Dolly Parton

The country music star continues a long tradition — from the angels through Matthew — of telling stories through the gift of song.

It defines who human beings are. Yet storytelling — whether in song or otherwise — should be a joy. Some writers find it all a crushing burden. “But I know for a fact that no writer in this world enjoys it more than me.” Love is what most endures. That’s why so many songs are about love — desired, despairing, requited, unrequited, honoured, betrayed. Parton — and a long tradition — would call it the breath of God. “I just go into my ‘God space,’ ” Parton explains. Wasn’t Dolly Parton the real Queen of Christmas? There was an actual king at the first Christmas: Herod massacred the innocent infant boys. More specifically, it rejected pop star Mariah Carey’s application to trademark “ Article content