To the world, Dolly Parton was a country music superstar. To her younger sister Freida, she was also the person who climbed into bed beside her when the darkness felt frightening, helped raise her through adolescence, and remained woven into the most personal parts of her life. In a tribute following Dolly’s funeral, Freida described a loss that could not be measured in awards, record sales, or public admiration. She called her sister her “Dolly Momma,” a name that captured more than affection. It reflected the role Dolly had taken on within their family and the care Freida remembered from…
