TIME Magazine has named Dolly Parton among the 100 most influential people of 2021, with a foreword written by her goddaughter Miley Cyrus. Dolly is one of only two country artists, along with Kane Brown, who earned a coveted spot on the list, released on Wednesday, September 15. TIME CEO and editor in chief Edward Felsenthal said in a statement,
“[The TIME100 list] features extraordinary leaders from around the world working to build a better future, from entertainers striving to make Hollywood more inclusive to activists fighting for sustainability and human rights…They are disruptors, fixers, doers, iconoclasts, problem solvers—people who in a year of crisis have leaped into the fray.”
While Dolly has long been known for her humanitarian efforts, she made headlines during the pandemic when her $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University helped fund research for the highly effective Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. And, since 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has delivered more than 165 million books to children around the world, instilling a love of literacy.
The TIME100 list also features pairings where guest contributors talk about the impact of each of the people featured on the list. Dolly’s own goddaughter, singer-songwriter and actress Miley Cyrus, penned a touching tribute to the country music legend.
“People look to Dolly for guidance, and she knows that,” Miley shared. “She wears that responsibility with the same grace and pride she rocks a two-piece Nudie suit. She recognizes how impactful her choices will be as one of the most iconic and powerful voices in country music, and she leaves no one behind...There’s a theory that you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but I wish everyone had the chance to meet Dolly Parton, because she’s even better than your sparkliest dreams. She may be my fairy godmother, but I think she’s that to everyone else too.”
Joining Dolly on this year’s list are other notable figures including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Simone Biles, Kate Winslet, Billie Eilish, World Trade Organization Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and the writer Cathy Park Hong.
For the full list of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People of 2021 and to read Miley Cyrus’ tribute to Dolly, view the full article on TIME.com.
