FROM DOLLYWOOD TO HOLLYWOOD PARTON KEEPS ON PUSHING FOR 'TRANSAMERICA' OSCAR.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

Dolly Parton needs no introduction. You hear that voice and, instantly, you're swept into Dollymania, which happens to be the name of one of her fan Web sites.

Even on the line from her home in her native Tennessee, Dolly - and you can't call her anything else - is larger than life.

And I'm not just referring to her breasts - the size of which is much conjectured about and which, as a gentleman, I was not going to bring up.

But she did.

Dolly was on the phone to talk about her Oscar-nominated song, ``Travelin' Thru,'' which she wrote and sings. The catchy and memorable gospel-tinged number is on the closing credits of the film ``Transamerica,'' which stars ``Desperate Housewives'' actress Felicity Huffman (also an Oscar nominee) as a man in the process of becoming a transsexual who learns a week before sex-change surgery that he has a son from an early heterosexual encounter. He then goes on a cross-country road trip with the teenager.

True to her we're-all-God's-children philosophy and her ``holy roller'' background, the song emphasizes the changes and trials that all of us go through in our lives - not just someone who is having a sex-change operation.

God made me for a reason, and nothing is in vain,

Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain,

Oh sweet Jesus, if you're listening, keep me ever close to you,

As I'm stumblin', tumblin', wonderin', as I'm travelin' thru.

The petite Dolly, with her big hair and big ... well, you know ... is an icon in the gay community, both for her openness and her looks. She even did a cameo in last year's movie ``Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous,'' where Sandra Bullock's FBI character attacks her, thinking she's a drag queen impersonating the real singer. Guess how Bullock's character determines it's the real Dolly?

When she was asked to write ``Travelin' Thru'' last year, Dolly was on the road to promote her last album, ``Those Were the Days,'' her interpretation of hits from the `60s and early `70s, including John Lennon's ``Imagine'' and the title track. This year, though, she's off the bus, taking time to write, concentrating on two Broadway shows. One is ``9 to 5,'' based on the 1980 film that earned her her first Academy Award nomination for best original song. The other is based on her life.

Her songs ``Coat of Many Colors'' and ``Jolene'' are country classics, and her ``I Will Always Love You'' has been a massive hit across the board.

Married since 1966, at age 20, to Carl Dean, Dolly has been successful in other fields. She's a producer and co-owner of Sandollar Productions (``Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' on TV and films like ``Father of the Bride'' and ``Sabrina''), but mostly she's known for her Pigeon Forge, Tenn., theme park Dollywood, which begins its 21st year on April 7 with a parade.

You can see her perform ``Travelin' Thru'' on ``Ellen'' on Thursday (NBC, Channel 4, at 3 p.m.) with her band, who recorded the song with her. Then she'll sing at the Oscars on March 5.

``I never worked so hard in life promoting anything,'' laughs the effervescent Dolly about the Oscar campaign. She's up against the songs ``In the Deep'' from ``Crash'' and ``It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp'' from ``Hustle & Flow.''

``You got to get people while they're still voting. That's the difference between the Oscars and the Country Music Awards. You either win or don't win in country music. You don't have to politic and work so hard. But it's been fun; I don't mind - it's just like an exciting time for me.''

Win or lose, she says, it will be ``a big year either way. I'm always workin'. I'm always enjoying it.''

Q: How were you approached to do the song?

A: Duncan Tucker - who wrote and directed the film - is a fan of mine, I understand, and had been to my concerts and had just recently been to one. And he just felt I was the perfect person to write the song for the end credits.

I told him I didn't think I'd have time because I was right in the middle of a tour, and I was promoting my new CD, ``Those Were the Days.'' So he said, ``Would you at least try?'' and I said, ``Just give me what you want me to say, and if it comes ... hopefully I can do it.''

So he gave me a lot of great input and sent me a rough cut of the film. I just kind of absorbed it all and scribbled down stuff. ... Then one morning on the road, I just woke up - I was in Detroit - and I wrote the song. So it felt right for me, and I called Duncan and said I had written a song, ``and I'm in Detroit.'' And he said ``I'm in Detroit.'' I said, ``What''

He was there doing some screenings. So he ran over to my bus, and I played it for him, put it on tape, and he sent it back to L.A., and they just loved it.

I only had one day to go in the studio to record it. We were in Kentucky at that particular time. So we went to Nashville and recorded it. ... And now I'm up for an Oscar, and I'm shocked, and my head is still spinning.

Q:I love the stripped-down instrumentation. Is that how you envisioned it?

A:Well, Duncan had a lot of input on that, too. He had that idea to do that kind of Africa background and, of course, he wanted my bluegrass stuff. And we tried to make it as close to what he wanted as we could. ... And it just fell together.

When I wrote it, I just definitely wanted to cover all the points in the movie. I wanted to get what Duncan wanted out of it, but I also wanted to have a song that stood on its own, with or without the movie, that I could sing and be proud of. So I added that kind of gospel flavor.

Q:What were the things that inspired you when writing the song?

A:I had a lot inspirations. I am person who tries to accept. I'm a very tolerant, accepting, loving person. I try to look at the God core in everybody. I know we're all God's children, and a lot of us don't know who we are, and we're searching to find ourselves. Everybody should be loved and accepted trying to do that. Everyone should be allowed to be who they are. I always pray for love and acceptance. ... So when I saw the movie, I thought, ``That must be frustrating to know who you are and be that and not be able to be accepted.''

Then, too, I drew a lot of inspiration on this particular subject from a friend of mine, an employee of mine, who has worked with me for years, who once was a woman and now is a man. I had worked with this person for years and did not know that they had a sex change.

And when I found out, I discussed that whole thing with them, knowing how good they were and what they went through. It gave me a personal insight and inspiration to get in the song. But it's just my nature to be accepting and love people for who and what they are.

Q: Have you heard the two songs you're up against?

A:No, I have not. Have you? ... I should have. I know I should have, but I haven't had the time to listen. But I'm not expecting to win. It would be great if I did. If not, it will still be a great night, and I'm going to feel like a winner either way.

Q: This is a big year for country music in film with the Johnny Cash biopic ``Walk the Line'' ...

A: I'm kind of in a dilemma with my little Reese Witherspoon from Nashville (up for a best acting Oscar). I know her and am so proud of her. And there's Felicity, who is also up in the same movie I have the song in. It's going to be a fun night; I'm going to have to cheer for both teams.

Q: Have you ever thought of someone doing a Dolly Parton biopic? Who would play you?

A: Absolutely. But even though I just turned 60, I feel like I'm 20. So until I live more of my life, I hope they don't do a life story yet.

I don't know who would play me. Somebody the other day said, ``What about Reese playing the part?'' and I said, ``She would be great, but she's going to have a helluva boob job.''

But I'm writing the musical of my life story for Broadway, and maybe we can put that on film later on. If there was a movie, I would hope to play the later years ... but I don't think that's going to be on screen anytime real soon. I want to live some more.

Q: Tell us about the two Broadway shows you're working on.

A: I'm writing all the music for the ``9 to 5'' musical, which is supposed to come out on Broadway next fall. We've been workshopping it. But for years I've been writing my life story as a musical. I've got lots of pieces and want to get that all together. That's not in the works as far as going on Broadway just yet, but I have lots of people interested. So I'm excited about that, and I think that would be a wonderful way to tell my life story and still leave some open ends for the rest of it.

Q: I've read - and as far as I can tell - you'd be the first country artist to win an Oscar in the best original song category. Is that true?

A: I don't know. There's been a lot of information people been feeding me; I didn't know about it. So it's all exciting to me, and it would be great if I win. But I'll be there in fine fashion, singing my songs and wearing my fancy dresses.

Q: Speaking of that - who will you be wearing?

A: Actually, the guy who's doing my clothes is named Robert Behar. He's from Paris, and he does all my stage clothes. He's a true designer. But for the most part I just wear whatever I wear. This has been his dream ever since he was young, to be able to design something for the Oscars. So I told him, whatever you want me to wear, I'll wear it.

Maybe I'll get to wear three outfits, because I have to change to perform and then change again to go sit back in the audience. Anyway, I'm going to have a beautiful gown of pastel pink for the red carpet and a possible white tuxedo top for the performance, and then I don't know what else.

I could go back naked into the audience - that would stir a ruckus (laughing). This is not the Golden Globes. This is the Oscars.

Rob Lowman, [phone]

robert.lowman(at)dailynews.com

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