Dolly Parton spent a lifetime proving that success is measured by considerably more than records sold, awards collected or songs written.
Country Radio Broadcasters will honor that other side of her legacy by presenting Parton posthumously with the 2027 Artist Humanitarian Award during Country Radio Seminar, scheduled for March 17–19 in Nashville.
Parton had been notified of her selection before her passing and had agreed to accept the honor.
“The word ‘humanitarian’ is nearly synonymous with Dolly Parton,” CRS Executive Director RJ Curtis said. “Her decades of generosity and philanthropy speak for themselves, and CRB was honored when Dolly agreed to accept this recognition earlier this year.”
For an artist whose musical accomplishments could fill several careers, Parton’s humanitarian work became just as important a part of her legacy.
Perhaps the most recognizable example is the Imagination Library, launched in 1995 in her home county in East Tennessee. The idea was remarkably straightforward: provide free books to children from birth through age five and help create a love of reading before they ever enter a classroom.
What started locally eventually grew into an international literacy effort, delivering millions of books to children and families.
Her giving extended far beyond literacy. Through the Dollywood Foundation and personal contributions, Parton supported education, healthcare, disaster relief, medical research and families facing hardship. Her efforts included responding to devastating East Tennessee wildfires, expanding educational opportunities and contributing to medical research.
The CRB Artist Humanitarian Award was established in 1990 to recognize country artists whose philanthropic work has meaningfully strengthened the causes they support. Previous recipients include Jelly Roll, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Carrie Underwood.
Parton’s selection feels particularly appropriate because generosity was never treated as a separate chapter of her career. It became part of what her success allowed her to do.
There will always be Dolly Parton songs.
There will always be the unmistakable voice, the songwriting catalog, the performances and a career that helped define country music for generations.
But somewhere, there is also a child opening a book that arrived because Dolly Parton believed that child should have one.
That may be one of the finest measures of her legacy.
Additional details surrounding the award presentation at CRS 2027 will be announced later.
Learn More: Country Radio Seminar
Information provided by Country Radio Broadcasters.