Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – Cities and states across the US celebrated the inaugural Dolly Parton Day on Friday — 9/25 — a date that recalls one of the late country icon’s most beloved hits. Parton died last month at the age of 80, plunging her fans into mourning for a singer-songwriter, philanthropist and businesswoman whom many saw as a unifying figure in a divided America.
This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he was establishing the day to encourage citizens of America’s most populous state to take inspiration from the “9 to 5” singer, who starred in the 1980 film of the same name with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. The movie’s signature song, written and performed by Parton, has become a workplace empowerment anthem.
“We could all afford to live a little more like Dolly. Be kind, be humble, and have some fun… Be a diamond in a rhinestone world,” Newsom said. “With this bill, we are not just establishing a day to celebrate Dolly Parton, we are creating an annual reminder to us, every year, to live the way she did — joyfully, graciously, and with a whole lot of heart.”
Events around the Golden State were to include musical performances and giveaways in downtown Los Angeles. At sunset, Santa Monica was to light up its 90-foot (30 meter)-tall Pacific Wheel on the pier in pink, with “DOLLY” and “WE WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!” displayed along with pink hearts, stars, and spiral animations.
Los Angeles County Library was planning to hold a series of activities in honor of a woman whose literacy drive brought books to millions of underprivileged children. The New York borough of Manhattan proclaimed the date to be Dolly Parton Appreciation Day, while New Orleans designated Friday as Dolly Day. There were also due to be community events in Lexington, Kentucky, to celebrate Parton’s legacy and the work she did to improve literacy.
In her home state of Tennessee, a number of counties proclaimed Dolly Parton Day to go alongside the state-wide recognition on her January 19 birthday. Parton rose from grinding poverty to become a rhinestone-studded legend with hits like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You.” She also starred in multiple films and donated millions of dollars to charities as she built a vast business empire that includes her popular Dollywood theme park in Tennessee, cosmetics, pet apparel, baking mixes, and even a truck stop.
© 2024 AFP
