TWO FINE LADIES--OR RATHER WOMEN

My Muse is sending me a message to write.

Being of a certain generation--Baby Boomer to be exact--my heart feels full. Last week I had the privilege of seeing Diana Ross in person. Her voice is still strong, and she demonstrated grace, warmth, and kindness on stage. She generously sang many hit songs to please the crowd. And did we respond, with dancing, singing, and applauding. She glittered and sparkled and still had the moves, but she moved her body carefully.

Diana Ross is 84 and not afraid to reveal her age. She seemed comfortable in her body. Growing old is a gift. She demonstrated that she has not lost her passion, spirit, and energy. I was thrilled, and I daresay fans twenty years younger than me were equally excited.

Diana Ross is from my time. Her songs bring back memories, both good and not so good. Listening to her music reminds me how far I have come in my personal trajectory; or I should say path, since I walk slower now. I cannot possibly feel the same way for Taylor Swift, for example. But, I can certainly understand how she strikes an empathic chord with younger generations. One has to be young, in the throes of romance, both real and fantasy, to appreciate certain music. Or struggling with identity, when one hears lyrics that connect with personal thoughts and wishes.

Diana Ross is one among many who I aligned with as a young person. She is in good company with The Beatles; Simon and Garfunkel; Peter, Paul, and Mary; Gordon Lightfoot; Elton John; James Taylor; Carly Simon, among many other singers. My theme song, "I Will Survive," moved me through disappointments and heartbreak. "Killing Me Softly With His Song" expressed feelings through melody and words that I could not have communicated.

The other woman, Dolly Parton, died suddenly yesterday, at 80, after a yearlong illness. When the tributes poured in, and the video clips multiplied on social media, I learned more about her. She wrote the lyrics and music to most of her songs and played the guitar with skill. Ms. Parton was a serious musician without formal training. That is true genius. Her voice was a unique blend of soprano and Tennessee twang. I am amazed that she wrote, "I Will Always Love You" in one night.

I have to admit I joked about her in the late 1970's. My then husband and I were on a hiking vacation in West Virginia, a beautiful state. We could not find a restaurant, so we went into a small cafe. We were too scared to try the regional favorites--which probably were tasty. Instead we had vegetable soup, safe we thought. The soup had globs of fat swimming in it. The waitress looked like Dolly Parton and was as friendly as can be. She probably wondered why we did not finish the soup. So forever after, when we reminsced, the cafe became known to us as the "Fatback Inn," with Dolly as our sever. I am ashamed now. West Virginia in the 1970's was an eye-opener for two privileged young adults.

After I left my twenties and became more openminded, I recognized a talented musician. I enjoyed some of her movie roles and loved her catchy tunes. As Dolly Parton matured, along with me and millions of others, she became more outspoken and philanthropic. I grew to admire her greatly.

We lost a one-of-a-kind woman yesterday. I believe she could have united this country, if she had taken a political stance. She did not want that. It did not matter. She was adored by the left, right, and center.

Diana and Dolly are older than I am; but, we are certainly in the same generation. We came of age in a heady time--morals were loosening; women were stepping out of the kitchen; and later becoming outspoken political, religious, and academic leaders. Women developed in a fertile ground of opportunity and freedom. Now we seem outdated; however, we laid the ground for the next generations. Of course, we probably should thank our mothers who must have been tired of their unmovable place in the home. Somehow, they made what we did possible. Certainly, the generation before us criticized and ridiculed us. That is the way it goes. Now, we Baby Boomers laugh at the Millenials and what we think are their crazy ideas. I hope they recognize our role in their possibilities.

©Karen Levi 2026