By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher

Every generation suffers that one celebrity death that stays with them. For my grandparents and parents, it was Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, and John Lennon. For Gen Xers like me, Kurt Cobain, Princess Diana, and Prince really hurt. Millennials mourned Steve Irwin, Michael Jackson, and Robin Williams the hardest and even Gen Z grieved with Chadwick Boseman and online creators like Technoblade. And across all of us, there’s Dolly.

Today, September 25 is Dolly Parton Day in Tennessee, California, and Ohio, among others. It’s a nod to her hit song and movie, 9 to 5, and I’ve spent much of the day thinking about Dolly and what she means to me personally.

There’s obviously her shining example of generosity and giving as evidenced by the non-profits she founded like the Imagination Library, The Buddy Foundation, and the Dollywood Foundation to support her favorite causes — literacy, education, and the people of her beloved East Tennessee hometown, Sevier County.

There’s also her steadfast support of the people of our state during some of our darkest moments.

In 2016 when wildfire ravaged Sevier County, she established the My People Fund, which distributed $1,000 monthly for six months to over 1,000 families who lost their primary residences, totaling over $12 million in aid.

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she donated $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, which aided early research for the Moderna vaccine.

Hurricane Helene hit East Tennessee and Western North Carolina in late 2024 devastating the area in what would be a long recovery. Dolly wrote a personal check for $1 million to help the area build back and gave another $2 million from both Dollywood and the Dollywood Foundation.

In a world where billionaires hoard personal wealth, Dolly Parton seemed determined to never be one. Despite the music catalog, theme parks, and business ventures, at the time of her death, Dolly’s net worth hovered at around $500 million.

But for me, Dolly lived her life in ways I seek to emulate beyond generosity — though I certainly do as much of that as I can.

1 | For example, Dolly lived famously as hard to reach. She rejected the smart phone life and email. Though I’m sure you could reach her “people” by those means, even friends like Kenny Rogers could only access her by fax machine. In 2023, she told the The View that she “didn’t want to get into all that because it took up too much of her time.” Like Dolly, I’m starting to prefer being unreachable.

2 | As evidenced by the days following her death, the entire world loved Dolly Parton. As the twilight of her career seemed inevitable, everyone from the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame to the Tennessee Legislature wanted to enshrine her. She accepted the Hall of Fame honor and after produced her very first rock album at the age of 77 — her forty-ninth and final studio album. During her lifetime, she asked state elected officials to “drop” the idea of a statue at The Capitol in her honor. Dolly refused the pedestal and always considered herself a work in progress.

3 | Dolly Parton famously penned the song, “I Will Always Love You” — and released it in 1974 less than a decade into her career. It stayed at the top of the Billboard’s Hot County Songs chart for a week. Soon after, The King himself, Elvis Presley, came calling asking permission to release his own version of the song. According to multiple sources, Dolly felt thrilled and agreed. The night before Elvis was set to record the song, Colonel Tom Parker called — asking for 50 percent of the publishing rights. Dolly cried about it and then gave an emphatic, “no.” It’s a reminder, for women especially, to never be so flattered that you give away your worth.

4 | Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” remains one of my favorite “cheating” songs and it stays in heavy rotation on my playlist. Unlike Loretta Lynn’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man,” Dolly didn’t lower herself to competing with another woman to earn a man’s heart. Instead, Dolly chose vulnerability. She pleads with Jolene with a wide-open heart without villainizing her. In interviews, Dolly said a spark of jealousy over bank teller who gave Carl Dean a little too much attention inspired the song. It’s real life inspiring good storytelling. It also may have been a warning shot to Carl Dean.  But it’s also a great life lesson: never villainize the other woman. She’s not the problem.

5 | Dolly famously lived as a persona decorated in rhinestones, wigs, and tailored clothing to accentuate her 41-25-38 physique. She knew many considered her a dumb blonde and she played into it — mainly because as she famously knew she was neither dumb nor blonde. In many ways, that persona allowed her to make shrewd business decisions in rooms full of men who never saw her coming. They often expected her to be surrounded with an entourage of people and handlers who could be persuaded, which was never the case. It’s a lesson in you don’t need people to know you’re the smartest person in the room — even if that happens to be true.

6 | Dolly persistently rejected the label of feminist — even though she lived her life that way. She avoided political, partisan, and societal labels and instead chose to focus on her art and let it speak for itself. The movie 9 to 5, for which this day is named, serves as an example. It became a became a rallying cry for workplace equality and fair treatment. She spoke openly about the fact that women deserved equal pay, respect, and the right to determine their own path. She also stood as a steadfast ally to the LGBTQ+ community and openly supported same sex marriage. Drag performers became a particular favorite of her. Dolly led with empathy and unconditional love with a healthy dose of mind your damn business.

7 | Some speculated after Carl Dean’s death in March 2025, that Dolly wouldn’t be far behind. Some couples live here on earth as a matched set. Carl Dean famously shunned the spotlight. He attended a single awards show in 1966, and lovingly asked Dolly to never invite him to an industry event again. It’s a boundary she honored. It’s also a lesson that not every part of your life needs an audience.

In honor of Dolly, I scattered tiny, resin butterflies all over Southern Middle Tennessee today in surprise places in the hope that people would find them and feel a “Dolly wink.” I bought a stranger’s lunch and saved a ZZ plant from a local Walmart. I’ve been intentionally kind and patient today, and donated to the Moore County Imagination Library. It seemed like the best possible way to celebrate Dolly Parton Day.•