Metro Detroit remembers country music legend Dolly Parton after her death
Detroit mourns the loss of Dolly Parton, Country Music Icon
Dolly was so much more than just a country music legend. She was truly a musicologist, with an affinity for many different genres, including Motown, with a duet with Smokey Robinson. But tonight we are singing all of her two dozen-plus number-one hits and then some.
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Metro-Detroiters are mourning the loss of a true American icon Tuesday night, as country music legend Dolly Parton died at 80 years old after a brief battle with cancer.
While she hailed from the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, her love of Detroit music like Motown only added to the millions of reasons we love her.
Dolly Parton's impact in Detroit
Big picture view:
Dolly was so much more than just a country music legend. She was truly a musicologist with an affinity for many different genres, including Motown, with a duet with Smokey Robinson. But tonight we are singing all of her two dozen-plus number-one hits and then some.
From "9 to 5" to "Here You Come Again" and, of course, the Whitney Houston cover "I Will Always Love You," Dolly’s music has been a massive part of popular culture ever since we can remember. Just as impactful though was Dolly’s business savvy, and the way she gave back to so many causes while elevating women all across the entertainment industry.
Detroit music journalist Gary Graff interviewed Dolly many times, most recently being last November.
"I mean it was just cool, you know, hey, I get to talk to Dolly again because she’s always wonderful to talk to," said music journalist Gary Graff. "Like I said, sparkling over the phone and then a very deep conversation, which was exciting. It was exciting to hear her take on music and on music history and her sense of context about where everything fit together and how everything fit together so. Wasn’t thinking okay this is going to be the last time I spoke with her. It does cross your mind but there was something very appropriate that that last conversation with Dolly Parton was about music and was about family."
Speaking of philanthropy, Dolly Parton became renowned for her love of helping children learn to read through her Imagination Library, a groundbreaking international book-gifting effort designed to help children develop a love of reading.
It works by mailing free classic age-appropriate books to children’s homes, regardless of family income levels.
Dolly’s team added a Detroit chapter at Wayne State University’s Reuther Library just a few years prior.
"We’ve been involved in the Imagination Library for about 5 or 6 years now, and we’re always thinking about Dolly," said archivist Stefanie Caloia. "She’s just kind of there. It’s like her spirit is with us all the time anyway, but now that she’s passed, yeah it’s definitely hard to deal with."
What's next:
The Detroit chapter of the book programs serves a few area codes now and they are looking to expand. No doubt Dolly’s spirit will help them do that.
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The Source: FOX 2 used information from previous reporting in this story.