Dolly Parton Showed Mankind Love Without Politics

Dolly Parton was not just a country music icon. She was a rare unifying force in a divided America, and her death on August 25 leaves a void that politics alone cannot fill.

Parton died at age 80, her nephew Bryan Seaver announced in a video she had asked him to share upon her passing. The news landed hard across every corner of American life, from Battle Creek to Nashville to Hollywood.

From East Tennessee to Every America

Parton came from East Tennessee, one of 12 children, shaped by family, church, poverty and Appalachian culture. She never took herself too seriously. She did not think she was pretty, so she embraced kitschy glamour based on the beauty of a \"painted up\" woman in her hometown.

She became country music royalty, then a movie star (\"Steel Magnolias,\" \"9-to-5,\" \"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas\"), then an entrepreneur, humanitarian and cultural icon. But how did a woman so deeply rooted in rural America become so beloved by every America?

She did not require people to agree with her before she showed them affection and respect.

Music That Crossed Every Boundary

Parton's musical career crossed boundaries that once divided America. Beyonce covered Dolly's 1973 hit, \"Jolene,\" on her 2024 album, \"Country Carter.\" Dolly offered a spoken word introduction to the track as \"Dolly P.\"

Her 2023 \"Rockstar\" album included collaborations with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lizzo, Sting, Pink and Debbie Harry. She repeatedly performed with her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. She even covered \"Free Bird.\"

She could remain authentically Dolly, Christian faith and rhinestones and all, while welcoming people of any race or sexual orientation, liberal or conservative, rural or urban, rich or poor.

Philanthropy Without Politics

Parton started her Imagination Library in her home county in East Tennessee and grew it into an enormous literacy effort. Children do not have to belong to the right party, religion, race or income to receive a book.

During the pandemic, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center research that helped support development of the Moderna vaccine, while resisting efforts to turn herself into a political symbol.

After the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, her My People Fund provided direct assistance to families who had lost their homes.

That is Dolly's politics: Do something to help somebody.

A Lesson for Battle Creek and Beyond

Modern politics rewards politicians and influencers for identifying who is on \"our\" side and who is on \"their\" side. Outrage is a powerful fundraiser these days.

Dolly built something different. She built trust. And she did it without becoming milquetoast or losing her authenticity.

Maybe Dolly's greatest achievement is that she crossed America's political divide. Maybe it was that she refused to acknowledge that loving people required choosing sides. She knew who she was. She knew where she came from. And somehow, she kept making room for everybody else.

Byron McCauley is a regional columnist for USA Today Network Michigan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was Dolly Parton's Imagination Library?

A: The Imagination Library is a literacy program Dolly Parton started in her home county in East Tennessee. It provides free books to children regardless of their family's political affiliation, religion, race, or income level.

Q: How did Dolly Parton help with COVID-19 vaccine research?

A: Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support research that helped develop the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She resisted efforts to turn her donation into a political statement.

Q: Why is Dolly Parton considered a nonpartisan figure?

A: Despite her conservative upbringing in Tennessee, Dolly Parton never publicly endorsed a presidential candidate or joined a political party. She welcomed people across the political spectrum and focused her public life on philanthropy and music rather than partisan politics.