still grieving the death of her longtime love but takes the time to send out some love

I don't watch country music but I new of her when she started. I thought she looked ridiculous. Then I saw her on Caption Kangaroo. (My kids were little then) She was in jeans and a plaid shirt, hair not as big as on stage. She sang a song she wrote about a dog when she was very young.
I thought better of her then.

at a Black public school in Tennessee, and bring up the cost of uniforms (which high school bands all over the country spend a lot of time fundraising for), you will be told, "Dolly Parton bought ours." I'm far from a country music expert or fan - though I did watch Ken Burns's documentary on it - but I know a saint when I see one, even in the Grand Old Opry. This reflects only one of her many causes and philanthropies.

as a child unaware of the footprint she already had on the music world.

And I've belted out War Pigs more than once at karaoke. So I love love love this.

Was a big rock fan. Dolly said that he would play rock music all of the time. Dolly's sister Stella is a hard-core Democrat.