Dolly Parton is one of the truly iconic superstars of country music. She has been for decades, and surely will continue to be for years to come. But there is far more depth to her fame and popularity than sparkly rhinestones and hit songs. On this traditional day when people get together to enjoy a holiday feast and express gratitude for the blessings they have, we want to point out that Parton is, to us, and to many others, the queen of Thanksgiving. Here are some reasons why she merits that designation.
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Dolly Parton Does So Much For Others
The Imagination Library She Originated For Kids Is Impressive
Parton grew up poor but in a deeply loving family that cherished each other, their faith, and anything that they had. She knows what it means to live a hardscrabble life and to work diligently to succeed. Now that Parton has ample resources to enable her to give back, she has done so generously and unstintingly.
Parton founded the Imagination Library in 1995 so kids who might not otherwise have them could have free books to read. The impetus was her dad's lack of training in writing and reading. The project started small in Tennessee, and now encompasses "the United States...Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland." So far, per her web site, more than 200 million free books have landed in the hands of youngsters who treasure and learn from them.
Parton explained, "My daddy just loved it when all the little kids would call me 'The Book Lady.' That meant more to him than the fact that I had become a star and worked my butt off."
Parton Makes Her Gratitude Known
Her Classic Song 'I Will Always Love You' Is An Anthem Of Thanks To Someone Special In Her Life
You probably know the song "I Will Always Love You." Parton wrote and recorded it in 1974. It gained new life when Whitney Houston sang it brilliantly in 1992 for her film The Bodyguard. What you may not know, however, is that Parton wrote it for Porter Wagoner, with whom she had performed many times early in her career. She eventually decided to go solo professionally, and the heartfelt song was Parton's fond farewell to him.
Per American Songwriter via CMT, "It's saying, 'Just because I'm going don't mean I won't love you. I appreciate you and I hope you do great and I appreciate everything you've done, but I'm out of here.' And I took it in the next morning. I said, 'Sit down, Porter. I've written this song, and I want you to hear it.'... And he was crying. He said, 'That's the prettiest song I ever heard. And you can go, providing I get to produce that record.' And he did."
She Loves To Cook
Parton Released A Cookbook This Year With Her Sister Rachel
Maybe you can't picture Dolly Parton with an apron tied around her waist and fussing over a hot stove, but she does like to cook. The proof is the cookbook / memoir of her family's life that she released in September with her sis, Rachel Parton George.
Titled Good Lookin' Cookin': A Year of Meals - A Lifetime Of Family, Friends, And Food, it describes her family's home life when Parton was young and gives tons of recipes for hearty, stick-to-your-ribs dishes. And the book celebrates the Partons' homespun values - "God, family, music, and food." What could be more genuinely about Thanksgiving than that?
Parton Gave Up Part Of Her Thanksgiving On At Least One Occasion To Perform
She Sang At An NFL Game On Thanksgiving In 2023
On November 23, 2023, Parton sang for the halftime show of the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders. She performed songs including "9 to 5" and "Jolene." The star's appearance helped to spread the word about the Red Kettle charitable initiative run by the Salvation Army.
