There’s a reason why Dolly Parton’s wonderful face graces not just her own album covers (an impressive 52 so far), but kitschy prayer candles, cutesy greetings cards and a whole array of delightfully jazzy, extremely unofficial DIY merch. With a career spanning seven decades, Dolly isn’t simply a fiercely important musical artist, but a force for powerful cultural change. From changing the way women are seen at the business end of country music to providing millions of free books for underprivileged children via her Imagination Library project, helping fund vital Covid vaccine research and forking out tuition fees for workers at her Dollywood theme park, with each year that passes, Dolly finds it impossible not to do good. A millionaire she might be, but she uses a fair whack of her staggering wealth to help rather than harm.
Dolly’s latest much-talked-about gesture doesn’t necessarily involve cash, but rather clout. This week Tennessee’s finest turned down her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination, leaving her fellow Class of 2022 nominees – Eminem, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran, Beck, Pat Benatar, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest, Kate Bush, Devo, Fela Kuti, MC5 and Judas Priest among them – to fight it out for five final places in the hallowed halls.
