Dolly Parton: A Living Legend

Dolly Parton is one of the most beloved celebrity figures of all time. The reasons why that is the case are endless. Whether it’s about her music, especially her country hits, her acting in many classic films, many awards nominations, or her incredible charity work, for many people she is a light at the end of a dark tunnel. No matter what crisis the world seems to be going through, Dolly Parton offers it a comfort blanket just by being her amazing self. Although there could be downsides to this, for one reason or another, she’s truly ascended from just being a regular person (not that she ever was just that) and has now become a living legend.

Musical Career

To call her musical career successful would be an understatement. Having struggled with money a lot early in her life, she started to sing and make appearances on radio and TV as a kid. Though she didn’t see much solo success throughout the 1960s and ’70s, she was becoming a force in the musical world. She asserted herself with hits like Joshua and Coat of Many Colors and, of course, perhaps her biggest classic and one of the most recognizable songs ever, Jolene. General audiences associate the song I Will Always Love You with Whitney Houston’s incredible vocals, but the song was originally sung by Parton. She had many more hits once she adverted from the country scene into a more pop-oriented style but people will always recognize Dolly Parton’s musical prowess within the country world. It’s also worth noting that she’s won a total of 11 Grammys throughout her career. She’s been rightfully inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 for her egregiously successful career.

Philanthropy

Parton’s many contributions to charity and her philanthropic endeavors are what truly put her legendary status over the top. It’s easy for celebrities to shy away in their million-dollar mansions and not really care about what is going on around the world but Parton certainly has chosen another route. Her nonprofit organization Dollywood Foundation helps children by providing them with literacy options. Through her foundation, Parton also has raised money for many other charities and for people in need. Her many multimillion-dollar donations are numerous and each is more impressive than the other. She’s been a vocal advocate for vaccination and has donated to its research during the current pandemic. Parton has also supported many charities and the people affected by HIV. Some other charity names that she’s donated to and worked with include names like Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes and Save the Music Foundation and the Boot Campaign. She donates about $1 million every year on average to philanthropic causes.

Nowadays

Everyone knows who Dolly Parton is. And everyone loves her for who she is. There are a great many legends living nowadays for whom the audiences simply don’t care much for anymore. Their impact may have veined over the years. But her impact certainly hasn’t. Young people adore her sense of justice and respect her icon status. Additionally, even in 2022, she still has over 10 million monthly listeners on Spotify, even on songs that have come out many decades ago. This just proves her staying power and classic ingenuity. More recently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominated Parton but she publicly declined the induction possibility showing once again huge signs of humility. There really are no stars that shine as bright as her.

There’s no denying that through her words and most importantly through her actions Dolly Parton has inspired generations. Very few people could possibly be as great for as long as she’s been. She really has been on the right side of history over and over and is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon.

Photo: DFree/shutterstock

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