Country music legend Dolly Parton, whose songs, unmistakable style and warmth made her one of America’s most enduring entertainers, has died aged 80, her family said on Tuesday.
Parton rose from a poor childhood in rural Tennessee to become one of the world’s best-selling female artists, selling more than 100 million records and winning 11 Grammy Awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Her catalogue included “Jolene”, “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You”, while her distinctive soprano, towering blond hairstyles and flamboyant costumes helped take country music to audiences far beyond the U.S.
Born Dolly Rebecca Parton on 19 January 1946, she was one of 12 children and grew up in a one-room cabin in Tennessee. She began writing songs as a child, was singing on local radio by 11 and appeared at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry at 13.
After high school, Parton moved to Nashville and forged a successful partnership with country singer Porter Wagoner. She later wrote “I Will Always Love You” as a farewell to Wagoner when she left to pursue her solo career. Whitney Houston’s version became a global hit in 1992.
Parton wrote an estimated 3,000 songs during her life, recording about 450. Twenty-five reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country charts.
Her success extended well beyond music. She made her film debut alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin in 1980’s “9 to 5”, earning an Oscar nomination for its title song, and later appeared in films including “Steel Magnolias” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”.
She also built a business empire that included Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that became one of the state’s best-known tourist attractions.
Parton’s philanthropy became another defining part of her public life. She donated $1 million to coronavirus vaccine research at Vanderbilt University in 2020, helping support work linked to Moderna’s vaccine.
Her Imagination Library literacy programme has distributed free books to children in the U.S. and several other countries, reflecting a commitment to education inspired partly by her father, who could not read or write.
Despite her fame, Parton repeatedly said songwriting mattered most.
“At the end of the day, I hope that I will be remembered as a good songwriter. The songs are my legacy.”
Saudi Arabia’s air defences have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone over the Riyadh region, according to the Saudi-led coalition fight...
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
Baku is set to host the second “Fly to Baku” Art Weekend from 30 October to 1 November, bringing together Azerbaijani and international artists to explore the Caucasus’ wildlife and cultural heritage, and the need to protect nature.
A rare 67-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton known as “Jodi” has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York, smashing its pre-sale estimate and becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.
Iran is looking to turn its centuries-old tea culture into an opportunity for trade, industrial development and tourism as it held the Second Tea Festival in the northern province of Gilan bordering the Caspian Sea.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment