One of Henry Winkler’s first directing jobs in Hollywood was Dolly Parton’s first TV movie, and on Tuesday night, he took some time out to reminisce about the experience on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Following the news of Parton’s death on Tuesday, both Winkler and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” guest host Jelly Roll remembered the music legend fondly. Jelly Roll was quick to ask Winkler about his time working with Parton, on “A Smoky Mountain Christmas” (which appears to be available now on YouTube), and Winkler promptly started gushing.
“Everything you imagine she is, or was, everything that you wanted her to be, she was,” he said sincerely. “And then we went to see her at the [Hollywood] Bowl, and she plays like 92 instruments. I still — I’m talking about her as if she’s still here. An amazing soul on this earth.”
Jelly Roll agreed that “she was absolutely one of the best” and praised Parton for the impact she had on the city of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, noting that she is widely known as “the Queen of Sevier County.”
“She has single-handedly made the Smoky Mountains what they are,” the singer said. “It’s one of the most traveled-through mountains in America, and we all give Dolly Parton credit for it.”
Winkler admitted he’s never actually been to Dollywood yet, but plans to get there as soon as he can, and then turned his praise to Jelly Roll for being so knowledgeable.
You can watch Henry Winkler’s full appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in the video above.
