Patric Parkey and Harrell Gabehart open their lives and the doors of their North Texas home for a documentary about their collection of Parton memorabilia

GOT DOLLY? Patric Parkey, left, and Harrell Gabehart show off a signed Dollywood sweatshirt and one of Gabehart’s handcrafted porcelain Parton dolls.

It's about the highest form of diva worship. But calling Dolly Parton a "diva" doesn't sound right. With that cute hiccup squeal, the Queen of Tennessee always appears so down-home and sweet especially in the few glimpses that she appears in the new documentary "For the Love of Dolly," which the USA Film Festival screens Monday night at the AMC NorthPark.

Instead of focusing on Parton, the documentary follows some of her most devoted fans: Nashville residents Melisa and Jeanette track Dolly's every move (even collecting her stray hairs); mentally challenged factory worker David Schmidli presents the bluegrass siren with a hand-embroidered fly swatter; and North Texan couple Harrell Gabehart and Patric Parkey have amassed a jaw-dropping collection of Dolly memorabilia (shoes, boots, gowns, photos galore, a pinball machine, a banjo, porcelain dolls that Harrell meticulously crafts by hand, the list goes on )

Three years ago, at an unofficial Dolly convention, Parkey and Gabehart were introduced to filmmaker Tai Uhlmann, who was looking for documentary subjects about Parton's die-hard followers. The film includes footage of the Parkey-Gabehart home an overflowing Dolly shrine.

Some things have changed since the documentary wrapped in 2004. Six months ago, Parkey and Gabehart moved from Irving to Oak Lawn a feat Gabehart describes as "quite stressful."

But Dolly strengthens the gay couple's relationship. When depressed, songs like "Hello God" helps lift their spirits a moment brilliantly captured the documentary's closing credits.

The 3,000 or so Patron-penned songs contain many confidence-building messages. And Dolly's lyrics have helped both men come to terms with their sexuality. They met in 1990, when Gabehart was working for the John Robert Powers modeling school and Parkey, who was married at the time, brought in his daughter for lessons.

During the process of Parkey's separation, his wife was killed by a motorist, who crashed into her while she walking alongside a rural road near Tyler, Texas. When Parkey received a phone call about the accident, Parton's "Something Special" was playing on the stereo.

Parkey experienced pangs of guilt over his wife's death if he was with her instead of being with Gabehart, maybe she wouldn't have been involved in the accident. But Parkey and his wife were particularly fond of "Something Special," and hearing that song when he was informed about her death must have been a sign. Parkey played "Something Special" at his wife's funeral.
Parkey is responsible for "converting" Gabehart into a Dolly-worshipper. In the documentary, Gabehart explains how his family refuses to accept his relationship with Parkey. But a common thread preached throughout the Parton oeuvre is "Be who you are." And that helps.

Gabehart's veneration for Dolly is deep. When making his exquisite Parton dolls complete with handkerchief dress of white satin and pearl overlay he calls the process "the closest thing to making babies."

After they bid $2,400 at auction to meet Parton, they bestow her with one of his dolls, which made Dolly squeal with delight.









DOLLYMANIA DOCUMENTARY

An insightful film about fan culture, "For the Love of Dolly" screens Monday. Parkey and Gabehart are included in a very interesting clip: when Parton introduces them to Judy Ogle, her "lifetime friend and associate." Ogle is often rumored (and often discredited) to be Parton's lesbian lover. However, in this clip, the gaydar needle bounces off the peg. And then some fans find Ogle's Honda SUV in a used-car lot and they find a type of vehicle registration card made out to both Ogle and Parton, which seems a little well, you know.

Grade: B+

Daniel A. Kusner

May 1 at 7 p.m. at AMC NorthPark 15.
In attendance: Parkey, Harrell and director Tai Uhlmann.









This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition, April 28, 2006.