This Monday, January 19th, marks Dolly Parton’s 80th birthday and to celebrate the Queen of Country has welcomed her rise into octogenarian ranks with probably the only way she knows, by trying to make the world a better place, with music or otherwise.
Happy Birthday Dolly Parton!
To celebrate the occasion, the legendary country singer has put out a rerecording of Light of a Clear Blue Morning, originally released in 1977.
The latest version features an all-female cast of some of the most important voices in American music. Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, Queen Latifah and Reba McIntyre all join her on stage, in the reimagining of one of her timeless classics.
“I wrote ‘Light of a Clear Blue Morning’ during a season when I was searching for hope, and 50 years later that message still feels just as true. As I celebrate my 80th birthday, this new version is my way of using what I’ve been blessed with to shine a little light forward, especially by sharing it with some truly incredible women,” Parton said in a statement.
Local hero
Tennessee, Dolly Parton’s home state and one of the cradle-states of the holy trinity of rock, rockabilly and country, has declared the 19th of January as 'Dolly Parton Day', “to honour the life, legacy, and extraordinary contributions of Tennessee’s favourite daughter,” Governor Bill Lee said in a statement.
“Dolly Parton’s life and career is woven into Tennessee’s music, culture, and rich history,” “Her talent and generosity have made a lasting impact on the world, and it is fitting that we honour her 80th birthday by celebrating her remarkable legacy,”
All the proceeds generated from the new rendition of Light of a Clear Blue Morning will be donated to a paediatric cancer research at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee. The Jolene star still clearly focussed on her quest to make her legacy not just music for pleasure, but music for the sake of charity.
Giving back
Parton’s philanthropic record is well known and that's why we are also taking a moment to sing her praises. Back in 1988, she created the “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library” a charity meant to inspire children from her home state to pursue education. Now, the Dollywood Foundation as it is better known, is sending more than three million books each month to children around the world.
Parton has also famously led many disaster relief efforts in the United States, most recently in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene which swept through southeast states in 2024.
The country singer’s charity work also received deserved recognition last year, when she was awarded an Honorary Oscar and even found her achievements highlighted in Time magazine’s “TIME100 Philanthropy List”.
