is a legend and a queen and a trailblazer and a singer and a songwriter and an author and a philanthropist and a business woman and more. Her career has spanned more than 50 years and doesn't seem to be anywhere close to stopping. She has inspired, influenced, and encouraged generations of fans to sing, dance, and a million other things.
And for all of this, we are thankful!
I've put together a list of 27 reasons to love Dolly. There are some songs, some quotes, some points about her life and career - and all of them are great.
Are there more reasons than these? Absolutely! And we want to hear them, so leave a comment with your favourite Dolly quote or story or song or book or anything else!
27 Reasons to Love Dolly Parton!
1. ♫ Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vacciiiiiiiiiiiiiine ♫
Dolly Parton, through the Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund, donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University for COVID vaccine research, helping to lead to the Moderna vaccine currently in trial and showing very positive results. It's a nice story because we love Dolly, but it's a huge story because she stepped up when she felt it was the right thing to do, and boy did we need some of that!
2. And IIIIIIIIII Will Always Love You
Dolly Parton wrote I Will Always Love You!
3. I'm begging of you...
She also wrote Jolene!
4. Wait! What?!
Dolly Parton wrote I Will Always Love You and Jolene on the same day (to the best of her recollection). That's insane, not because songwriters don't often write more than one song in a day, but because Dolly turned out two CLASSICS and just wow!
5. The Right Things Because They Are Right
She dropped 'Dixie' from the name of an attraction at Dollywood because of its civil war and slavery era connotations. (The same situation The Chicks, formerly The Dixie Chicks found themselves in).
6. Black Lives Matter
She has clearly supports Black Lives Matter saying, "And of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little White asses are the only ones that matter? No!"
7. Reading is Fundamental
She founded the Imagination Library, sending books to children in numerous countries and helping to inspire and encourage children to learn to read and to love reading. https://imaginationlibrary.com/
8. More Books
She's written wonderful books, including children's books and the brand new, Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics (with Robert K. Oermann).
9. More Books
She's been written about in wonderful books.
10. Love is Love is Love is Love
She is outwardly supportive of the LGBTQ community, marriage equality, and has called out Christians for homophobic views saying, "But as far as the Christians, if people want to pass judgment, they're already sinning. The sin of judging is just as bad as any other sin they might say somebody else is committing."
11. Workin' 9 to 5!
12. All of the Music! All the Albums!
Between 1967 and 2020, she has released an astonishing 51 studio albums, 6 live albums, and 5 soundtrack albums.
13. Reminding Us to Follow Our Dreams!
She dove headfirst into her dreams, moving to Nashville the day after she graduated from High School in 1964.
14. Islands In The Stream with Kenny Rogers
15. Hahahahahaha
She's funny. Dolly says funny things and likes to laugh and it's great!
16. She's In On It!
She's willing to make fun of herself as the punchline of a joke or to deflect praise or just because she thinks it's funny.
17. She Gets It!
She's smart in business and her brand and doing what she thinks is right.
18. Humble and Kind
She's humble, saying about Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You, "It was one of the most overwhelming feelings I have ever had to hear it done so well, so beautifully, and so big. She took it and made it so much more that what it would ever have been. It was such a joy as a songwriter. I don't think I will have a bigger thrill, ever."
19. The Quotes (#1)
She said, "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life."
20. The Quotes (#2)
And she said, "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."
21. The Quotes (#3)
And she said, "If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours."
22. The Quotes (#4)
And she said, "Find out who you are and do it on purpose."
23. The Quotes (#5)
And she reminded us to keep pushing forward, "You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try."
24. The Quotes (#6)
And she gave us this little reminder (positive and negative) "Energy begets energy."
25. In My Name
Her first US Country #1 single was Joshua. (I understand that this one might only seem super great to me)
26. Heaven Let Your Light Shine Down
Her cover of Shine is... wow, great, awesome and Grammy-winning
27. Bedtime Stories with Dolly Parton!
The Goodnight with Dolly bedtime story video series is wonderful and wholesome and sweet and I LOVE it!