Exclusive Content:

1 ½ Years After My Wedding, I Saw Marriage Wasn’t for Me—When I Looked at my Wife, I Knew My Dad Was Right

"The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy? Then, one fateful night..."

“I Looked Over to His Side of the Bed. He Wasn’t There. I Knew He Wouldn’t Be There, But for the First Time, It...

"I looked back to the bed. Still empty. And then it happened. I fell to my knees, and then to my back. It came from up from my gut. I could almost physically feel it moving to the top of my abdomen, to my chest, into my neck and then my head. I cannot describe the pain."

Mom Dies Giving Birth & Dad Lays Baby on Her Chest—10 Minutes Later, He Hears the Scream…

"You are so unbelievably excited that your child is born…and in the next moment you believe you’ll have to say farewell to your wife forever. It was like being numbed."

Dolly Parton Secretly Pays for Band Uniforms at Black Schools for Years

As if we needed another reason to love Dolly Parton and her acts of kindness. Reports sprinkle news sites and social media of the country music singer and songwriter’s generosity.

Dolly grew up in a large, close, and poor family in rural Tennessee. They spent many hours singing and playing music together — whether at home or at church. Dolly Parton began singing professionally at age 10, and performed at the Grand Ole Opry at 13. Her career skyrocketed when she worked with Porter Wagoner on his namesake’s show. More than 50 recorded albums later, Dolly Parton is said to be a country music legend.

But, Dolly doesn’t let her stardom or wealth go to her head. Instead, she turns to blessing others with what she has.

In support of the arts, Dolly Parton sponsors band uniforms for black students

In a tweet, Michael Harriot (@michaelharriot) shares yet another way Dolly Parton has used her incredible wealth to selflessly help others.

Michael shares, “Here’s a quietly wonderful thing I noticed:

If you talk to someone who was in choir or band at a majority Black HS, you’ll eventually discuss those annoying fundraisers for uniforms, instruments, etc. & a SURPRISING number will casually say:

‘Oh, Dolly Parton paid for ours'”

 


With nearly 100,000 reactions and hundreds of replies, the public has shared their opinions about the country star’s contributions.

“Years ago, my grandma was in first class next to Dolly. People kept coming over to say hello, so eventually grandma somewhat snobbishly asked if greeting all those fans annoyed her. Dolly just said ‘those people are why I’m in first class.’ That stuck with my grandma.”

“30+ years ago I was in high school marching band in East Tennessee. One year we played Sevier County High School…and DANG that band was equipped – uniforms, instruments, flags, everything. Mountain area, much poverty. Paid for by Dolly Parton. That woman is a national treasure.”

“Dolly Parton is a saint in this house. When our youngest has speech problems and stopped talking, Dolly was sending her reading books. It was the highlight of her little life back then & she loved that beautiful woman’s picture on the back of the book.”

“Dolly is the best. I went to college near her hometown & her philanthropy is no joke. One time, she was guest hosting for Regis Philbin on Live! & they called off school so kids could watch too. 😂”

“Dolly is what people should be. She’s famous, has fun at the expense of her critics, she spends her $ to help people. Her kindergarten book club is amazing. She built a theme park to employ her community.”

Janna Firestone
Janna Firestone
Janna lives in Northern Colorado with her husband and two teenage boys. You’ll often find her hiking, paddleboarding, or enjoying a good board game indoors. She's an unapologetic Dallas Cowboys fan, and an even bigger fan of coffee, dry shampoo, and authentic conversations.

1 ½ Years After My Wedding, I Saw Marriage Wasn’t for Me—When I Looked at my Wife, I Knew My Dad Was Right

"The nearer Kim and I approached the decision to marry, the more I was filled with a paralyzing fear. Was I ready? Was I making the right choice? Was Kim the right person to marry? Would she make me happy? Then, one fateful night..."

“I Looked Over to His Side of the Bed. He Wasn’t There. I Knew He Wouldn’t Be There, But for the First Time, It...

"I looked back to the bed. Still empty. And then it happened. I fell to my knees, and then to my back. It came from up from my gut. I could almost physically feel it moving to the top of my abdomen, to my chest, into my neck and then my head. I cannot describe the pain."

Mom Dies Giving Birth & Dad Lays Baby on Her Chest—10 Minutes Later, He Hears the Scream…

"You are so unbelievably excited that your child is born…and in the next moment you believe you’ll have to say farewell to your wife forever. It was like being numbed."