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Dolly Parton reflected on her unforgettable first trip to New York City at the start of her career. Now a legendary country star, Parton posted a throwback clip on her social media channels on Tuesdays (May 30), looking back at an old Late Night with Conan O’Brien interview.
“The first time I was ever here was, I guess it was in the late 60s, early 70s, and I had just started making a name in country music,” Parton told Conan O’Brien in the interview, which originally aired in 2005. “So of course, all country girls wanna go to the city.”
That’s when the “Jolene” star and a friend headed to New York. They didn’t have much money at that time, as Parton was just beginning her decades-long career. They checked into their hotel, “and of course, I looked cheaper then, than I even do now,” Parton continued with a laugh. “But anyway…we checked in this hotel and they thought we were hookers. So, we went out looking around in the city and we came back and they had our luggage out in the hall, and they had us locked out.”
Parton assured, at the end of her story, that “I love New York now,” despite an unexpected turn of events during her first-ever visit to the city. She also went on to share how she stays humble amid her massive success, and laugh off some tabloid rumors. Watch the part of the interview Parton shared on Tuesday here, and watch the full Late Night with Conan O’Brien clip below.