Beautiful Dolly: Melissa, Meshell, and Sinead are among the singers paying tribute to the legendary Dolly Parton on a new compilation.Just Because I'm a Woman * Various artists * Sugar Hill Records Dolly Parton par·ton n. Any of the point particles believed to be a constituent of hadrons, now known as quarks. No longer in technical use. [part(icle) + -on1.] hasn't always overtly courted queer audiences, but she has consistently held our collective fascination and ardor ar·dor n. 1. Fiery intensity of feeling. See Synonyms at passion. 2. Strong enthusiasm or devotion; zeal: "The dazzling conquest of Mexico gave a new impulse to the ardor of discovery" for over three decades. Unlike other mainstream divas, who often earn our community's praise for roof-raising vocals or cutting-edge style, Parton seems to tickle our fancy in various, sometimes conflicting ways. For some, it's her outlandish physicality. "She's the ultimate drag queen drag queen Female impersonator, gynemimetic Sexology A ♂ with ♀ affect–often 'overplayed'; a ♂ homosexual and ♀ wannabe, with ♂ genitalia; DQs may take hormones to ↑ breasts, and thus are hormonally, but not surgically ," notes David Siegal, 34, of Austin. "Who wouldn't love her?" For others, it's her accessibility to her fans. "She seems to genuinely care for the people who support her career," says Patrick Gorman, 31, of Atlanta. "In this age of arrogant divas, a warm heart is pretty rare." By and large, though, it's what many perceive as the emotional purity of her music that keeps queer listeners engaged. "Her music touches what a lot of us like--pride, family, patriotic feelings," says Gari Sandusky, 41, of Miami. "You listen to her music and feel connected to her on a very deep, personal level." All of these elements are evident in the lovingly assembled Just Because I'm a Woman, a compilation that has such A-list recording artists as Melissa Etheridge ("I Will Always Love You"), Shelby Lynne ("The Seeker"), Emmylou Harris ("To Daddy"), Shania Twain ("Coat of Many Colors coat of many colors Jacob’s gift to Joseph; object of jealousy. [O.T.: Genesis 37:3] See : Jealousy "), Norah Jones ("The Grass Is Blue"), and Sinead O'Connor ("Dagger Through the Heart") paying musical tribute to Parton. Just Because I'm a Woman draws its title from Parton's 1968 albino albino (ălbī`nō) [Port.,=white], animal or plant lacking normal pigmentation. The absence of pigment is observed in the body covering (skin, hair, and feathers) and in the iris of the eye. , and the artist has rerecorded the song for inclusion on this compilation. Swathed in delicate bluegrass bluegrass, any species of the large and widely distributed genus Poa, chiefly range and pasture grasses of economic importance in temperate and cool regions. In general, bluegrasses are perennial with fine-leaved foliage that is bluish green in some species. guitar riffs and a gentle bass line, the song is as flesh and engaging now as it was 35 years ago. Most notable are Parton's vocals, which retain the girlish girl·ish adj. Characteristic of or befitting a girl: girlish charm. girl  ish·ly adv. technical timbre timbreQuality of sound that distinguishes one instrument, voice, or other sound source from another. Timbre largely results from a characteristic combination of overtones produced by different instruments. of the original track but are now underlined with a worldly quality that only a lifetime onstage can provide. Parton sets the bar high for her performing counterparts to match. Despite a couple of dodgy moments, most of the participants handle the challenge with equal parts flair and palpable reverence. Etheridge is particularly memorable as site interprets the well worn "I Will Always Love You" with an intensity that honors the original recording but with a heartbroken, almost desperate edge that renews the song. If Etheridge is at her best on Just Because I'm a Woman, then Meshell Ndegeocello is at her most playful--sort of. On "Two Doors Down" she embraces the innate joy of the composition while adding a subtle poignance that is both suitable to her soulful nature and appropriate to the lyrics. In the end, it's Ndegeocello's input into Just Because I'm a Woman that captures the true essence of Dolly Parton as a recording artist and as a queer icon. She's always known when to get deep--and when to shrug off the melodrama and have a good time. Flick is the cohost co·host or co-host n. A joint host, as of a social event. tr.v. co·host·ed, co·host·ing, co·hosts To serve as a joint host of: of OutQ in the Morning on OutQ/Sirius satellite radio. |
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