Dolly Parton Wanted to Buy Her Mom a Mink Coat After ‘Coat of Many Colors’ Became a Hit—Why She Wanted Money Instead

Dolly Parton fans know the singer’s famous “Coat of Many Colors” song is inspired by true events—Parton’s mother, Avie Lee, made her daughter a coat from scrap pieces of fabric and her schoolmates made fun of her for it. The country star has said that writing about the incident years later was a healing experience. And the fact that it became so popular and resonated with so many people is even better. Parton wanted to repay her mother for her coat of many colors once she became a famous country singer. She thought it’d be appropriate to buy her a fancy mink coat. But Avie Lee said she’d prefer cash. 

Dolly Parton’s coat of many colors

When little Parton needed a new coat for the winter, her mother got to work gathering scraps of fabric. Typically, Avie Lee tried to use scraps that were all similar in color. But, knowing her daughter’s personality, she used all the brightest colors she could find. Parton was so excited for her new coat that she watched her mother work on it from start to finish. When it was done, she wouldn’t take it off her body, she was so excited to show it off to all her siblings. The night before she wore it to school for the first time, she hardly slept. It was better than Christmas eve.