“When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

—Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is loved around the world for her remarkable songs, acting, enthusiasm for life, successful business ventures and all she does philanthropically. Raised in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, she was the 4th of 12 children. She has long credited her father for her business savvy, and her mother's family for her musical abilities.

One of her best-known business developments is Dollywood, a beautiful family-oriented theme park in the heart of the Smokies.

Worldwide she has sold over 100 million records. Known primarily as a singer/songwriter for country songs, she also has crossed into the pop and rock genres as well as film soundtracks. She has written over 3000 songs.

The awards and recognitions are numerous:

• Eleven GRAMMY Awards with 50 nominations including a Lifetime Achievement Award.


• Twenty-five #1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs Chart


• 44 Top 10 Country Albums


• 10 Country Music Association Awards including Entertainer of the Year


• Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame


• Country Music Hall of Fame


• Songwriters Hall of Fame


• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame


• One of only a select few to receive a nomination for a GRAMMY Award, Academy Award, Emmy Award and a Tony Award.


• Kennedy Center Honors for her lifetime of contributions to the arts.


• The Jeff Bezos Courage and Civility Award providing 100 million dollars for her favorite causes.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five, through funding shared by Dolly Parton and local community partners in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and Republic of Ireland.

Inspired by her father’s inability to read and write Dolly started her Imagination Library in 1995 for the children within her home county. Today, her program spans five countries and gifts over 1 million free books each month to children around the world.

Dolly Parton said, “When I was growing up in the hills of East Tennessee, I knew my dreams would come true. I know there are children in your community with their own dreams. They dream of becoming a doctor or an inventor or a minister. Who knows, maybe there is a little girl whose dream is to be a writer and singer. The seeds of these dreams are often found in books and the seeds you help plant in your community can grow across the world.”

To quote Reba McEntire paying tribute to Dolly at the Kennedy Center Honors event, “There ain’t nobody like Dolly Parton.”

Kindness. Pass It On!

This billboard about Kindness features Dolly Parton.