Remembering Dolly Parton
Written By Daniel Cocklin
Tribute
The Empire State Building sparkled pink on Aug. 25 to honor the late musician and actress Dolly Parton who wrote the hit song “9 to 5." Parton, dubbed the “Queen of Country Music” for her hit songs, passed away earlier that day in Nashville, Tennessee at age 80.
Parton’s impact extends beyond her hit songs. She founded and ran many initiatives and organizations that gave back not only to her community, but to communities across the globe.
In 1988, Parton founded The Dollywood Foundation in Sevier County, Tennessee with the goal of decreasing high school dropout rates. Parton launched the Buddy Program in 1990 that gave $500 to every seventh- and eighth-grader who graduated from high school with their buddy. The program was successful in l...