Evanston, USA – Dolly Parton, the beloved country music legend, actress, songwriter and philanthropist, died on 25 August 2026 at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
For Rotary members, however, Parton will also be remembered for something beyond her extraordinary music career: her passionate commitment to giving children the opportunity to discover the joy and power of reading.
This Q&A was originally published in the March 2010 issue of The Rotarian magazine, now Rotary, ahead of Parton’s keynote appearance at the 2010 Rotary International Convention in Montréal, Canada. Her connection with Rotary grew through a partnership between Rotary clubs and her Imagination Library, the children’s literacy programme established through the Dollywood Foundation.
Parton’s commitment to literacy was rooted in her own childhood in the mountains of Tennessee. Growing up in a large, impoverished family, she had little time for reading. Her father, a tobacco farmer, never learned to read, an experience that left a lasting impression on his daughter.
The Imagination Library began by providing children in her home county with a free book every month from birth to age five. It’s simple philosophy was remarkably powerful: every child should have books, regardless of family income. Asked why she did not limit the programme to disadvantaged families, Parton gave an answer that reflected the warmth and practicality that became hallmarks of her philanthropy.
“I never wanted a child or family to feel they were getting books because someone decided they must be poor or underprivileged.” Instead, she wanted every child to feel valued. “I want kids to feel that the reason they are getting a book is because they are under five and their community loves them.”
Rotary became an important partner in expanding that vision. “Rotary has been a wonderful partner,” Parton said. “It has helped us in all kinds of ways – getting the word out, funding the effort, and finding others to help fund it.” Her affection for Rotarians was equally direct and characteristically Dolly. “I never really pay much attention to what people are; I focus on who they are.” And her verdict on the Rotarians she had met? “Everyone I have met has been warm, loving, caring — and pretty darn funny!”
Parton was also asked about the growing popularity of electronic reading devices. Her answer now feels especially poignant in an increasingly digital world. “I love everything about a book – the way it feels and the way it smells.” She believed books and technology could coexist, adding that she thought “the world is plenty big enough to have both books and Kindles.”
Her own relationship with reading was deeply personal. She described getting up early each morning for what she called her “God time” — a quiet period for reading, prayer, writing and creativity. “It is a very special time for me,” she said.
That combination of faith, creativity and compassion ran throughout Parton’s life. She built an extraordinary career as a singer and songwriter, with classics including Jolene, I Will Always Love You and 9 to 5, while also becoming a successful actress, businesswoman and the creator of Dollywood. Her philanthropic work ultimately reached far beyond her native Tennessee.
But perhaps one of the most enduring measures of her legacy is found not in record sales or awards, but in the millions of children who received a book because Dolly Parton believed every child deserved one. The Imagination Library now distributes tens of millions of books annually across several countries.
Asked what she hoped for the future of the programme, Parton offered a wonderfully simple ambition, “My hope is simple: that no child will ever have to grow up without books.” That hope remains part of her legacy.
Dolly Parton entertained generations with her music, laughter and unmistakable personality. But behind the rhinestones, the big hair and the worldwide fame was a woman who never forgot where she came from — and who used her success to make sure that children, regardless of their circumstances, had the chance to open a book and imagine a bigger world. For Rotary, her message remains particularly fitting: service can begin with something as simple as putting a book into a child’s hands.
