Dolly Parton's Mysterious Bond With Elvis Presley, Why She Said They Were 'Kin'
- - Dolly Parton's Mysterious Bond With Elvis Presley, Why She Said They Were 'Kin'
Lucille BarillaDecember 27, 2025 at 8:04 AM
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Miller Mobley/NBC via Getty Images
Dolly Parton always felt a special bond with Elvis Presley, once describing him as “kin,” even though the two never met in person.
Back in 1978, Parton sat down for an interview with Playboy Magazine, where she shared why she believed there was a unique bond between her and the King of Rock and Roll. She believed it had a lot to do with their shared upbringings.
"I never [met him]," Parton admitted. "But I always felt that we were kin. I feel like I know exactly how he was. Every time he’d come in town, even if I was home, I just wouldn’t go, somethin’ always kept me from goin’."
She continued, "There were other people I liked to hear sing better, but there was nobody that I ever related to more. He was very loving, very emotional, very sensitive, very giving, very humble, thankful, grateful. I always felt that he was totally in awe of his own success and he didn’t quite understand why he had been so chosen and why he was such an idol."
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Parton believed that their shared feelings about God and religion further connected them. Both were Christians who felt they had a calling to use their musical talents to serve others.
Parton shared a story with Patheos about the moment she knew she had to use her musical talents in that manner. "I remember when people used to pray, in our church, they’d anoint with oil, pray for the sick, or whatever."
"I had been hearing people say, 'Anoint someone with oil.' But when that old lady told me I was anointed, I didn’t know what that meant; I was just thinking it was like being anointed with olive oil. But Mama said, 'No, that means that God has his hand on you, and you may do something special.'”
Presley felt the same deep spiritual connection as Parton. His stepbrother, Billy Stanley, told The Guardian in 2022, "He relied on God for everything. It’s where he got his strength. Elvis was so appreciative of what the Lord had given him. He thanked God every day and constantly sought God’s guidance through prayer and readingthe Bible.”
Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley never met in person. By the time she was climbing the ladder of success in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Elvis had already entered a very insular phase of his career. He rarely attended industry events, did few casual appearances, and mostly interacted within a tightly controlled inner circle.
Both artists continued to share their spirituality through music, both releasing powerful odes to their faith throughout their careers, including covers of the classic "How Great Thou Art." Presley released his Grammy-winning version in 1967, while Parton's was included on her 1971 album Golden Streets of Glory.
Their bond existed in spirit rather than in person as two artists shaped by similar origins whose paths ran parallel, but never quite intersected.
This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
