‘I’m Not One to Hide Under the Covers’: Dolly Parton Talks Doing Good During Difficult Times

You’ve done great work supporting youth education through the Imagination Library, sending free books to children around the world. Why is that cause so close to your heart?

I started [that work] because of my own father, who was not able to read or write. He had had a family of 12, and he still managed to provide for us. My dad was really smart—I used to imagine what his life would have been like if he [had been literate]. So, I got the idea that it would be a good thing to do something in his honor. He’d always get a good kick out of hearing the kids call me the “book lady.” Whenever things like [this Carnegie Medal] happen in my career, I’m always thinking that my parents would be proud of me.

You’ve always used your platform for good, and it’s not something you have to do. Where do you think your focus on philanthropy work stems from?

I grew up in a very open-hearted, faith-based family. You’re taught to love and be accepting, and to give more than you receive. Both sides of my family are funny, tender-hearted, good people. Whether you believe in God or not, you need to be grounded; you need to believe in something greater than yourself. We grew up thinking that other people are just as important as we are. I wrote a song that’s going to be in my Christmas movie special in December. And it goes, “Whoever you are, be that. Whatever you do, do that. Anything else is just an act.”

When I got into a position to be able to do it on a larger scale, I did. It means a lot to me. How hard can it be for me to take pride in the Imagination Library, knowing that I’m helping put books in the hands of children all over the world? It’s more about children learning to read—it’s the fact they get recognized. They get this little book with their little name on it in the mail, and they feel special. They start taking pride in themselves, and they know that somebody out there is thinking of [them].

You’ve done some great work through your Dollywood Foundation as well. What are some of your proudest achievments through that organization?