The blonde hair.  The butterflies. The rhinestones. For generations, Dolly Parton’s  larger-than-life image was impossible to ignore, but behind this extraordinary persona was a woman who spent decades using her well-earned success to help people. On August 25th, the world was left with only a memory.

Dolly’s personality was just as recognizable as her appearance. Her humility, kindness, and charisma shined through the glamour of stardom profoundly. Despite becoming one of the most treasured artists in the world, Dolly never separated herself from her roots. Dolly Rebecca Parton was born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee, where she was raised as the fourth of twelve children in a dirt-poor family. Her childhood in the Smoky Mountains became an important part of her identity, since the desire to find better living circumstances for her family fueled her with the ambition required to make it big in the industry. Dolly was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1999, Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001, and, most recently, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Dolly’s most tremendous achievements do not come from any awards or inductions, though. She also used her success to give back to those that helped shape her as a child.. Her most notable endeavor, “Dollywood”, is a broadly loved amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which still continues to have new attractions added since its opening in 1986. Additionally, in 1995, Dolly launched the “Imagination Library” book mailing program that provides children with free books. The program was inspired by her father, Robert Lee Parton, who never learned to read or write. What is so beautiful about these accomplishments is that Dolly didn’t abandon her roots once she hit it big; she instead built opportunities for the people that nurtured her into the woman that everyone knows and loves. Dolly ensured that the systems she put in place to give back to her community would outlive her, and that her legacy of generosity would go on to inspire others after her death. Dolly’s sister, Stella Parton, took to Facebook two days after Dolly’s passing, saying, “My sister was always thinking of others and if you want to honor her legacy, show more kindness, lift others up and give more of your time and resources as she continued to do to the very end.” Her passing was not only felt by those closest to her, but by the millions of people who had grown up with Dolly. For decades, Dolly was a familiar face in American culture, a pop culture icon, a symbol for the value that comes from building oneself from the ground up. It also goes without saying that losing someone who had been such a constant and awe-inspiring presence in music and television made her absence feel that much more significant. In the wake of her passing, clips of her performances to songs like “I Will Always Love You” and “Coat of Many Colors” have begun making the rounds on the internet, with netizens mourning the fact that they could not appreciate her outstanding catalogue of work while she was still with us.

However, Dolly’s influence does not die alongside her. The programs she created continue to inspire. The Imagination Library continues to put books into the hands of children, Dollywood continues to run in the community that formed her, and her music has forever made an impact on the industry. Although she may have moved on from the physical realm, one thing is certain: the world will forever remember and revere the name Dolly Parton.