in life.

I know some of the best Dolly Parton jokes. I made 'em up myself.