We at LSS have a confession: we never much cared for the Country and Western genre of music. Perhaps it was certain political and — er — philosophical associations it evoked, perhaps just the sound. But for those of us whose genre is the Baroque and whose Main Man is JS Bach, the good ol’ C&W was something we ignored at best. Until along came Dolly Parton, whose quip “It costs a lot of money to look this cheap” suddenly gave us a moment like those dismayed physicists who first confronted the Michelson–Morley experiment and realised everything you had previously believed was wrong.
For it revealed that we were in the presence of a formidably intelligent and accomplished mind. One that rose from a profoundly humble background to pen such world‑beating hits as Jolene, 9 to 5 and I Will Always Love You. Who worked with the greats in her own genre but also such luminaries as Paul McCartney, Miley Cyrus, Elton John and many more from the summits of world music. Who starred in successful films like Steel Magnolias and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. And whose steely will and business acumen protected her from the fate of many female celebrities, trampled on by the men in their lives. Not Dolly. Don’t even think about it, boys.
But that is not, gentle readers, why Dolly Parton merits a very special place in our Blog’s Hall of Fame. It is her magnificent accomplishments in promoting the virtues of Learning and Science which earn her our highest accolade. Exhibit 1: her munificent donation to Vanderbilt University at the height of the COVID‑19 pandemic, which helped support early research contributing to the Moderna mRNA‑1273 vaccine. Exhibit 2: the breathtaking will to found the Imagination Library, which since 1995 has mailed over 300 million books to children across large stretches of the world. If that’s not creating readers for us, then what is?
A few years ago we ran a blog (LSS 9/2/24) in which we mocked a group we called the Great and the Good. We hoped we evoked a world of senior politicians, editors, orchestra conductors and other assorted ranks of la haute bourgeoisie who sit around drinking chianti and telling each other how much they have accomplished. Well, now we are going to evoke those words in their real sense to laud someone who was really Great and truly Good. Sleep well, Dolly — you have earned your rest.
[1]Dolly Parton obituary | Dolly Parton | The Guardian
[2]Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library | USA, UK, IE, CA, AU
#library #mRNA vaccine #country and western music #philanthropy #music #entertainment #literacy #education #learning
Learning, Science and Society 