Leah Granskog, Editor-in-Chief
Graphic by Leah Granskog, Images by Getty Images
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” – Dolly Parton.
Few musical figures have contributed more to United States culture than country music icon Dolly Parton. On August 25, 2026, as flags around the country flew at half-mast in honor of Parton’s passing, we lost not only a talented musician but a caring philanthropist, an impressive businesswoman, and a powerful cultural figure.
A Musical and Cultural Icon
Parton received hundreds of honors for her music throughout her career. To mention a few, she won 11 Grammy Awards (with over 50 total nominations), ten Country Music Awards, and three Emmy Awards. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. She also received the Living Legend Award in 2004 for her contributions to the American cultural landscape and the National Medal of Arts in 2005, the highest award the U.S. government gives to artists.
However, Parton came from humble beginnings. She was the fourth of twelve children and grew up in Sevier County, Tennessee. Despite her family’s financial struggles, Parton was surrounded by music at a young age. Her mother was a singer, and her grandfather was a fiddler and preacher. When she was given her first guitar at eight years old and began performing, she landed a spot on a television variety show in nearby Knoxville, Tennessee. It wasn’t long before Nashville took notice of Parton and asked her to perform on the Grand Ole Opry at age thirteen. After this, Parton’s life changed dramatically.
Parton is considered to be the most honored female country performer of all time. She received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1984. Image by Getty Images 
Parton and Wagoner had 14 Top-10 hits together, helping Parton to become one of the best-selling country artists in music history. Image by Getty Images 
“I wanted to be free. I had my songs to sing, I had an ambition and it burned inside me. It was something I knew would take me out of the mountains,” Parton said in a 1997 interview with Rolling Stone. Image by Getty Images 
Parton made her film debut in 1980, when she starred in the comedy “9 to 5.” She also recorded the hit theme song for the show, which shares the same name. Image by Getty Images 
Parton says the most valuable of her achievements is the bronze statue of her in her hometown, Sevierville. “It’s the greatest honor, because it came from the people who know me,” she said. Image by Getty Images
Parton moved to Nashville right after she graduated high school in 1964 and released her first Top Forty hit, “Dumb Blonde,” in 1966. After joining the Porter Wagoner Show in 1967, she worked in a musical partnership with Wagoner, which lasted for seven years. While Wagoner and Parton released many famous hits together, it was Parton’s solo tracks, like “Jolene” (1973), “I Will Always Love You” (1974), and “9 to 5” (1980), that she is best remembered for.
Parton released her 49th and final solo album, titled “Rockstar,” in 2023. Her last public appearance was in June of 2026, at the grand opening of her Tennessean Travel Stop in Cornersville, Tennessee. Parton passed away on August 25, 2026, after a short battle with cancer.
A Feminist and Business Icon
Beyond Parton’s musical prowess, she was an inspiring figure to many women. Parton’s career hit its peak during an era of feminism in the 1970s. Her first hit, for example, “Dumb Blonde,” was created to challenge traditional female stereotypes. Additionally, songs like “Working Girl” and “9 to 5” were written in response to women becoming more involved in the paid workforce.
Even the extravagant way Parton dressed often influenced many women. Feminist journalist and activist Gloria Steinem explains this in the 1987 issue of Ms. Magazine, which named Parton as Women of the Year. “She [Parton] has taken all the ridiculed modern symbols of femininity, from makeup and platform shoes to wigs and false eyelashes, and infused them with humor and a conscious power,” Steinem said.
Just as inspiring was Parton’s strength in the business world. She was the founder of many different projects and organizations, including Dollywood, the Dollywood Foundation, Velvet Apple Music (a music publishing company), Sandollar Productions (an entertainment production company), and Dolly Records (her own record label).
Many of these organizations were immensely successful. For example, Dollywood, a theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, has become one of the South’s leading tourist attractions, ultimately helping to improve East Tennessee’s economy. The Dollywood Foundation has kickstarted many initiatives aimed at improving education in Sevier County, Tennessee (her hometown). Sandollar Production served as the production company for both movie and television hits like “Father of the Bride” (1991) and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1992).
Photo by Dollywood Parks and Resorts
Transforming Lives Through Philanthropy
While Parton’s acting and music accomplishments are fairly well known, what is less appreciated, but just as impactful as her music, are her philanthropic contributions.
One of her more well-known charity organizations is the Imagination Library. Founded in 1995 in honor of her father, who wasn’t able to read, this organization provides one free book to children per month from birth until they reach age five. After starting in East Tennessee, the Imagination Library expanded to include parts of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. By 2025, the Imagination Library had gifted over 300 million books to children around the world.
Parton made many more donations to expand children’s access to education. In 1991, Parton created The Buddy Program as part of her larger Dollywood Foundation. This organization, which ran for two years, aimed to help the Sevier County School District which had a high school dropout rate of 35%. By partnering students up and promising to pay both partners $500 on their graduation date if neither dropped out of high school, the program decreased the dropout rate to 6%.
Another way Parton helped increase access to education was in 2022, when Dollywood announced that it would finance 100% of costs (tuition, books, etc.) for any employee of Dollywood Parks and Resorts who wanted to further their schooling.
Parton also made charitable contributions to many other organizations. Over her lifetime, Parton donated $3 million to Vanderbilt University to help fund its coronavirus and pediatric infectious disease research. In 2016, Parton raised over $13 million to help with relief efforts for the East Tennessee wildfires. Similarly, in 2021, Parton raised $700,000 to help those impacted by the Tennessee flooding.
Photo by the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy
For these efforts, and many more not mentioned, in 2022, Parton received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
A Lasting Cultural Legacy
While Parton was an important musical star who helped transform the country music landscape, her contributions beyond her music career cannot be overlooked. Her selflessness, ambition, and resilience will serve as an example for generations to come, and her influence in American culture will never be forgotten.
“I always count my blessings more than I count my money.
I don’t work for money. Never did.
It was the art.”
– Dolly Parton
Images by Getty Images
