Dolly Parton photo courtesy of Dolly Records.
Jan. 8, 2009 — Dolly Parton is already an American cultural icon and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame; now she’s taking part in an aural U.S. history lesson and joining yet another Hall.
The history effort is a three-CD project titled This Is America that features Dolly among 56 artists and songwriters who’ve recorded songs that tell the story of the United States, embracing Native American themes, the Mayflower, the California Gold Rush, the Civil War, World War II and 9/11. Charley Pride, Kathy Mattea, Billy Dean and fiddler Mark O’Connor have all made contributions to the album, as have such notable songwriters as Beth Nielsen Chapman (author of "This Kiss"), Rory Bourke ("The Most Beautiful Girl"), Sharon Vaughn ("My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys"), Jon Vezner ("Where’ve You Been") and Jim Weatherly ("Midnight Train To Georgia").
In the meantime, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame plans to induct Dolly Feb. 2 during a ceremony at Nashville’s Richland Country Club. Dolly will be part of a class of new members that also includes Christian singer Michael W. Smith, BET personality Dr. Bobby Jones, vocal group the Dixie Hummingbirds and producer-arranger Lari Goss.
Previous Gospel Hall inductees include Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Amy Grant, Tennessee Ernie Ford, the Jordanaires, the Fairfield Four and the Oak Ridge Boys.
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