Remembering Dolly: Morgantown reacts to Parton’s death
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MORGANTOWN - Morgantown business owners, musicians and nonprofit leaders were impacted by Dolly Parton’s musical legacy and personal brand of magic.
Parton, the country music icon who passed away at 80 Tuesday, was responsible for some of country music's greatest hits, such as "Coat of Many Colors," "Jolene," and "9 to 5." Known for her blonde wings and sparkly suits, Parton unified country-music lovers and became one of the most decorated female artists of all time, earning 55 Grammy nominations and 10 wins.
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued all flags in the state to be flown at half-staff until Sept. 1 in her honor.
"On behalf of the people of West Virginia, the First Lady and I extend our deepest condolences to Dolly's family, friends, loved ones, and countless fans around the world. We are grateful for the music she gave us, the lives she touched, and the dreams she helped inspire," he said in a release.
Mary Linscheid, WVU graduate in English with Appalachia Studies and Appalachian Music minors, said Parton inspired her music career from a young age.
"I've never seen a figure so universally loved across audiences, and for her to be Appalachian, I think is very significant to who she was as a person as well," Linscheid said. "It is very impactful for me as an Appalachian musician to see somebody like her be so well loved, and her culture be so well loved and respected."
Parton grew up in Tennessee, which inspired many of her songs. Linscheid said Parton's songs with Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt encouraged her own female folk trio in college, Honeysuckle Vines.
She hopes to learn more of Parton's songs with her current band, The Weevils, and encourage education on Parton's legacy as the Appalachian Programs Coordinator for the Arthurdale Heritage Center. Most importantly, Linscheid said she wants to embody who Parton was as a person.
"That's what I aspire to be in these polarizing times, in my musical career and otherwise, I'd like to be someday that person that all walks of life can trust as a friend and be that person that bridges communities," she said.
Parton was a generous philanthropist and businesswoman, always giving back to her community. She founded Imagination Library in 1995, an educational nonprofit dedicated to donating free books to children under five every month.
The program now provides books to children internationally, sending over 3 million books a month around the world and 20 U.S. states, including West Virginia, according to the United Way of Monongalia and Preston Counties’ website. The nonprofit has provided over 3 million books to
West Virginia residents since 2006 and was launched in Monongalia County in May 2018.
Victoria Nottingham, Family Resource Network Manager of UWMPC, is the administrator for Mon County's Imagination Library. She sees firsthand how the charity impacts local children.
She spoke to how excited the children are to have a hero to look up to and motivate them to learn.
"Since yesterday, I've personally received an outpour of support. There's one specifically where they were like, 'Thank you for helping my child get to know Dolly Parton,’" she said. "I like the idea of getting excited about reading and having this icon and this legend behind the books you're getting every single month."
Nottingham explained the importance of reading for childhood development.
"It goes beyond the actual books in the hands of the kids, it creates a sense of community," she said. "The Imagination Library also provides worksheets for families to do, and it's like ideas for different age groups of the books that were sent out that month, like conversations you can have with your child that will spark their creative thinking."
The children also receive Dolly Parton cutouts by registering with the program. Nottingham noticed how the families carry the doll everywhere they go.
"Last year on my birthday, I was at a baseball game with my family, and one of the kids that must have been at my event, he was in front of me a few rows, and he turned around and said, 'Mom, look, it's that girl, where's her Dolly?'" Nottingham said. "The young generation, they know that she’s the one who gives them their books."
Nottingham promised that the program would continue, despite Parton's death, according to an email sent to all Imagination Library administrators.
"I want to reassure you about something I know will be on the minds of many of our partners and families today. Dolly Parton's Imagination Library will continue. We've prepared carefully for this day and for the future of the Imagination Library. Our organization is strong. Our mission is clear, and our commitment to the children and families we serve has never been greater. Dolly didn't build the Imagination Library to last for her lifetime; she built it to last for there's," the email said.
Donate to the Imagination Library at www.unitedwaympc.org/DPIL.
Babylon Nightclub at 335 High St. is holding tribute shows Saturday, Aug. 29, at 10:30 p.m. and midnight as a fundraiser for the Mon County Imagination Library.
George Medved, co-owner of Babylon, said he is blessed to host the show for Parton, who served as a role model for the LGBTQ+ community in Appalachia and beyond.
"She's always been very vocal about everybody living their absolute truth and her loving them regardless, and I think it hits very deep for a lot of people, especially around here, because that's all we typically ask for, is just acceptance," he said.
Medved said his family grew up traveling to Dollywood every summer. He said he is looking forward to seeing how the performers pay tribute to Parton in their own unique ways.
Cover is $5 and the event is 18-and-up. Medved said a portion of the cover, as well as sales from homemade kettle corn, will be donated to the Imagination Library. Learn more on Babylon's Facebook and Instagram pages.
The Morgantown Art Party nonprofit at 218 Walnut St. will also host a Dolly Parton Tribute event on Sept. 5. Co-owner and Morgantown native Jillian Kelly said Dolly Parton is the "biggest inspiration in her life," and she hopes to give back to her hometown in the way Parton would have wanted.
"I can't remember a time that I don't remember Dolly Parton," she said. "My grandfather was really big into country-western, and he's always playing music ... I can never remember not knowing who Dolly Parton was. She just has magic to her."
The details of the event are to-be-determined, but Kelly hopes to create an all-day event focused on childhood education about Parton, including games, entertainment and a potato cook-off, in honor of Parton's favorite food. She hopes to partner with local organizations to raise money.
Kelly said that Parton's optimistic attitude helped her through tumultuous times.
"The way that she chose to live life really helped me want to keep going and keep dreaming big and going for it," Kelly said.
Kelly encourages the Morgantown community to live like Parton and give back.
"She's impacted so many people around the world, and people should learn about all the different things she's done. She could have been a billionaire over-and-over again, but she always put the money back into other people," she said.
Kelly urges community members to come to the event to honor the true legacy Parton was.
"I always say I don't trust people who don't like dogs or Dolly Parton," she said. "She is so inspirational, and I think people don't realize. She definitely was a kind of earth angel. ... I can't imagine people not coming and having a positive experience. That's her gift she was born with: spreading joy and making other people happy."
More information can be found on the Morgantown Art Party Facebook page.