Who is a better singer and songwriter: Dolly Parton or Loretta Lynn?
Singer: I’ll give the edge to Loretta. Both have pure country voices that reflect their roots (Loretta from Kentucky, Dolly from Tennessee); however, there is an “edge” to Dolly’s voice that makes it more of an acquired taste. I would also give it to Loretta because Loretta has always been true to country. Dolly has dabbled in pop (e.g., the cover of the Bee Gees song “Islands in the Stream”) and, honestly, has come off sounding pop. Loretta could do an AC/DC song with AC/DC as her backing band and STILL sound 100% country. Songwriter: Again, I’ll give the edge to Loretta. Both can write deeply personal songs (“I Will Always Love You” and “Coat of Many Colors” for Dolly; “Coal Miner’s Daughter” and “Van Lear Rose” for Loretta). I think, however, that there much more personal material in a greater amount of Loretta’s music (the songs about the cheating husband — “Don’t Come Home a-Drinkin’,” “Your Squaw is on the War Path,” “You Ain’t Woman Enough” — came from her husband’s cheating)
