08/25/2026
We lost one of the truly great ones today. 🦋
Dolly Parton belonged to the world, but to those here in East Tennessee, and especially in Sevier County, it feels like she belonged to us just a little bit more.
Growing up, I remember watching Dolly on Hee Haw, 9 to 5, and Steel Magnolias. I knew the songs, the big hair, the quick wit and that unmistakeable voice. But as I’ve gotten older, and especially since making Sevier County home, I’ve come to appreciate even more the woman behind it all.
She never forgot where she came from.
Dolly poured so much of her life, her resources, and her heart back into these mountains and the people who call them home. Her generosity touched generations and made an impact that reached far beyond music.
This mural, tucked away in an alley in downtown Knoxville, has been photographed countless times. I took this picture during a senior session last fall, never imagining it would hold the meaning that it does today.
That’s one of the beautiful things about photographs. We capture moments without always knowing what they will mean to us later.
Dolly leaves behind so much more than songs, movies, and awards. She leaves behind a legacy of life lived generously, and a reminder that you can become larger than life without ever forgetting where you came from.
There will never be another Dolly.
Thank you for the music, the laughter, the generosity, and for loving these Tennessee mountains so well. 🦋
