Episode 288 - "Take the Back Roads" the life of Minnie Pearl
Howdy! This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by award-winning author and historian Mary Ellen Pethel, who shares the Ordinary Extraordinary story of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, or as most of the world knows her, Minnie Pearl! Born in 1912 in Centerville, Tennessee, Sarah often recalled how her upbringing in a small town shaped her outlook on life. After moving to Nashville during the Great Depression to study theater, she joined a touring company and developed the iconic country girl persona we know today, inspired by her friend Mattie Burden. Her big break came in 1940 when she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry, making audiences laugh with her signature greeting and comedic style. Over her fifty-plus year career, she shared the stage with country music legends like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, while also mentoring young artists like Elvis Presley and Garth Brooks, new to the industry. As Dolly Parton said, "Minnie Pearl became my friend in 1964. I was 18, new in town, and Minnie Pearl took me under her wing. She gave me good advice, the how to’s, the how not to’s, the when to’s, and the when not to’s. I learned a lot from her as a woman and as a professional entertainer but above all that, as a good, solid human being. Minnie was more than a big laugh. She was a big heart, and I will always love her."
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Image Credit: By Denny-Moeller Talent, Inc. (management company) - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16626755
You can read all about Minnie Pearl in "Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story' by Mary Ellen Pethel and Don Cusic. https://utpress.org/9798895270585/howdy/
You can watch the PBS documentary, 'Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl" directed by Barbara J. Hall, here: https://www.pbs.org/show/facing-the-laughter-minnie-pearl/
Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com
Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing
Associate Professor/Public historian/Author
MARY ELLEN PETHEL is an associate professor, public historian, and academic entrepreneur at Belmont University, where she directs university-wide initiatives, including the Global Honors Program. Her work focuses on history, leadership, education, and public scholarship, with an emphasis on connecting academic inquiry with community engagement.
Pethel earned her Ph.D. in History from Georgia State University and holds a post-graduate certificate in Digital Public Humanities from George Mason University. She joined Belmont’s faculty in 2018 and has since played a key role in shaping honors education and experiential learning. She served as senior data fellow (2022-2025) as well as academic director for several collaborative programs: Queen’s University Belfast Summer Institute, University You (Metro Nashville Public Schools), and Fisk–Belmont Social Justice Collaborative.
An award-winning author of six books, Pethel is widely recognized for her scholarship on education, women’s leadership, sports history, and social change. Her book Title IX, Pat Summitt, and Tennessee’s Trailblazers received the Tennessee History Award and examines the lasting impact of Title IX through the legacy of Pat Summitt and other women connected to the Volunteer State. In 2025, she co-authored Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story with Dr. Don Cusic. The definitive biography of Sarah Cannon—better known as Minnie Pearl—draws on archival research, interviews, and more than 150 historic photographs to capture Minnie’s enduring charm and Sarah Cannon’s lasting cultural legacy.
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