Any worthwhile book about Dolly Parton is going to be chock-full of delectable details about the country music icon’s amazing career. In fact, a brand new volume by the legend herself can be described exactly that way. Star of the Show: My Life on Stage by Dolly Parton with Tom Roland (Ten Speed Press) is a tour of her many years and achievements as a performer. And there is so much to look back upon!
Per a press release, Parton, 79, said, “I’m so proud that I’ve been able to spend the last 70-plus years dong what I feel I was born to do…singing, writing, and performing. Even prouder that I’ve been able to do it with and for my fans, God bless you everyone.”
More About ‘Star of the Show’
The comprehensive book, which was published on November 11, 2025, is the third one in a fascinating trilogy about the singer. (The first two were Songteller and Behind the Seams.) This one is notable for hundreds of photos, heartfelt stories, “and an eight-page gatefold listing her lifetime of performances.”
Star of the Show is also available as a deluxe edition. There is an audiobook from Penguin Random House Audio that Parton narrates. It also features her co-author Tom Roland as well as Charlie Chase and Lorianne Crook. They have covered the country music business for decades.
The Book Spans Her Whole Career
The volume follows the trajectory of Parton’s professional life from the earliest days when she was on television with renowned country crooner Porter Wagoner. There was her career-changing decision to go solo that eventually led to smash hit songs such as “Here You Come Again” in 1977. Parton proved to be a deft actress when she co-starred in the fan-favorite film 9 to 5 along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
Star of the Show spotlights Parton’s international tours that featured sellout crowds. She has worked with many of the most gifted singers in country music, such as Emmylou Harris, Kenny Rogers, and Linda Ronstadt, just to name a few.
Parton’s “brand empire” is yet another focus, given her status as a true multi-faceted renaissance woman.
