Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Names Dolly Parton Tennessean of the Year
Our Smoky Mountain hometown hero has been named Tennessean of the Year by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame! The award recognizes an individual or organization that has made significant contributions through sports or other methods. We’ve got all the details on this honor and other Dolly Parton news.
Dolly Parton Tennessean of the Year
Although Dolly Parton is known for being a country music legend and not an athlete, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame has named her the 2020 Tennessean of the Year! The honor will be presented at the Hall of Fame’s annual induction on August 1. Parton was chosen as this year’s recipient because of her mark on the music industry and her philanthropic work in Tennessee and around the world. Not only is she the most honored country singer-songwriter of all time, but she has had great accomplishments off the stage as well, like donating more than 130 million books to children around the world through her Imagination Library.
About the honor, Dolly Parton said, “This will come as a shock to most of you, but I’m not very athletic. I just couldn’t find tennis shoes, cleats, or blades with 5-inch heels, so I gave up and settled for music. Seriously, I have always been a proud Tennessee girl and have supported all our athletics through the years, so, of course, I’m thrilled to be honored by the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.”
Other Dolly Parton News
The list of Dolly Parton’s awards and honors gets longer year after year. From Grammy awards to stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, she’s been the recipient of plenty of important honors. One thing is for sure — the country music star is always staying busy! Here are a few things she’s been up to recently:
“Goodnight with Dolly”
How would you like Dolly Parton to be the one to read your kids a bedtime story? Dolly started a 10-week video series called “Goodnight with Dolly,” where she reads children’s books live for kids to watch! All of the books are from her Imagination Library. The video series was designed as a way for Dolly to ease kids’ fears and help them sleep at night. Even when the series ends, you can re-watch all the videos on the Imagination Library Facebook page!
“The Library That Dolly Built”
“The Library That Dolly Built” is a documentary that takes a behind-the-scenes look at Dolly’s Imagination Library. The film is narrated by Danica McKellar, who starred in the Hallmark movie, “Christmas at Dollywood.” It provides a look at the impact the Imagination Library has had on people through interviews with authors, policymakers, Imagination Library staff, recipients and Dolly Parton herself. It also provides a unique biography of Dolly — instead of focusing on her music it shows how throughout all her success she still makes time to come back to Sevier County to give back. The documentary is expected to be released in fall of 2020.
More About Dolly Parton
We love Dolly Parton, and we know you do too! If you’re interested in learning more about this country music superstar, check out our blog “8 Fun Facts About Dolly Parton You Probably Don’t Know.”
