In her home state of Tennessee, Dolly Parton was so much more than just a singer

At 77 years old, Dolly Parton tottered on to the field at Neyland Stadium, arm in arm with Peyton Manning, the most beloved of all University of Tennessee quarterbacks. Wearing her trademark rhinestone-spangled take on the team’s orange and white, she shook hands with Smokey, the coonhound mascot, then thanked her escort with an impromptu burst of “Peyton Manning, I will always love you”. Having introduced the college choir and the Pride of the Southland marching band on hand to accompany her, she smiled broadly before launching into Rocky Top, equal parts state anthem and team fight song.

What happened next was shambolic. There were audio difficulties with her earpieces, the crowd of 102,000 sang over her, and the musicians sometimes drowned her out. None of that mattered a cacophonous jot. Her divine presence among those gathered at the secular cathedral in Knoxville was all that counted. The Volunteers were playing the University of Georgia on a glorious Saturday afternoon in November, and Tennessee’s favourite daughter had come to rally the faithful. Hillbilly laureate reciting with her people. Preacher with her flock.