Studio Note #42: Remembering Dolly Parton: A Life of Music and Kindness.
Dolly Parton, photo by Irving Penn
No note today.
Just an acknowledgment and condolences for the passing of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.
It's pretty rare for an entertainer of her generation and standing to make it through a lifetime in the public eye without becoming embroiled in scandal at some point.
In 1959, Johnny Cash introduced a then 13-year-old Dolly Parton for her first performance at the Grand Ole Opry. She received three encores that night. Her talent was undeniable from the beginning, and over the next six decades she lived an incredible life and, seemingly at every turn, led by example.
Dolly had a positive light that burned like a thousand suns.
Beyond being one of the most important figures in the history of country music, what stands out to me most is the work she did for childhood literacy. Dolly's Imagination Library, which she started in 1995, has gifted more than 332 million books to children around the world.
Over 332 million books.
Let that sink in.
That figure represents millions of children who got to hold a book in their hands because Dolly Parton believed reading mattered.
The world is a dumpster fire right now, and losing someone who put that much kindness into it makes it sting a little more.
Rest in peace, Dolly.