"I've worked with Kirt Webster for many years and he has done a wonderful job. I am hoping that the accusations are not true."
On Oct, 25, Dolly Parton joined her old friend and longtime duet partner Kenny Rogers, at his Nashville, TN performance of “All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers’ Farewell Concert Celebration.” This star-studded event honored Kenny’s historic 60-year career. Some of music’s most well-known artists graced the stage including Alison Krauss, Chris Stapleton, Elle King, Idina Menzel, Jamey Johnson, Lady Antebellum, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Reba McEntire, The Flaming Lips, The Judds and Wynonna.
The once-in-a-lifetime celebration featured the final performance together by Kenny and Dolly, one of country music’s most beloved duets. Songs like “Islands In The Stream”, “You Can’t Make Old Friends”, “Real Love” and “We Got Tonight” are sure to be covered over and over but will forever remain Kenny & Dolly classics.
In addition to their signature duets, Dolly and Kenny recorded a Christmas album together, “Once Upon A Christmas” and starred in a network television special in 1984 called “Kenny & Dolly: A Christmas To Remember”. In 2015, Kenny held a benefit concert at Dollywood raising money for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. And when Dolly called on him for the 2016 telethon "Smoky Mountains Rise," benefiting East Tennessee wildfire victims, he was eager to help.
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In a career that has spanned more than six decades, Kenny Rogers has left an indelible mark on the history of American music. His songs have endeared music lovers and touched the lives of millions around the world. Chart-topping hits like “The Gambler,” “Coward of the County,” “Through the Years,” “Lady,” and “Islands in the Stream” are just a handful of his songs that continue to inspire new generations of artists and fans alike.
With twenty-four number-one hits, Kenny is a six-time CMA Awards winner, Country Music Hall of Famer, three-time GRAMMY® Award winner and a recipient of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2013 CMAs. In a joint poll, readers of both USA Today and People voted him the “Favorite Singer of All Time.”
Photo Credit: Curtis Hilbun
Today, Dolly Parton will assist with the ongoing relief efforts around the United States and its territories by making a contribution to the One America Appeal for Hurricane Relief to assist with immediate life-sustaining needs of those affected. The One America Appeal is a joint appeal originally launched by all five living former American Presidents to encourage their fellow citizens to support recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey. This special appeal was expanded to include areas most affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Dolly recalled,
“After the tremendous outpouring of support my hometown received last winter after the wildfires raged through the area, I want to do my part to help other areas affected by natural disasters. I admire and respect this effort led by our Presidents so it is an honor for me to contribute to their work.”
In addition to the financial contribution to the One America Appeal, Dolly will launch a partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the nonprofit social enterprise First Book, and Penguin Young Readers to provide 500,000 books to hurricane-affected areas through the First Book National Book Bank. To kick off the campaign, Dolly’s foundation donated 165,000 books and the $90,750 needed to cover the shipping and handling charges to make books available quickly and at no cost to educators affected by the storms.
From Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Sandy to last year's floods in Louisiana, First Book has distributed over 5 million books to families affected by disasters, in partnership with children’s book publishers, including a substantial book donation from Penguin Young Readers. Penguin Young Readers also partners with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and First Book to support their book gifting programs and other outreach efforts, with a special focus on getting books to children in times of natural disasters. Dolly said,
“I know in the immediate aftermath of a disaster books are not the first thing people need or miss. But I also know from our past experience that after some time has passed, families, schools and libraries are eager to replenish their shelves, and their hearts, with books. First Book asked us to join with them to get the right books in the right hands at the right time and we were pleased to do so.”
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Photos courtesy of First Book
Visit Hurricane Book Relief to learn more or donate to this effort—or if you work with a school or program affected by the storms.
Schools and programs affected by the storms can sign up for free with First Book and will then receive information about how to request books; each book distribution will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Chandler Arnold, First Book’s Chief Operating Officer said,
“Children in need in these communities often didn’t have the books they deserve even before the storm; our work has never been more important than it is right now. In times of crisis, books mean stories at bedtime, adventures with trusted character friends, and opportunities to dream about a world far beyond your own front door. First Book is thrilled to team up with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and Penguin Young Readers to place so many new books in these children’s hands.”
Founded in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting organization that has, to date, mailed nearly 100 million books to children in Australia, Canada, United Kingdom and the United States. Each month, the program currently mails a specially selected, high-quality, age-appropriate book to over 1 million registered children from birth until they start Kindergarten in participating communities. Thousands of local, sponsoring organizations provide funding and support to the program. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading in children, preparing them for school and inspiring them to dream. Recent studies suggest participation in the Imagination Library is positively and significantly associated with higher measures of early language development. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
First Book transforms the lives of children in need. Through a sustainable, market-driven model, First Book is creating equal access to quality education—making everything from brand-new, high-quality books and educational resources, to sports equipment, winter coats, snacks, and more—affordable to its member network of more than 325,000 educators who exclusively serve kids in need. Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 170 million books and educational resources to programs and schools serving children from low-income families in more than 30 countries. First Book currently reaches an average of 3 million children every year and supports more than one in four of the estimated 1.3 million classrooms and programs serving children in need. With an additional 1,000 educators joining each week, First Book is the largest and fastest-growing network of educators in North America exclusively serving kids in need.
Penguin Young Readers is one of the leading children's book publishers in the United States. The company owns a wide range of imprints and trademarks including Dial Books, Dutton, Grosset & Dunlap, Kathy Dawson Books, Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Workshop, Philomel, Puffin, G. P. Putnam’s Sons, Viking, Razorbill, Speak, and Frederick Warne. These imprints are home to such award-winning, New York Times- bestselling authors as, Laurie Halse Anderson, Jay Asher, Judy Blume, Jan Brett, Eric Carle, Ally Condie, Roald Dahl, Tomie dePaola, Sarah Dessen, Anna Dewdney, John Flanagan, John Green, Oliver Jeffers, Marie Lu, Mike Lupica, Richelle Mead, Richard Peck, Ruta Sepetys, Jacqueline Woodson and dozens of other popular authors. Penguin Young Readers Group is also the proud publisher of perennial brand franchises such as the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys series, Peter Rabbit, Spot, the Classic Winnie the Pooh, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Madeline, Mad Libs, the Rangers Apprentice, Skippyjon Jones, Who Was?, and Flower Fairies among many others. Penguin Young Readers Group is a division of Penguin Group LLC, a Penguin Random House company.
Dolly Parton launches Story Starters in the UK. It's a new program that provides one-to-one language and communication support to young children. The program is designed to ensure that children have the skills to start primary school ready to read.
Held at Coram Campus in Bloomsbury, Dolly had a special message for the attendees. Also, children’s author and illustrator Sophy Henn is attending and engaging in a storytelling and drawing session for local children.
Story Starters is a new collaborative project between local children’s literacy charity Beanstalk, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and LuCid (The ESCR International Centre for Language and Communicative Development). The program aims to give children in Hackney, Wandsworth, Barnet and Islington support in developing their language and reading skills.
Research shows that children who benefit from high-quality support in their early years start school on average three months ahead in their literacy and language skills, compared with children who don’t. The program has been made possible by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, whose Dream Fund chose Story Starters to receive £1 million in funding in January 2017.
Beanstalk is now looking for volunteers to become Story Starters in pre-schools and nurseries in Hackney, Wandsworth, Barnet and Islington. Story Starter volunteers will visit children twice a week and support three children for 20 minutes each. The sessions are fun, interactive and hugely beneficial to the children receiving extra support. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will provide every Story Starter child with high-quality, professionally-selected, age-appropriate books. Books are sent directly to both the early years setting and the home of each Story Starter child. As a result, kids can enjoy the magic of stories at home and with their Story Starter. Ginny Lunn, CEO of Beanstalk, says,
"We know how important it is for children in the early years of their education to receive support with their language development, as this enables them to start primary school ready to read and able to thrive throughout their lives."
Visit StoryStarters.org or call Beanstalk on 0845 450 0301 to become a Story Starter.
Despite the days getting shorter, Dollywood is gifting guests with even more fall fun—at night! Thanks to the new Great Pumpkin LumiNights, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival presented by Humana (Sept. 29 - Oct. 28) stays open until 9 p.m. every day.
This season marks the first time the Smoky Mountain theme park has opened every day—and stayed open after dark—during its family-favorite harvest event. The expanded operating schedule allows Dollywood to provide guests with additional autumn experiences. These experiences are designed to help them create cherished family memories.
The biggest names in Southern gospel take to stages every day throughout the park with more than 500 individual performances as part of the Southern Gospel Jubilee presented by Humana. Additionally, Great Pumpkin LumiNights offers whimsical, family-friendly activities that are sure to make this event a new harvest tradition.
“Fall truly is the most beautiful time of year here in the Smokies,” Dolly Parton explained. “I love coming home to see the amazing masterpiece God has painted across the mountains. Our folks at Dollywood always do a great job of making sure the park looks stunning with those fall colors as a backdrop. You also know that Southern gospel music holds a very special place close to my heart. I guess you could say my singing career really got started in that kind of music because our family would visit churches and sing about God’s love for us.”
Dolly continued,
“This year we’re adding even more fun to the festival with Great Pumpkin LumiNights, and I know families are going to love all those glowing pumpkin displays up through Timber Canyon. I used to love sitting around with my brothers and sisters during the fall carving pumpkins and tellin’ stories, but I don’t think our pumpkins turned out quite the same as these though!”
Families will bask in the glow of thousands of intricately-carved pumpkins as they wander through immersive harvest-themed displays. Look for these display throughout Dollywood’s Timber Canyon and Wilderness Pass areas. Beyond the impressive displays, guests can find a number of exciting activities to create thrilling memories together. With so many carved pumpkins needed to create Great Pumpkin LumiNights, Dollywood has “pumpkin artists” who will host demonstrations to help guests learn how to produce the perfect pumpkin masterpiece.
Unique harvest games and attractions—including a glow maze—for kids, a nightly Pumpkin Boogie Dance Party, and friendly costume characters help add to the festive atmosphere. New themed food options and exclusive harvest-themed Coca-Cola products make Great Pumpkin LumiNights the place to be when the sun goes down in the Smokies.
Alongside Great Pumpkin LumiNights, Dollywood once again hosts the largest Southern gospel music event in America. Guests can see the biggest names in the genre during the Southern Gospel Jubilee. Karen Peck & New River (Oct. 21-22), Guy Penrod (Oct. 23-24), The Isaacs (Oct. 12-13), The McKameys (Oct. 6-7), Gold City (Oct. 2-3) and many more provide inspirational music to fill the autumn air.
Dollywood’s own Kingdom Heirs perform throughout the festival, while Singing News and Praise 96.3 FM operate multiple stage locations featuring several up-and-coming and breakout artists.
Dollywood celebrates Smoky Mountain crafts all year with the park’s well-known master craftsman. During the Harvest Festival, however, more than 30 visiting artisans from across the country bring their wares and share their talents with Dollywood guests. Craft demonstrations include textile art, inspirational jewelry, loom weaving, paper marbling, bentwood boxes, rug hooking, fiddle making, dulcimer making, and much more.
Menus across the park change to reflect the offerings of a bountiful harvest. Guests can look for dishes including fried green tomatoes and a fried green tomato BLT. In addition, there is succotash featuring grilled chicken and potatoes with chili and cheese cooked on the park’s famous BIG SKILLET. Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy the fried apple pies, apple turnovers, apple stack cakes and more.
Learn more about Dollywood’s Harvest Festival featuring Southern Gospel Jubilee and Great Pumpkin LumiNights or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
