Dolly Parton’s Legacy Is Much More Than Music
Dolly Parton, the beloved country music star, actor, and philanthropist, died at the age of 80, leaving behind a legacy of a trailblazing career and enduring generosity.
Parton was one of 12 children born into a poor Tennessee family. Her first musical performances were in church, and she was learning guitar by age 10. When Parton was 13, she appeared on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. After graduating high school, she moved to Nashville to chase her dreams.
Parton had a number of hits on her own as well as duets, but the hit that made her career, “Jolene,” came in 1973. It’s one of her most beloved songs and has been covered by Miley Cyrus, Olivia Newton-John, and The White Stripes and reimagined by Beyoncé.
Parton won her first Grammy Award in 1979 after changing up her signature style and recording a pop crossover hit. While people questioned her decision at the time, Parton trusted her own instincts. She went on to star in several movies and garner 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins. Parton is the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history, behind only Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
Never forgetting her family and her humble upbringing, Parton started a nonprofit, Imagination Library, to combat illiteracy and foster a love of reading. The library mails free monthly books to kids from birth to age 5 in parts of the United States as well as four other countries. The Imagination Library has provided more than 300 million books since 1995.
“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world,” Parton once said.
Dolly Parton Facts:
- Year of birth: 1946
- Grammy wins: 10
- Books donated: 300,000,000+
