Dolly Parton’s Love for Louisiana Included This Special Moment With Rockin’ Dopsie
The tributes following Dolly Parton’s death have come from nearly every corner of music and entertainment. Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Parton’s goddaughter Miley Cyrus are among those who have honored the country music icon. Even Eminem shared a heartfelt message.
It feels appropriate for someone who may have been one of the last American celebrities nearly everyone could agree on. Different generations, different genres and different parts of the country all seemed to find something to love about Dolly. She wasn’t simply liked. She was adored.
Louisiana certainly loved Dolly Parton, too. And the relationship went both ways.
Over the years, Parton showed plenty of affection for the things that make Louisiana unique, from Mardi Gras and second lines to our "steel" magnolias, gumbo and our unmistakable culture. But one moment from 1987 shows that her appreciation for Louisiana went much deeper than the things most people immediately associate with the state.
Dolly loved the music, the musicians and the people behind it. One legendary Acadiana family has the receipts to prove it.
Dolly Parton invited Rockin’ Dopsie onto her show in 1987
Nearly four decades ago, Parton welcomed legendary Louisiana zydeco musician Rockin’ Dopsie Sr. and his family onto her television show, giving Louisiana music and culture a national spotlight.
Following Parton’s passing, brothers Anthony, David and Dwayne Dopsie revisited the unforgettable experience, sharing photos and video clips from their family archives. One rare photo captures Dolly alongside Rockin’ Dopsie Sr. and his sons in 1987, but for the Dopsie brothers, the memories surrounding that picture are just as special.
Anthony Dopsie remembers Parton being remarkably down to earth despite already being one of the most recognizable entertainers in the world.
“She was an angel, man,” Anthony said while recalling the experience.
He remembers Dolly sitting on the floor with everyone, making sure the group was fed and genuinely wanting to hear about what they had going on back home in Louisiana.
According to Anthony, Parton got ribeyes for everyone and spent time learning about the people and culture behind the zydeco music she had invited onto her show.
Rockin’ Dopsie gave Dolly her own washboard
The appearance also produced a moment that has become part of Dopsie family history.
Rockin’ Dopsie Sr. presented Dolly with her very own washboard on national television. It wasn’t exactly an off-the-shelf model, either. Anthony remembers his father having the washboard specially shaped for Dolly, something Parton herself immediately noticed.
The funny exchange was pure Louisiana, but there was something bigger happening in that moment. One of country music’s most recognizable stars was sharing her national platform with one of Louisiana’s most important zydeco musicians.
For Anthony, seeing Dolly’s interest in his family’s music helped him realize something about the culture he grew up surrounded by in Louisiana.
“It lets me see what we have in Louisiana here. We have something special,” Anthony said. “Everybody wants a piece of it. They want our food, they want the music. They wanna know what it is, what it’s like.”
Dolly Parton helped bring Louisiana zydeco to a national audience
Rockin’ Dopsie Sr. built a career that carried Louisiana music far beyond Acadiana. He performed with major artists including B.B. King and helped introduce audiences around the world to zydeco. His sons have continued that legacy, with the Dopsie name remaining synonymous with Louisiana music decades later.
Still, appearing alongside Dolly Parton represented something special.
This wasn’t simply a Louisiana musician being invited to perform on television. It was Dolly showing a genuine curiosity about where the music came from and the people responsible for making it.
Anthony said that after he shared the old photo, people from across the country reached out to thank him. For some, it was another reminder of just how far zydeco has traveled and the unlikely places Louisiana culture has found a home.
And there it was in one photograph: Dolly Parton, Rockin’ Dopsie and a Louisiana family standing together in a moment that has lasted nearly 40 years.
Louisiana loved Dolly Parton, and Dolly loved us back
There will be countless Dolly Parton stories shared in the days ahead. That happens when someone’s life and career touch as many people as hers did.
Louisiana has its own stories to tell.
We can talk about Dolly’s love for Mardi Gras, second lines, magnolias, and gumbo. But the Dopsie family can tell you about the time she invited Louisiana into the room with her. She listened to their music, asked about their home, ate with them, laughed with them, and made them feel like they belonged on the same stage as one of the biggest stars in America.
Maybe that is part of why Dolly Parton seemed to connect with practically everyone. She had a way of making people feel seen while never appearing to take herself too seriously.
As the world mourns an icon who somehow managed to be adored across generations, genres and backgrounds, there is something worth remembering in that.
The world would probably be a better place if we were all just a little more like Dolly.
Here in Louisiana, naturally, we’d mix in a little zydeco, too.
