Yorkshire Live
·26 Aug 2026
Dolly Parton’s dad reveals the ‘most important thing’ she ever did that ‘meant so much to her’
Dolly Parton died at 80 after a brief battle with cancer, according to a statement from her representatives. The article recalls her late father Robert Lee Parton’s belief that the Imagination Library was her most important achievement. Founded in 1995, the literacy nonprofit has distributed more than 200 million books to children worldwide. Dolly created it partly as a tribute to her father, whom she credited with inspiring the project despite his difficulty reading. The Dollywood Foundation and other artists, including Elton John and Paul McCartney, paid tribute and pledged to carry her charitable legacy forward.