You know those movies that you have watched a thousand times but will still watch it every time you see it playing somewhere in tv-land? I've got a varied list and that list would be incredibly bereft without Dolly Parton. It started with 9 to 5, the movie came out the year I was born and at some point, we acquired a copy, not beta, not VHS, but a selectavision videodisc. I'm fairly certain I wore that disc out. Steel Magnolias is a given as it is on the 'when-I-really-need-a-good-cry list', (for some reason A League of Their Own is also on this list), And of course Straight Talk.
My parents in no way were or are purveyors of country music, nor am I. Still, Dolly was there. I tend to consider that some people just transcend music genres and are just MUSIC. So among the Olympians of music (Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, etc...) is Dolly Parton.
And then there is "The Book Lady".
"Everywhere I go, the kids call me 'the book lady.' The older I get, the more appreciative I seem to be. of the 'book lady' title. It makes me feel more like a legitimate person, not just a singer or and entertainer, But it makes me feel like I've done something good with my life and with my success."
-Dolly Parton.
In 1995, Dolly Parton started the Imagination Library, in honor of her father. The goal was to ensure children were given access to books. The Imagination library provides free books to children from birth through age five. The hopes are that with an early introduction to books, children will not only succeed in learning but will fall in love with reading. Beginning in Dolly's own stomping grounds of Sevier County, TN, the Imagination Library now serves children across the US and in Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United. Kingdom. "As of September 2022, The Imagination Library will mail close to 2 million age-appropriate books per month to children from birth to the age of five, no matter their family’s income." - Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Now Serves Over 10% of Children Under 5 in the U.S.
https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a34875550/dolly-parton-shelf-portrait/
When asked in an interview with Southern Living about her favorite book, Dolly replied: "It's The Little Engine That Could. Because I'm the little engine that did. I always say that "I thought I could, I thought I could" and "I think I can, I think I can, and I still think I can." So I think that's a great little inspirational book. It really kinda sums me up pretty good." Dolly Parton: The Southern Living Interview By Southern Living Editors Updated on May 4, 2018
"I have a favorite Southern writer named Lee Smith. She writes all these great stories about country people, mountain people. So I'm really drawn to Southern writers as well." https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a28134640/dolly-parton-favorite-books/
Thirty-five years later, four of those "girls" reunite to cruise the river again. This time it's on the luxury steamboat, The Belle of Natchez, and there's no publicity. This time, when they reach New Orleans, they'll give the river the ashes of a fifth rafter-beautiful Margaret ("Baby") Ballou.
Revered for her powerful female characters, here Lee Smith tells a brilliantly authoritative story of how college pals who grew up in an era when they were still called "girls" have negotiated life as "women." Harriet Holding is a hesitant teacher who has never married (she can't explain why, even to herself). Courtney Gray struggles to step away from her Southern Living-style life. Catherine Wilson, a sculptor, is suffocating in her happy third marriage. Anna Todd is a world-famous romance novelist escaping her own tragedies through her fiction. And finally there is Baby, the girl they come to bury-along with their memories of her rebellions and betrayals.
THE LAST GIRLS is wonderful reading. It's also wonderfully revealing of women's lives-of the idea of romance, of the relevance of past to present, of memory and desire.
"For the first time ever, legendary singer-songwriter Dolly Parton brings you behind the lyrics of 175 of her songs to reveal the personal stories and vibrant memories that have inspired sixty years of songwriting. Lushly illustrated and told in Dolly's inimitable voice, this rich collection offers an intimate, exclusive look at the colorful life, prolific career, and rags-to-rhinestones journey of one of the most revered entertainers of our time"-- Provided by publisher.
Dolly Parton lends the lyrics of her classic song "Coat of Many Colors" to this heartfelt picture book for young readers.
Country music legend Dolly Parton's rural upbringing in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee provides the backdrop for this special picture book. Using lyrics from her classic song "Coat of Many Colors," the book tells the story of a young girl in need of a warm winter coat. When her mother sews her a coat made of rags, the girl is mocked by classmates for being poor. But Parton's trademark positivity carries through to the end as the girl realizes that her coat was made with love "in every stitch." Beautiful illustrations pair with Parton's poetic lyrics in this heartfelt picture book sure to speak to all young readers.
From America's most beloved superstar and its greatest storyteller--a thriller about a young singer-songwriter on the rise and on the run, and determined to do whatever it takes to survive. Every song tells a story. She's a star on the rise, singing about the hard life behind her. She's also on the run. Find a future, lose a past. Nashville is where she's come to claim her destiny. It's also where the darkness she's fled might find her. And destroy her. Run, Rose, Run is a novel glittering with danger and desire--a story that only America's #1 beloved entertainer and its #1 bestselling author could have created.
Explores how the music of Dolly Parton and other prominent women country artists has both reflected and validated the harsh realities of rural working-class American women.
Ten faith lessons as evidenced in Dolly Parton's life, music, interviews, and attitude.
"A picture book biography of music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton celebrating resilience, confidence, and unfailing kindness"--. Provided by publisher.
Dolly is a little girl with a BIG voice. Music fills Dolly's heart so plumb full she has to let it out! She'll even sing to her cornhusk dolls or a pen full of pigs. She makes her own drum from a pot and her own guitar from a broken mandolin. But what Dolly dreams of is performing for a real audience--people who would hear her sing, and applaud!
Little Dolly grew up in Tennessee in a family "as poor as dirt." She started performing at an early age, singing on local radio and television. After graduating high school, she moved to Nashville to pursue her singing dreams. Her managers wanted her to sing pop, but she followed her heart to sing and write country songs. Her heart was right--Dolly became a musical superstar, but she never forgot where she came from. She now uses her wealth to give back to people, children, and animals in need. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the singer's life."--Amazon.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.