Dolly Parton is an American icon, an incredibly talented singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman, but she is also a philanthropist, a champion of education, and a role model for women everywhere. Born and raised in the rural mountains of Tennessee, she embodies the spirit of the Appalachian people, who are known for their resilience, hard work, and love of family and community.

Parton's journey from poverty to stardom is a true rags-to-riches story. She was one of 12 children born to Avie Lee Owens Parton and Robert Lee Parton, who lived in a one-room cabin without running water or electricity. Despite these challenging circumstances, Parton's parents instilled in her a love of music, and she began singing and playing guitar at a young age. She also had a talent for writing songs, which would later become her trademark.

In the 1960s, Parton moved to Nashville, the capital of country music, and began her career as a songwriter. She wrote hit songs for other country artists, including "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" for Bill Phillips and "Fuel to the Flame" for Skeeter Davis. She also signed a recording contract with Monument Records and released her debut album, Hello, I'm Dolly, in 1967. The album contained her first hit single, "Dumb Blonde," which challenged the stereotype of women in country music as ditzy and subservient.

Parton's music quickly caught the attention of audiences, and she became known for her powerful voice, catchy melodies, and heartfelt lyrics. She had a string of hits in the 1970s, including "Jolene," "I Will Always Love You," and "Here You Come Again," which made her a crossover star and earned her a Grammy award. She also became a popular television personality, hosting her own variety show, Dolly!, from 1976 to 1977.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Parton continued to dominate the country music scene, releasing hit albums like 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs and collaborating with other artists like Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt. 

She also expanded her empire beyond music, launching her own theme park, Dollywood, in 1986. Located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the park celebrates the culture and history of the Appalachian region and employs more than 4,000 people, making it the largest employer in Sevier County.

The park features more than 50 rides and attractions, including roller coasters, water rides, and live entertainment shows. Dollywood also showcases traditional Appalachian crafts and music, reflecting the culture of the region. In addition, the park hosts several annual festivals and events, such as the Flower & Food Festival and the Harvest Festival. With its unique blend of thrill rides, entertainment, and cultural experiences, Dollywood is a popular destination for families and tourists visiting the Smoky Mountains area. 

Dollywood has received several awards over the years, including the Golden Ticket Award for Best Theme Park Christmas Event for 14 consecutive years and the Applause Award, which is considered the most prestigious award in the amusement park industry.

But Parton's contributions to her community and her country go far beyond her music and business ventures.  One of her most well-known projects is the Imagination Library, which she founded in 1995 to promote literacy in children. Through the non-profit Dollywood Foundation, she sends free books to children from birth to age five, regardless of their family's income. 

The program has been a huge success, reaching more than 2.4 million children in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In 2018, Parton celebrated sending 100 million books to children, (now it stands at over 205 million books) and she has received numerous awards for her work in literacy.

In addition to her philanthropic work, Parton has also been a vocal advocate for women's rights and equality. In a 2018 interview with Billboard, she spoke about her experiences facing sexism in the music industry, saying, "I’ve had to go against all kinds of people , from record labels to producers to even other artists who didn't think I was worth investing in or promoting because I was a woman. I've had to fight my way through all of that. But I knew what I wanted, and I wasn't going to let anyone tell me I couldn't have it."

Parton has also been outspoken about her support for LGBTQ+ rights, stating in a 2019 interview with The Guardian, "I think everybody should be allowed to be who they are, and to love who they love. I don't think we should be judgmental. Lord, I've got enough problems of my own to pass judgment on somebody else."

Parton's advocacy for women and marginalized communities extends beyond her words and into her actions. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support research into the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has since been authorized for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has played a crucial role in the fight against the pandemic.

Parton is also a champion of education, recognizing the critical role it plays in empowering individuals and communities. In the early 1990s, Parton became acutely aware of the high school dropout rate in Sevier County, Tennessee, where she grew up. The dropout rate was over 30%, and Parton recognized that the lack of education not only affected the individual lives of local youth, but also impacted the ability of the county to prosper. To address this issue, she started The Buddy Program, which targeted students in 7th and 8th grade. The program was simple - students had to pair up and 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 Buddy Program was a resounding success, and the dropout rate in Sevier County plummeted to under 6%. But Parton did not stop there. She continued her work in education by establishing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in 1995, which provides free books to children from birth until they begin school. Every month, participating children receive a carefully selected book appropriate for their age group, and the program has since expanded to over 1,800 communities across the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. To date, the Imagination Library has mailed over 150 million books to children, fostering a love of reading and promoting literacy from an early age.

Parton's dedication to education is also evident in her support of higher education. 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 through the Grow U program. The program covers 100% of tuition, associated fees, and books for 108 programs from 30 universities, including degrees in Business Administration and Leadership, Finance, Technology, and Marketing. An additional 149 programs in Hospitality, Culinary, Engineering, Human Resources, and Art & Design are partially covered. This initiative is just another example of Parton's commitment to education and her belief in the transformative power of learning.

But Parton's philanthropic work is not limited to education. She is also a passionate advocate for environmental conservation and animal welfare. In 1990, Dollywood became home to the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, which is run in partnership with the American Eagle Foundation. The 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's love for animals extends beyond birds of prey, and she has also worked with the Humane Society of the United States to promote pet adoption and provide funding for animal shelters across the country.

In addition to her work with education and conservation, Parton has also been a staunch supporter of disaster relief efforts. In 2016, a series of wildfires swept 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 assist 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, which provided long-term assistance to residents who lost their homes or jobs due to the fires.

The My People Fund ultimately raised over $12 million, thanks to the generosity of donors around the world. Parton was personally involved in every step of the process, including visiting with families who had been affected by the fires. In a press conference announcing the fund, she said, "I've always believed that charity begins at home, and my home is someplace special. We want to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything in the fires. I know it has been a trying time for my people, and this assistance will help get them back on their feet."

Parton's commitment to disaster relief efforts extends beyond the Smoky Mountains wildfires. In 2017, she donated $1 million to the Red Cross to aid in their Hurricane Harvey relief efforts, saying in a statement, "I am praying for all the families affected by the fire and the flood. I am pledging $500,000 to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help with the disaster relief efforts. The other $500,000 will go towards the creation of the 'My People Fund,' which will provide a hand-up to those families who have lost everything in the fires."

Parton's efforts to help those affected by natural disasters have not gone unnoticed. In 2018, she received the Tennessee Governor's Arts Award for her contributions to the arts and philanthropy, including her work with disaster relief. And in 2020, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine, with her profile being written by actress Reese Witherspoon, who called Parton "a woman who has leveraged her success to lift others up."

Parton's dedication to her community and her philanthropic work have made her a beloved figure not just in Tennessee, but around the world. She is a shining example of what it means to give back and use one's success to make a positive impact on the world. As she said in a 2015 interview with ABC News, "I'm a person of faith, and I truly believe that you can't receive until you give. You have to give to get, and I just believe in being a blessing to others. I try to do that as much as I can."

In addition to her musical and philanthropic endeavors, Dolly Parton is also a beloved cultural icon in the United States, particularly in the Appalachian region where she was born and raised. 

She represents the essence of Appalachian culture and the strong, independent spirit of the people who call these mountains their home.

Parton has written over 3,000 songs in her career, including some of the most successful country hits of all time. Her chart-topping singles, such as "Jolene," "Coat of Many Colors," and "I Will Always Love You," have become American classics and continue to resonate with audiences today. Parton's music has influenced countless artists and has helped shape the country music genre as we know it today.

In addition to her music, Dolly Parton is also known for her work in film, particularly her role in the 1980 comedy "9 to 5." The movie was a huge box office success and helped to shine a light on the issues women faced in the workplace at the time. Parton not only starred in the film but also wrote and performed the title song, which became a hit in its own right. The success of "9 to 5" helped to cement Parton's status as a cultural icon and demonstrated her ability to captivate audiences in a variety of mediums.

Throughout her career, Dolly Parton has remained true to her roots and has always embraced her Appalachian heritage. She has written countless songs that celebrate the culture and traditions of the region, and her music has become an important part of the Appalachian identity. Parton's legacy as a trailblazer for women, and particularly Appalachian women, cannot be overstated. Despite growing up in poverty in rural Tennessee, she has become one of the most successful and beloved entertainers of all time, with a net worth of over $600 million. And she has used her success to give back to her community in countless ways, from promoting education and literacy to preserving wildlife and providing jobs.

She said, "I'm a country girl. I'm proud of it. I wouldn't change it for nothing. I love being from where I'm from, and I love the people that I grew up with." Parton continues to live in Tennessee and is actively involved in the local community. Dolly Parton's influence and impact on music, entertainment, philanthropy, and advocacy are immeasurable. She has overcome tremendous obstacles and used her success to give back to her community and promote causes close to her heart. At Foothills Digest, we are proud to recognize the tremendous impact that Dolly Parton has had on her community and on the Appalachian region as a whole. As a true trailblazer for Appalachian women, Parton embodies the spirit of resilience, strength, and determination that is so deeply ingrained in the culture of the region. For her unwavering commitment to philanthropy, education, and social justice, we are honored to crown Dolly Parton as the Queen of the Strong Appalachian Women.