How the song Dolly Parton chose for her funeral reflects her ability to transcend race, region and religion
Dolly Parton never forgot her humble Smoky Mountain origins.So no one should be surprised that she did not choose one of her own songs to be played at her funeral.
Instead, she’s picked “If We Never Meet Again (This Side of Heaven),” a classic gospel song that’s been recorded by a range of other country greats, including Jerry Lee Lewis, the Chuck Wagon Gang and the Brown’s Ferry Four.Dolly undoubtedly just loved this moving song.The lyrics — “if we never meet again, this side of heaven, I’ll meet you on that beautiful shore” — no doubt reminded her of her late husband and parents.
But her choice also reflects the role Dolly came to play as a unifying figure in a time of American cultural polarization.The hymn she chose, and many others by its composer, have crossed the same cultural boundaries of race and region that Dolly herself learned to transcend as she went from backwoods to Broadway.Albert Brumley, the composer of “If We Never Meet Again,” was born in Oklahoma’s Choctaw Nation area yet became a widely known composer of so-called white gospel music.Some of his best-loved hymns include “I’ll Meet You in the Morning,” “Turn Your Radio On” and “Rank Strangers.”But the popularity of his hymns crossed racial boundaries.
His classic “I’ll Fly Away” quickly became a staple of black gospel groups, including the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, the Five Blind Boys of Alabama, the Pilgrim Jubilees and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.It was recorded as a duet by none other than Aretha Franklin and Jesse Jackson.
Brumley’s lyrics, from 1929, became a civil-rights anthem, demonstrating the unifying power of music.“When the shadows of this life have gone away, I’ll fly away, like a bird from prison bars has flown, I’ll fly away.”The hymn Dolly chose for her memorial service has even been recorded by the All for Christ Singers, a group that melds American gospel hymns with the indigenous music of Zimbabwe.One can onl...