Dolly Parton says there isn’t "much real about me but my heart".
The ‘9 to 5’ hitmaker feels "most comfortable" when she wears her high heels, makeup and wigs.
She said: "I’m most comfortable in high heels and wigs and makeup and gaudy clothes. Same as always! …
"I’m the biggest phony-looking person in the world and I know that, but this is how I feel comfortable. I think everybody should look and be whatever makes them comfortable so their inner self – their God Light – can shine. To me, I know I look totally phoney, but I’m really not.
"There ain’t much real about me but my heart. I just feel sorry when I see people that don’t know how to even be who they are or they are trying to be something they’re not. I don’t think you should ever be ashamed no matter who or what you are, you should be proud of who you are."
And despite her hefty beauty routine, the 70-year-old singer insists she could get ready in 20 minutes flat if she needed to but finds it hard to choose which of her 365 wigs to choose from.
She added: "I’ve timed it and I can be completely good and ready in 20 minutes. But I like to have an hour if I can.
"I don’t count them, but I say I must have at least 365 wigs because I usually wear a different one every day. But if I’m just at home, I don’t wear wigs. I keep my own hair and I keep my roots done – my own hair is the same [blonde] color [as the wigs]."
Meanwhile, Dolly insists she wouldn’t want to go incognito when she goes out as she would be worried about what people would think of her.
She told the New York Post’s Page Six column: "I’d feel like a fool if I went [incognito] somewhere and I looked awful and they recognised me anyhow.
"I’d rather they just say, ‘Oh, I saw Dolly Parton today,’ than just say, ‘Lord, did you see Dolly Parton? She looked like hell.’ That would be the worse thing for someone like me – a big painted-up plastic doll."
Dolly Parton: There isn’t ‘much real about me but my heart’
