It was good to hear the proposed roadmap out of Lockdown broadcast the other day, immediately followed by the Reading and Leeds Festival telling everyone to start packing their rucksacks and tents! It’s just a shame that the news came too late to save the Glastonbury Festival this year. I’ve never managed to bag a ticket for Glastonbury but I’ve always enjoyed watching the highlights on television. One of my favourite highlights is the “Legends” slot on the main stage, and in 2014 Dolly Parton was the legend. She regaled the crowds with a wonderful performance of her hits, and her charisma and stage presence shone throughout.
Behind the country and western star persona lies a deep Christian faith. In a recent interview she said:
“My Grandpa pastored a church called the House of Prayer. The story of Christ went year-round in our place. We had Wednesday night prayer meetings, Sunday school, Sunday night prayer meetings. I was brought up believing that through God all things are possible and that Jesus loves me. That’s embedded in me. It follows me through everything that I do. It’s in my songs, my heart, my speech. I’m proud to have that in my background. It keeps me humble.”
Dolly Parton is also quick to credit her faith in the song writing process, that God is the creative spark in her gift for writing and producing music:
“God is my co-writer and my co-pilot. Anything that I do, I always keep God first and foremost because I feel like that’s where I draw my strength … [Songwriting] is my God-time. I have a little world that I work in with God and leave myself open [to Him]. Some times are better than others, but I enjoy the process because God gave me my gift. We all have our gifts. Some of us don’t use them like we should. It’s like that Scripture in the Bible about hiding [your light] under a bushel basket. If you don’t let it shine, it’ll go out. So I feel like God gave me this gift, and I want to write, create, spread joy, and spread a message. And I want to be there for other people. I know God is there for me.”
In 2019 Dolly Parton teamed up with Christian rock musician Zach Williams to record the song "There Was Jesus". Zach Williams wrote the song with Casey Beathard and Jonathan Smith, and said the song is about "looking back at 20 years ago when I had no idea that God was in the moment, that He was even with me through some of the hard things that have gone on in my life. Now I can see that He had His hand in everything I was doing."
Down through the years Dolly Parton has had 25 number one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, but this is her first ever number one in the Billboard Faith Chart. Dolly said: “Having a number one record at any time is a great thing, but having a number one faith-based record during these crazy times is even greater. I feel humbled and blessed to be part of this wonderful song.”
There Was Jesus
Every time I tried to make it on my own
Every time I tried to stand and start to fall
And all those lonely roads that I have travelled on
There was Jesus
When the life I built came crashing to the ground
When the friends I had were nowhere to be found
I couldn't see it then but I can see it now
There was Jesus
In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been and where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it or couldn't see it
There was Jesus
For this man who needs amazing kind of grace
For forgiveness at a price I couldn't pay
I'm not perfect so I thank God every day
There was Jesus (There was Jesus)
In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been and where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it or couldn't see it
There was Jesus
On the mountain, in the valleys (There was Jesus)
In the shadows of the alleys (There was Jesus)
In the fire, in the flood (There was Jesus)
Always is and always was
No I never walk alone
You are always there
In the waiting, in the searching
In the healing and the hurting
Like a blessing buried in the broken pieces
Every minute, every moment
Where I've been and where I'm going
Even when I didn't know it or couldn't see it
There was Jesus
Neil Chappell