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By Jessica Stewart on October 12, 2022
Dolly Parton is an undisputed legend for her contributions to music. Not only has she sold over 130 million records internationally and written over 3,000 songs, but she holds several Guinness World Records for having the most singles on the country charts. However, there is another side to the country singer that more and more people are just now discovering. Her donation of $1 million toward vaccine research during the pandemic shed light on her charitable efforts. In reality, that donation is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Parton's philanthropy.
Parton has long been a philanthropist, but she does so with little publicity or fanfare. This is why many people may not realize her incredible contributions, particularly to Sevier County—the poverty-stricken part of Tennessee where she grew up. In March 2022, Twitter user Michelle B. Young started a thread championing some of Parton's charitable contributions. Some of the causes she supports, like Black Lives Matter, are well known. But many others focus on her local community and, in particular, helping its youth prepare for a better future. In fact, her theme park, Dollywood, was created with the purpose of providing jobs to families and creating a tourist attraction for the community to generate for income. This alone is amazing, but she’s done so much more over the years.
Here is just a sampling of some ways that Parton has been helping make the world a better place, and doing so without expecting anything in return.
Country singer Dolly Parton is a legend in the music industry.
She is also just an all-around beloved figure for the quiet way she gives back, particularly to her own community in East Tennessee.
Aerial view of Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, Tennessee. (Photo: [emailprotected]/Depositphotos)
Often donating funds with little or no fanfare, Parton—who grew up in poverty—always knew she'd give back if she became a success.
Here are just some of the ways that Dolly Parton makes her community and the world a better place.
Paying for students’ band or choir uniforms at predominantly Black schools
Here’s a quietly wonderful thing I noticed:
If you talk to someone who was in choir or band at a majority Black HS, you’ll eventually discuss those annoying fundraisers for uniforms, instruments, etc. & a SURPRISING number will casually say:
(Video) for KING & COUNTRY + Dolly Parton - God Only Knows (Official Music Video)“Oh, Dolly Parton paid for ours”
— Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) October 6, 2022
Writer Michael Harriot tweeted about how a surprising number of band and choir students at predominantly Black high schools have had their uniform and instrument fees paid for by Parton. For years, the country singer has been quietly doing this, simultaneously supporting her community and encouraging kids to pursue an interest in musical arts.
30+ years ago I was in high school marching band in East Tennessee. One year we played Sevier County High School…and DANG that band was equipped – uniforms, instruments, flags, everything. Mountain area, much poverty. Paid for by Dolly Parton. That woman is a national treasure.
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Giving free books to kids
One of Parton's most well-known projects is her Imagination Library. Run through her non-profit, the Dollywood Foundation, the initiative was started in 1995 to increase literacy in Sevier County. Every child, regardless of income, was mailed an age-appropriate book each month until they reached the age of 5.
By 2000, the program had become so successful that it expanded to any community that wanted to partner and give local support. The Imagination Library can now be found in over 1,800 communities in the United States, as well as Canada, Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In 2018, Parton celebrated sending 100 million books to children and she's been the recipient of numerous awards for her work in literacy.
Incentivizing kids to finish high school.
In the early 1990s, Parton discovered that the high school dropout rate in Sevier County was over 30%. She astutely realized that the lack of education was not only impacting the individual lives of local youth, but also making it difficult for the county to prosper. So, she started The Buddy Program, which targeted students in 7th and 8th grade. Parton met personally with the students to explain the program. It was very simple: the students needed to pair up. If both they and their partner graduated high school, Parton would hand each of them a check for $500. In addition, both partners had to sign a contract that they would be each other's support system and do everything they could to help each other graduate.
The program was a rousing success and soon the dropout rate plummeted to under 6%.
Offering free college tuition for all Dollywood Employees
Since it opened in 1986, the Dollywood theme park has been a source of tourism and employment in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Three million people visit the theme park annually, making it the state's biggest tourist attraction. In 2022, parent company Herschend Enterprises announced that all 11,000 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees of Dollywood and the company's other ventures who wanted to pursue higher education would have their fees paid for.
The education initiative, which is called the Grow U program, covers 100% of tuition, associated fees, and books for 108 programs from 30 universities. According to the Dollywood website, these degrees include Business Administration and Leadership, Finance, Technology, and Marketing. An additional 149 programs in Hospitality, Culinary, Engineering, Human Resources, and Art & Design are partially covered. And, importantly, employees can apply for funding from their first day on the job.
Supporting victims of the Gatlinburg Fire
In 2016, a complex series of wildfires spread through the Smoky Mountains, greatly impacting the towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Just two days after the fires, Parton, who was on tour at the time, called the CEO of the Dollywood Foundation to figure out how they could help. What they set up was an unprecedented way to help many of the families who had their lives destroyed by the fires.
Through the My People Fund, about 900 families received $1,000 a month for 6 months. In the final month, the support was raised to $5,000 due to incoming donations that the foundation had received. And if that weren't enough, they also opened the Mountain Tough organization to assist in home site cleanups and provide a helping hand to those in need on a case-by-case basis. In total, $12.5 million from the foundation went to people in the county impacted by the fire.
Using Song Royalties to Rebuild a Predominantly Black Neighborhood
Whitney Houston'sI Will Always Love You is one of the most recognizable songs of all time. But not everyone realizes that the song was written—and originally performed—by Parton. Though the song was already a #1 hit for Parton, it really skyrocketed to success after Houston's iconic 1992 rendition. As the songwriter, Parton earned royalties from the ballad and it's estimated that just in the 1990s alone she earned $10 million from the single.
So what did she do with all of the money? During a 2021 appearance onWatch What Happens Live, Parton divulged that she'd invested the money in a strip mall located in a predominantly Black part of Nashville.
“It was just off the beaten path from 16th Avenue and I thought, ‘Well I am going to buy this place, the whole strip mall.’ And thought, ‘This is the perfect place for me to be,’ considering it was Whitney.I just thought, ‘This was great. I’m just going to be down here with her people who are my people as well. And so I just love the fact that I spent that money on a complex and I think, ‘This is the house that Whitney built.’”
Helping Save the Bald Eagle
In her 2020 book, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics,she wrote that she related to eagles. The bird of prey actually features in many of her songs, including 1991's Eagle When She Flies. And her love for the bird goes far beyond music. Since 1990, Dollywood has been home to an eagle sanctuary, which is run in partnership with the American Eagle Foundation.
The Eagle Mountain Sanctuary rehabilitates injured eagles and other birds of prey, releasing them into the wild when possible. Currently, the sanctuary is the largest gathering of non-releasable bald eagles in the world. Parton once noted, “Back when we started it, bald eagles were beginning to be extinct. We’ve helped to get it back to where they aren’t so scarce anymore.”
In 2003, she was given a Partnership Award from theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for her efforts in saving the bald eagle.
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FAQs
How did Dolly Parton contribute to country music? ›
Parton, like these women, significantly contributed to the country music scene, largely dominated by men until the 1950s, simply by creating a female identity and giving voice to female perspectives.
Why is Dolly Parton the queen of country? ›Dolly Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time, She had a stream of hit singles in the 80's, the most success being her 1981 hit '9 to 5'. She is quite simply the reigning queen of country music... this is her story.
What is Dolly's most famous song? ›Jolene. Dolly's most famous song is also her best. The song tells the tale of a woman confronting Jolene, a beautiful woman, who she believes is trying to steal away her lover/husband.
Is Dolly Parton a country legend? ›Description. Country music's most versatile entertainer, Dolly Parton has endured for decades, reinventing herself as a duet partner, a country solo star, a pop singer, TV Variety show maven, film actress and bluegrass diva.
How does Dolly Parton give back? ›Beyond the Imagination Library, Parton's philanthropic efforts also include donations to Vanderbilt University for pediatric infectious disease research and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine and the Dollywood Foundation's My People Fund to support families affected by the 2016 wildfires in Sevier County.
Who is considered the queen of pop? ›Queen of Pop is a nickname most commonly associated with American singer Madonna.
Who is considered the Queen of Country? ›Starting in the 1950s, Kitty Wells, known as "The Queen of Country Music," recorded hit after hit at a time when women didn't have hits in country music. When she performed, Wells delivered the goods with a country twang and a supple, powerful voice that reached right to the back of the house.
Did Dolly Parton ever meet Queen Elizabeth? ›She would meet both Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, backstage in a moment she'd never forget. "That was a great moment, I thought," Dolly recalled in an interview from 2022.
What is Dolly Parton's real name? ›January 19, 1946
Dolly Rebecca Parton is born to Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Parton near Sevierville, Tennessee.
Family, education, health care, and career success are causes that Parton feels connected to. Parton calls on her core family values, strong faith, and success to demonstrate servant leadership and strengthen people in these areas.
How many number 1 hits has Dolly Parton had? ›
She has had 25 songs reach no. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female artist (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years.
How has Dolly Parton changed the world? ›The 11-time Grammy Award winner has also supported other humanitarian efforts, including fundraising and donations for HIV/AIDs initiatives, disaster relief, cancer treatment, and animal rights. Now, Parton is launching a higher education initiative for employees at her theme park, Dollywood.
What has Dolly Parton accomplished? ›- 3 Billion Worldwide Streams – 2021.
- Ultimate Dolly Parton – album – 2021 – GOLD (US)
- God Only Knows (with for King & Country) single – 2020 – PLATINUM (US)
- Jolene – single – 2021 – 2X PLATINUM (US)
- Islands In The Stream (with Kenny Rogers) – single – 2021 – 2X PLATINUM (US)
To continue her wildfire relief efforts, Parton launched the My People Fund, which provided $1,000 a month for six months to families whose homes were completely destroyed amid the natural disaster. The fund also donated around $8.9 million to those in need.
Is Dolly Parton a billionaire? ›As of October 2022, Dolly Parton's net worth is $650 Million. She is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and businesswoman from Tennessee. Parton is regarded to be one of the best singers in the world and her albums have sold millions of copies.
Did Dolly Parton give her family money? ›Parton's family might not have had much money, but they did have plenty of love. And one year, Parton and her siblings saved up every penny to buy one incredible gift for their mother during those hard times.
What does Dolly Parton do for charity? ›About The Dollywood Foundation
The Dollywood Foundation was created in 1988 by Dolly Parton to inspire the children in her home county to achieve educational success. Initial efforts focused on decreasing the drop out rate in the county's high school.
In a 2014 chat with Interview Magazine, Dolly Parton was asked to name her favorite color. Without hesitation, Parton stated “I have two—white and yellow. White makes me feel light and airy. Yellow makes me happy.”
What are Dolly Parton's favorite things? ›Parton has named banana pudding, chicken and dumplings, and roast pork among her favorite foods, the latter of which she prefers a bit fatty. And she told The New York Times in 1992, "The greasier the food, the better."
Who is bigger Janet Jackson or Madonna? ›Madonna is simply the undisputed best-selling female artist of all time. And many around the world argue that alone makes her the reigning Queen of Pop. VH1 did a bracket of Pop Queens in 2014 and after a few rounds, Janet Jackson came out on top. That should be very telling.
Who is the Princess of Pop 2022? ›
Lyodra: Indonesia's reigning princess of pop - Tue, January 18 2022 - The Jakarta Post.
Who is the king of country music? ›George Harvey Strait Sr.
(born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is known as the "King of Country" and is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time.
How do I meet Dolly Parton in person? The best way to meet Dolly Parton personally is at one of her album releases, book signings, movie or TV premieres, meet-and-greets, or bidding on a charity auction.
How old was Queen when he died? › When did Queen Elizabeth died? › What is Dolly short for? ›Dolly is a diminutive for the English personal names Dorothy and Dolores.
How do you spell Dolly Parton's last name? ›Dolly Parton, in full Dolly Rebecca Parton, (born January 19, 1946, Locust Ridge, Tennessee, U.S.), American country music singer, guitarist, and actress best known for pioneering the interface between country and pop music styles.
What is Dolly Parton's real age? ›Is Miley Cyrus related to Dolly Parton? ›
Country legend Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother. Parton said she was given that role due to her close relationship with Cyrus' father, Billy Ray. Cyrus and Parton have both spoken fondly about their relationship over the years.
How many Top 10 hits did Dolly Parton have? ›Ever since she started her country music career in 1967 with her debut album Hello, I'm Dolly, she managed to take the industry by storm with her self-penned songs. She has charted 25 number one songs and 41 Top 10 country albums among a few of her impressive achievements in a span of her over five-decade career.
Who has the most number 1 hits? ›The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits of all time: 20. Though unclear for how long, the Beatles still reign supreme as the artist with the most No. 1 songs of all time.
What artists were influenced by Dolly Parton? ›- 8/8 Martina McBride.
- 7/8 Ashley Monroe.
- 6/8 Jennifer Nettles.
- 5/8 Reba McEntire.
- 4/8 Kacey Musgraves.
- 3/8 Carrie Underwood.
- 2/8 Taylor Swift.
- 1/8 Miley Cyrus.
- Shania Twain.
- Reba McEntire.
- Taylor Swift.
- Emmylou Harris.
- Alison Krauss.
- The Chicks.
- Kellie Pickler.
In addition to her own foundation, Parton has contributed funds to a number of charitable organizations outside the Dollywood umbrella, including the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Save the Music Foundation and the Boot Campaign, an organization that donates proceeds to military veterans who are dealing ...
What did Dolly Parton accomplish? ›Has received 50 Grammy Award nominations and won ten competitive awards. She has also received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominated for two Academy Awards, three Emmy Awards and one Tony Award. Has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide.
Why did Dolly Parton bow out of rock n Roll Hall of Fame? ›Dolly Parton is bowing out of her nomination for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “Even though I'm extremely flattered and grateful to be nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, I don't feel that I have earned that right,” Parton said on social media on Monday (March 14).
Why Dolly Parton became so popular? ›Parton really hit her songwriting stride in the mid-1970s, when her controlling mentor Porter Wagoner, a Nashville singer and impresario 19 years her senior with whom she sang as part of a duo, encouraged her to develop a more glamorous image and more commercial material.
How many songs did Dolly write? ›Dolly Parton estimates that she has written close to 3,000 songs throughout her illustrious seven-decade career. While 450 of those songs have been recorded, Parton hasn't always been the artist to sing them: Merle Haggard, Hank Williams Jr.
Is Dolly Parton a good role model? ›
To many fans, Dolly Parton is more than just an iconic musician and a living legend, she's a role model for success. “I'm like that mother figure,” Parton told ABC News' Robin Roberts in a recent interview.
What is Dolly Parton's favorite color? ›In a 2014 chat with Interview Magazine, Dolly Parton was asked to name her favorite color. Without hesitation, Parton stated “I have two—white and yellow. White makes me feel light and airy. Yellow makes me happy.”
How many number 1 hits Does Dolly Parton have? ›She has had 25 songs reach no. 1 on the Billboard country music charts, a record for a female artist (tied with Reba McEntire). She has 44 career Top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career-charted singles over the past 40 years.
How has Dolly Parton changed the world? ›The 11-time Grammy Award winner has also supported other humanitarian efforts, including fundraising and donations for HIV/AIDs initiatives, disaster relief, cancer treatment, and animal rights. Now, Parton is launching a higher education initiative for employees at her theme park, Dollywood.
Is Dolly Parton a billionaire? ›As of October 2022, Dolly Parton's net worth is $650 Million. She is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and businesswoman from Tennessee. Parton is regarded to be one of the best singers in the world and her albums have sold millions of copies.
Does Dollywood pay for college? ›Just last week Herschend Enterprises, which oversees Dollywood, Dolly Parton's theme park and resort, announced that they will cover the full cost of tuition, fees and books for employees who want to further their education starting Feb. 24.
What is Dolly Partons real name? ›January 19, 1946
Dolly Rebecca Parton is born to Robert Lee Parton and Avie Lee Parton near Sevierville, Tennessee.
According to Forbes, Dolly Parton is one of the highest-earning music artists of all time, with an annual income exceeding $85 Million. This income for Dolly Parton comes from multiple music platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, etc.
Is Miley Cyrus related to Dolly Parton? ›Country legend Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus' godmother. Parton said she was given that role due to her close relationship with Cyrus' father, Billy Ray. Cyrus and Parton have both spoken fondly about their relationship over the years.