Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton, who rose from humble beginnings to the greatest heights of American music and became one of the country’s most philanthropic, unifying and beloved stars, died Tuesday in Nashville. She was 80 after facing a brief battle with cancer. Born on January 19, 1946 in a one-room cabin in Tennessee, Parton grew up the fourth of 12 children. Music was always a part of the family, especially via her mother, whose father was a preacher who played piano and guitar. The star had been open about various health issues in the last two years, and especially after her husband Carl Dean died in March 2025. In a career that spanned over half a century, Parton captured the American experience, penning more than 3,000 songs. Those included “Coat of Many Colors,” a quiet ode to her mother, who stitched together garments in the family’s rural Tennessee home. She wrote and performed songs of love and heartbreak, like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” “9 to 5,” the title track from the movie of the same name, in which Parton also starred, which became an anthem for American women and workers. Parton went on to release 49 albums and win 11 Grammys, and became one of the most successful country crossover artists of all time. Later in life, she funnelled her massive success into philanthropy, founding a library program that has gifted more than 300 million books to children around the world. An uncle gave Parton her first guitar as a child. She learned to play when she was just 7 years old and started writing her own songs. In 1999, Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received the Recording Academy’s lifetime achievement award in 2011.

Back in 1990 I remember watching the GMDove Awards on American TV, and Dolly Parton appeared on stage and sang this exceptional song about the passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus. Originally written by Don Francisco, ‘He’s Alive’ has a dramatic crescendo as you listen to the words clearly sung by Dolly, reaching a climactic moment joined by a choir that emphasizes the majesty of the moment. Please find 5 minutes in silence and listen to this unique religious song. (Please ignore the written lyrics that appear - they are all wrong and very confusing - just look at Dolly as she sings.) It gives me goose bumps every time I hear it. I hope it moves you too. Rest in peace Dolly !