Dolly Parton: Legendary Artist And Remarkable Human Being
We all know and like Dolly Parton. She is a popular singer, multi-instrumentalist, prolific songwriter, actress, author, you name it!
Not surprisingly, over time Dolly received MANY honors and awards which she richly deserves. To quote from DollyParton.com:
“Dolly is one of an elite group of individuals to receive at least one nomination from all four major annual American entertainment award organizations; Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, and Tony.”
She is the recipient of:
7 Grammy Awards
9 CMA Awards
5 ACM Awards
10 Music City News Awards
2 IBMA Awards
2 Association For Independent Music Awards
3 American Music Awards
24 Billboard Magazine Awards
24 Cash Box Magazine Awards
14 Record World Magazine Awards
46 BMI Awards
4 People’s Choice Awards
2 CMT Awards
6 British CMA Awards
As well as of many other awards and recognitions, including:
Grand Ole Opry Membership
Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
Induction in the East Tennessee Hall of Fame for the Performing Arts
Soul Train Award
Induction in Country Music Hall Of Fame
Induction in National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame
Governor’s Awards For The Arts
U.S. Library Of Congress Living Legend Award
So many of her songs are soundtracks of our lives! (Did you know that she’s written nearly 800 songs?!) Who doesn’t love or at least, know:
“Jolene”
“I Will Always Love You”
“9 to 5”
“Islands In The Stream”
“Everything Is Beautiful”
“Christmas Without You”
Most of us love Dolly Parton for her songs and performances. Over time I read here and there about her charitable efforts. Then I realized just how many there are. I took a closer look… Wow! I don’t know of any other artist who could rival Dolly Parton’s humanitarian commitments and charitable contributions!
Dolly Parton has been supporting a multitude of important causes over the years. She’s been helping children, the sick, supporting childhood literacy and education, helping veterans heal their physical and emotional wounds, preserving natural environment, fighting for LGBTQ rights and yes, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dolly Parton donated one million dollars to the vaccine research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center!
There is no way to fully elaborate on the extent of Dolly’s generosity and caring.
One of Dolly’s favorite initiatives is the Imagination Library, a non-profit organization Dolly established in 1995 in honor of her father who – for lack of educational opportunities – was illiterate. The Imagination Library mails one book per month to every child (participating in the program) from birth until they reach school age. Thereby ensuring that love of books, reading, and by extension, learning is instilled early in life, regardless of the family’s income.
The Imagination Library started as a small, local organization in Sevier County, Tennessee. Eventually, it grew beyond United States’ borders and it’s providing free books to children in Canada, United Kingdom and Australia.
One of my favorite humanitarian acts of Dolly Parton? (I’m in California where we know and understand catastrophic wildfires as well as their devastating impact on people.)
Following the Great Smoky Mountains wildfires in 2016, Dolly Parton – through her Dollywood Foundation / My People’s Fund – donated $1,000 cash per month for six months to every family who lost their home in the wildfires. (Dolly not only donated her own money, but held two hugely-successful telethons that raised and donated millions of dollars to the fire victims.)
Incredibly, she didn’t stop there! Dolly Parton provided also college scholarships to graduating high school students whose family lost their home in the Great Smoky Mountains wildfires.
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Don’t let her performer’s image, fool you: Dolly Parton is a remarkable human being and a Class Act! Click To Tweet
Knowing how much she cares and does for others puts Dolly Parton in an entirely different light. Most artists are content feeding their egos with fans’ adulation. Dolly Parton has a heart. She is a giver both, as an artist and as a human being.
Her music enriches us all. Her goodness and compassion make a huge difference; she is changing lives and nurturing futures. She is contributing value as an artist and as a person. I love Dolly Parton! (And so should you!)
Photo: Dolly Parton with her parents. (The photo was shamelessly stolen from Dolly Parton’s Website.)
