Mid-Missouri Country Musician Meredith Shaw Honors Dolly Parton’s Legacy With Stories, Sparkle and the Singalong Power of ‘I Will Always Love You’
BOONE COUNTY, MO — For Boone County country artist Meredith Shaw, Dolly Parton was more than a superstar to admire. She was the kind of performer who helped define how Shaw writes songs, carries herself onstage and connects with the audience.
Shaw often tells fans to “be the best version of yourself,” then adds her own playful challenge: if you can be Dolly Parton, “totally be Dolly Parton.” After hearing news of Parton’s death, Shaw said friends and family immediately flooded her phone with calls, texts and messages. Instead of spending the afternoon grieving alone, she said Parton’s example pushed her to get up, put on lipstick and keep talking about what the country icon meant.
How Dolly Parton shaped Shaw’s music and stage persona
Shaw said Parton influenced her first as a storyteller. Much of Shaw’s writing comes from her own life or the experiences of friends, and she sees that as part of the same honest, personal tradition Parton brought to country music.
That influence also reaches beyond songwriting. Shaw said Parton showed her what perseverance can look like for women working in a genre where they often have to push harder to be heard. For Shaw, the lesson is not just to sing well but to show up with confidence, style and a little theatrical flair.
She described that attitude as part of the job for artists asking people to spend their time and money on a live show. In her view, the audience deserves “the razzle dazzle,” whether that means mascara, fancy boots or a fringe jacket.
A Blue Note mishap became a very Dolly Parton moment
One of Shaw’s clearest memories of channeling Parton came during a performance at The Blue Note in Columbia, when a wardrobe malfunction and a missed cue could have thrown everything off. Instead, Shaw stepped out with a joke and kept the set moving.
She said she walked onstage and quipped, “sorry, I had to have a quick one in the truck,” before launching into the music. To Shaw, that kind of quick recovery felt like something Parton herself would have done: turning a mistake into part of the show and making the audience feel in on the joke.
Shaw said Parton also modeled how women can lead in an industry that is still often dominated by men. She pointed to Parton’s collaborations and her willingness to elevate other artists as proof that success does not have to be a solo act.
Why Shaw says Parton’s influence will keep spreading
Among the songs Shaw likes to perform for local crowds, “I Will Always Love You” stands out. She said the track often turns a concert into a full-room singalong, with the audience carrying the chorus at the top of its lungs.
That connection, Shaw said, is part of why Parton’s reach extends far beyond musicians. Fans do not have to make a living in country music to feel shaped by her humor, her generosity or the way she could tell a full story in a few lines.
Shaw said Parton’s absence still feels unreal, but she does not believe the singer’s influence will fade. In her view, Parton’s “good word” will keep moving through artists and fans for decades, carried forward by the people she inspired to keep telling stories, dressing boldly and showing up with heart.
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