BY DR. GLENN MOLLETTE

I was in the third grade when my teacher announced that President Kennedy had been shot. When Elvis died, I was in the parking lot of an auto parts store in Englewood, Ohio, and heard the news on the radio. I will always remember where I was when I learned the sad news that Dolly Parton had died.

The first time I saw Dolly was on “The Porter Wagoner Show.” For a long time, Wagoner’s female guest artist was Norma Jean. He always introduced her as “the pretty miss Norma Jean.” Then, one Saturday night, a new guest singer appeared. It was Dolly—a young, rising star who caught Wagoner’s attention. He knew she was an awesome talent.

The parting song that she wrote for Wagoner became a major hit. “I Will Always Love You” was a phenomenal hit for Parton and became a mega hit when Whitney Houston sang it in the 1992 movie “The Bodyguard.” Houston’s version has sold over 24 million copies worldwide and has more than 990 million streams on Spotify.

Dolly made an indelible impression on all of us. Dolly touched anyone who ever heard her sing or watched her in a movie. She wrote great songs and was an amazing singer and fabulous actress. She was a smart businessperson. Her success brought her more and more success.

There is nothing that any writer or television/radio person can add to Dolly. All we can do is grieve and embrace all she gave us, which was a lot.

Dolly had 25 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. She also had many other popular songs, like “9 to 5” and “Islands in the Stream.”

Dolly made at least 23 movies, including “9 to 5,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Steel Magnolias” and “Joyful Noise.” She won 11 Grammys from 55 nominations.

Dolly also launched several business ventures, including Dollywood, a theme park in Sevierville, Tennessee. She owned Dolly Wines, a line of cake mixes with Duncan Hines, a pet accessories line called Doggy Parton and a plethora of fragrances. She had apparel, beauty products and Dolly’s Tennessean Travel Stop. Recently, she was working on building a hotel in Nashville called SongTeller Hotel.

Dolly’s Imagination Library has gifted millions of books to children. Her financial support for hospitals and medical research also totaled millions of dollars. She supported multiple humanitarian causes that helped and encouraged so many.

Dolly’s net worth has been estimated to be between $450 million and $650 million.

We loved Dolly for many reasons. She was a real person. The plastic surgery and her super success never tarnished her ability to connect with people on all levels.

I saw her in the Ryman Auditorium just a few years back. She did an acoustic performance with no bells or whistles, with only a small ensemble of musicians. It was a simple show to raise money for struggling Nashville musicians. My wife and I bought balcony seats and sat through a mesmerizing two-hour show of Dolly giving us her best in song and performance. I believe that is how she lived her daily life, and that is one of many reasons why we will always love her.

Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of 14 books. He is a graduate of numerous schools and the founder of Newburgh Theological Seminary in Newburgh, Indiana.