The music of Virgo
I wouldn’t have associated music with Virgo to be honest, although rigorous practice, attention to detail and craft do make excellent artists. The recently deceased Dolly Parton is a case in point.
Dolly was a brilliant songwriter, her chart ruler, Mercury in ambitious, strategic Capricorn, plays the long game. Both her Ascendant and Moon in Virgo (just) show her fascination with image and body-maxing. She modeled herself on a ‘scarlet woman’ she knew when she was young and hyped and parodied herself, I suspect as a way of hiding her seriousness (3 planets in Capricorn) and that shy twelfth house Virgo Moon which is unaspected. I have seen this before with performers, like Beyonce, who has an unaspected Virgo Sun. Their public persona is a mask, their real nature is hidden away or protected by the razzmatazz of their ‘stage presence’. Beyonce even calls her stage self another name, she embodies Sasha Fierce before she performs.
You might argue that Dolly had a Leo Moon, and for sure she had big hair, and a super flashy persona, but because she died on the eclipse and her death is world wide front page news, early Virgo seems more likely to me. Of course, we will never know.
A Virgo Ascendant can give beauty, the Moon softens this, making Dolly approachable and non-threatening, which hid her business acumen and also her drive for service. A classic Melancholic trait is the need to feel useful. She was a philanthropist, supporting practical ways to help literacy. The Imagination library gave free books to under fives, to date 338 million books given away, what a Virgo/Capricorn move; practical, intelligent and empowering. She helped fund the Modena vaccine and many other good causes, including the royalties from I Will Always Love You, sung by Whitney Houston which she invested in a mainly black area as a way of giving back to the community.
A twelfth house Sun or Moon hides or is hard to pin down. She both appealed to the trans community and Maga crowd. Dolly charmed everyone. A famous quote when she was asked about Gay marriage, she replied she was in favour ‘as why should only heterosexuals suffer’ which is a brilliant riposte, light hearted but leaving no doubt as to her beliefs.
Such has been the outpouring of love for her, from all sections of society, I wonder if her Moon has picked up the eclipse degree (5′ Virgo, 28th August1). Tributes and memorials have poured in worldwide as diverse as lighting up the Empire State Building in New York, in pink of course, to the Coldstream Guard playing the song 9-5 outside the Palace in the UK. The overlying energy is one of respect for a woman who united the USA while holding true to her principles, and I have not found a negative word said about her. A world leader in a humble, practical, self effacing way, just like a Virgo.
Two other famous and long-lived musicians also have prominent Virgo.
A Virgo Moon conjunct the MC is not what I expected from Rock’s wild child, but I think it explains his longevity as a musician, he did not burn out at 29 as so many do. His unique guitar style, playing with five strings, is doubtless due to many, many hours honing his craft and perhaps why he survived addiction, his feet never entirely left the ground.
A final chart,
Another Virgo Ascendant, this time with Neptune conjunct it. Neptune, the weaver of stories, for this other octogenarian lyricist and all round super star.
Of course, there are other things we can pull out of the charts, but angular signs and planets signpost a life path. In these cases, Virgo, often undervalued, is a star who survives the vicissitudes of fame to live a long, productive, creative life.
Elisabeth Brooke 