How Dolly Parton Reclaimed Her Career | UNUM Short

The 2021 release of Taylor Swift’s re-recorded album, Red (Taylor’s Version), sparked discussions of artist rights. In this UNUM Short, Ken Burns reflects on Dolly Parton’s relationship to Porter Wagoner and the struggle female artists often face against men in the industry who wield power over their careers.

Students will analyze the power and gender dynamics between an artist and their manager and the ways in which an artist does not always have full control over what they create. By learning about the career of Dolly Parton and her relationship with Porter Wagoner, students will question the ways in which Wagoner was able to control Parton’s early career and the obstacles she had to overcome to become successful on her own. Students will then compare and contrast the struggles of similar artists, like Taylor Swift, and examine the ways in which the music industry puts artists into a position where they have to fight for their creative and intellectual property.