Aimee Garcia cries over Dolly Parton — and a "little Bible" quote book secret

On a recent episode of Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Aimee Garcia opened up about a run of sleepless nights spent spiraling about loss — not just family, but the cultural icons she grew up with. The conversation kept circling back to Dolly Parton, whose voice and words, Garcia said, have been a steadying force since she was a kid.

Garcia explained that her childhood home had Dolly candles on the shelves, and that she carried around a pocket-sized book of Parton’s sayings the way some people carry a prayer card. Decades later, she still reaches for those pages when she needs grounding.

“It ’s like her little book of good quotes. It was like my little Bible that I would just carry around,” Garcia said.

She also recalled phoning her dad to share how much the moment had shaken her, and hearing how hard it hit him, too. As Garcia put it, he admitted he “cried a little bit.”

Why Dolly’s words stuck

Parton’s pull for Garcia tracks: beyond hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You,” she’s spent more than six decades as a singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist. Her Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has mailed millions of free books to kids, a signature project that matches her public persona — practical help with a side of heart and humor.

• Growing up, Garcia kept Dolly candles at home.
• She treated Parton’s quote collection like a personal “Bible.”
• Talking it through with her dad left them both emotional.

That blend of wit, warmth and plainspoken advice is why Garcia says Parton’s words still feel like a hand on the shoulder — a reminder she’s carried from childhood to now. The conversation unfolded on Rosenbaum’s podcast, where Garcia didn’t hide how deeply those pages still matter to her.