Since hearing of Dolly’s passing, I’ve been grieving by reading tributes and listening to my Dolly playlist. Like many of you, Dolly has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.
When I was little, I loved watching her variety show. She was so glamorous and fun! I would pretend I was Dolly, standing on stage, singing and introducing guests. When I was a little older, I remember my parents taking me to the drive-in theater. I fought to stay awake for the second movie, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which I’m pretty sure I was way too young for! And then there was 9 to 5. I loved those movies, and of course I knew all the words to the song. Dolly was always there, on the radio or TV, spreading her joy.
One of the things I’ve always loved about Dolly are the stories she told about her childhood and growing up in the Smoky Mountains. She was just so real, relatable, and accepting of everyone.
My love and appreciation for her grew even more as I became an adult. There are so many stories about her kindness and charitable work that it would be impossible to mention them all here. Growing up poor, with a father who could not read or write, Dolly understood the power of putting a book into a child’s hands. She knew that a book could open up a whole new world for a child, no matter where they came from or how much money their family had.
That is the part of Dolly’s legacy that means the most to me.
I’m happy to report that the Dolly Parton Imagination Library is once again fully funded in Washington State! That means every child from birth to age 5 can receive a free book in the mail every month. What an amazing gift and such a wonderful way to continue Dolly’s legacy.trl.org/imagination-library, opens a new window
And if you want to soak in a little more of the Dolly vibes, I put together a book list featuring books Dolly has written, along with biographies and other books about her life and career.
Whether you are a longtime Dolly fan or just beginning to learn about her, this list has books that Dolly has written along with some biographies and other books about her life.
