By Jules Smith, TACF Director of Communications
When an icon like Dolly Parton passes, the news travels fast and hits hard. She was truly larger than life. I seriously doubt there’s a person alive who hasn’t at least heard of her. Since this story broke, multiple media sources have hailed her as a unifier. It’s an accurate label. No matter your generation, political affiliation, skin color, tax bracket, gender, or ability—no doubt, we are all deeply saddened by her loss.
Of course, she was a phenomenally talented and successful singer, songwriter, and actor. But I would argue that Dolly’s greatest talent was her ability to never allow her unrivaled stardom to separate her from what mattered most: living a good life, doing for others, and caring for the world around her.
Through the Imagination Library, which she founded in 1995, Dolly’s contribution to literacy has put more than 314 million books in the hands of children from birth to age five, reaching communities across the US and around the world. Her quiet strength broke gender barriers in country music and helped make the industry more inclusive. Her support for scientific research and her generosity in the wake of hardships and disasters have changed countless lives and will continue to do so.
Her altruism even made a direct and lasting impact on The American Chestnut Foundation.
Dolly was very close to her late uncle, Bill Owens. She credited him with connecting her to the country music scene in Nashville by taking her to auditions and radio and television appearances. Later, Bill became a devoted supporter of American chestnut restoration. He and his wife, Sandy, worked with TACF’s TN Chapter to obtain and plant American chestnut trees in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and to raise funds for continued restoration efforts. In 2022, TACF presented Dolly with the Chestnut Conservation Champion Award in honor of her beloved uncle and his commitment to restoring the iconic species.
Bill’s love of American chestnut must have rubbed off on Dolly as she too engaged in TACF’s restoration mission. She even wrote a song to the tune of “O Christmas Tree,” changing the lyrics to celebrate the American chestnut and renaming it “O Chestnut Tree.” (Regretfully, TACF does not currently have possession of the song.) We were honored by her enthusiasm to appear in TACF’s award-winning documentary, Clear Day Thunder: Rescuing the American Chestnut. Her love for this special tree helped introduce its story to people who might not otherwise have known about the American chestnut, its restoration, or why bringing it back matters.
I actually had the privilege of meeting Dolly Parton on multiple occasions. Like Dolly, I’m from East Tennessee, so that was always part of our brief but highly valued conversations. In the 1990s, I worked for a television news station in Knoxville and covered numerous stories about Dollywood. Some of those featured Dolly herself, making special appearances to open a new ride or restaurant in the theme park. I had the privilege of attending those events as a member of the media.
Hands down, it was my favorite part of the job.
On every occasion, she was the same: kind, engaging, respectful, and real. She was never intimidating or distant. Quite the opposite. She was authentic, charismatic, and conversational. Somehow, Dolly Parton, this larger-than-life icon, felt like family.
On Tuesday afternoon, August 25, my mobile phone began blowing up with text messages about the news of her passing. Messages came from old friends I hadn’t heard from in years, former colleagues from my days in television news, and even my 18-year-old daughter, who called via FaceTime so we could share and process the sad news together.
Every message carried the same sentiments: shock and sadness. But each also included admiration and celebration for a woman who made a real difference in the world and inspired us—individually and collectively—to do the same.