“If you see someone without a smile today, give ’em yours.” – Dolly Parton
Another Brief Commentary on Dolly Parton by Doug Draper
Posted August 26th, 2026 on Niagara At Large
Dolly Parton and the program she created to encourage children across the U.S. and Canada to read.
After the past day or so since the world received the breaking news that singer/songwriter and philanthropist Dolly Parton died, so much other news has come out about her rise from abject poverty and her humility, kindness and generosity.
Having grown up in deeply impoverished conditions, she rose up to become one of the most successful recording artists of all time and she invested so much of her time and wealth helping others, most famously with her “Imagination Library” program that circulated a total of more than 330 million free books to children across the United States and Canada to encourage them to read.
By every account by others, Dolly Parton was a person who worked her personal magic to bring people, regardless of their race, their beliefs, their faith and their lifestyles, together in a positivie way. She sought to live in a world of love and togetherness, not division and hate.
Dolly Parton died at age 89 this August 25th and last night, when I was trying to sleep, I could not help but think that Donald Trump is 80 and, despite all the misery he is causing, he may very well live until he is 100 years old and where is the justice in that?
How tragic it is that we have lost Dolly at a time when we need people like her the most.
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Doug Draper, Niagara At Large
In case you missed it, CBC Radio replayed an interview this August 26th that one of its program hosts Tom Power did with Dolly Parton just a few years ago where all of those warm vibes come through. To hear and watch it, click on the following link, then click on the arrow on the screen immediately below –
Finally, here is one of the songs she wrote which she said was also one of her very favourites which recounts the childhood of poverty that never dragged her down. It is called “Coat of Many Colours” and I know, some people aren’t crazy about her voice. But with Dolly, you have to listen to the stories of life she paints with her wonderful lyrics. To hear it, click on the screen immediately below, with my apologies for the glitzy cowboy that does the introduction –
R.I.P. Dolly Parton
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