TABLE OF CONTENTS Growing Up in the Great Smoky Mountains A Showbiz Break On the Rise A Country Music Star From Hollywood to Dollywood Imagination Library More Lyrics Dream More Important Dates Source Notes Selected Bibliography Learn More Index 9 12 15 18 24 30 34 37 42 44 46 47 48
Dolly Parton sings and plays guitar at a concert in Nashville Tennessee She has performed onstage for more than sixty-five years
On May 8 2009 a crowd of about twelve thousand students and their families gathered at the Thompson-Boling Arena at the University of Tennessee Knoxville It was a joyous special occasion the College of Arts and Sciences graduation To add even more excitement the event featured a world-famous speaker Dolly Parton who was born and raised in Tennessee Tickets were so in demand that school officials distributed them in advance for the first time Parton received an honorary doctorate of humane and musical letters at the ceremony The school recognized Parton for her lifetime of accomplishments as a musician actor businessperson and humanitarian She was thrilled to receive the honor in her home state Tennessee’s governor at the time Phil Bredesen introduced Parton He said She’s all about dreaming big about doing everything it takes to see those dreams become a reality She knows that if you want to change the world you’ve got to be willing to get out there to roll up your sleeves and work for it Parton walked onto the stage
