'The door to every dream I've ever had'

 

“Songwriting is my way of channeling my feelings and my thoughts. Not just mine, but the things I see, the people I care about. My head would explode if I didn't get some of that stuff out.” – Dolly Parton

 

Born in Locust Ridge, TN on this date in 1946, Parton started singing professionally at age 10 and by the time she finished high school was writing the first of hundreds and hundreds of songs about life, love and society.  She’s been elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and is a Kennedy Center Honoree for her lifetime achievements, which also include many movies, television shows, and founding the Dollywood Theme Park

 

“My songs are the door to every dream I've ever had and every success I've ever achieved.” 

 

 Parton also has authored many best-selling children's books, including the poignant Coat of Many Colors (due for a special “Anniversary Edition” this May); and a series called “Dolly Parton’s Billy the Kid.”  The latest in that series, Dolly Parton's Billy The Kid Dances His Heart Out, was released in December.   And she founded “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,” annually distributing more than 10 million free books to 850 thousand children in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia.   

 

“Everywhere I go, kids call me 'the book lady.' The older I get, the more appreciative I seem to be of the 'book lady' title. It makes me feel more like a legitimate person, not just a singer or an entertainer. But it makes me feel like I've done something good with my life and with my success.”