Honoring Dolly Parton's Incredible Legacy After the Country Icon Passes Away at 80

Dolly Parton has a truly remarkable career.

You can rewatch Dolly Parton anytime you want in 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias, but my favorite stories actually come from before she got famous at all.

Dolly was born into poverty on January 19, 1946, and was the fourth of 12 kids. She turned her experience with her mother making their clothes out of rags into the song "Coat of Many Colors," in which she sings, "My coat of many colors that my mama made for me // Made only from rags but I wore it so proudly // Although we had no money I was rich as I could be // In my coat of many colors my mama made for me." Like, it makes me emotional every time!

You might not know that Dolly Parton actually wrote Whitney Houston's iconic "I Will Always Love You," which the singer recorded after Dolly turned down an offer from Elvis. In true Taylor Swift fashion, Dolly wanted to retain her rights to the song, and Elvis seemed to always claim those after he recorded. (Or, maybe I should say Taylor operates in true Dolly Parton fashion).

Dolly Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 before she joined the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. But not only that, the 2000s continued to see her success skyrocket; She received a National Medal of Arts in 2005 and a Kennedy Center Honors in 2006.

But it pales in comparison to her personal life.

But if you ask me, her career success fades when you look at her character. Dolly Parton launched The Dollywood Foundation in 1988 to decrease drop out rates in high schoolers in her home county.

To support Vanderbilt’s Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and COVID research, she made a $1 million donation (each!) to Vanderbilt University, in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

She loved everyone, and was vocal about the fact that every life has dignity. “I don’t think it should matter what color your skin is, what your religion is, whether you’re a woman, or a man, or transgender," Dolly Parton told Salvation South. "If you’ve got something to offer, you should be loved. You should just be accepted for who you are and what you’re doing.”

Read Dolly Parton's Obituary

You can read Dolly Parton's obituary, via Variety: “A rhinestone life that shone bright enough for the world to see, Dolly will forever stand as an inspiration not only through her timeless music and prolific songwriting, but also her wit, warmth, and kindness that made us all feel like family. Dolly Parton’s legacy is one of love, compassion, and resilience. With a seven-decade career, she inspired multiple generations of artists and fans with her music and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. Her songs will continue to resonate with people of all ages, and her philanthropic work will have a lasting impact.”