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DOLLY PARTON

Black Country Music Trio Makes Splash With Hit Single ‘You Can Have Him Jolene”

A part of CMT’s Next Women of Country class of 2021, the trio received praise from Country music greats Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton. Their appearance on “America’s Got Talent” made history. Accounts of the moment indicate that the judges had already given out their individual golden buzzers. But the judges were blown away by Chapel Hart. Simon Cowell, known for his harshness, called the group’s performance “fantastic” and “brilliant.” He even signaled the group could be headed for a record deal.

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Dolly Parton Uses Royalties from Whitney Houston Classic to Help Strip Mall in Black Community

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMediaMore than nine years ago, Whitney Houston tragically died in the bathroom of a California hotel. With a voice for the ages, the superstar left a cavalcade of hits, including the iconic “I Will Always Love You,” first performed by Dolly Parton. A country music icon, Parton had reaped millions in royalties from Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You.”Earlier this month, Parton revealed that she had honored Houston most uniquely. “It was mostly just Black families and people that lived around there,” Parton told Andy Cohen on his “Watch What Happens Live” show. Parton wrote the song in 1972.

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Dolly Parton on her 50th Grammy nod: 'It's always special'

FILE - Dolly Parton performs in concert on May 27, 2014, in Knoxville, Tenn. It's been 51 years since Dolly Parton earned her first Grammy nomination, and this year the national treasure who has won nine Grammys throughout her career is competing for her 50th honor. (Photo by Wade Payne/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – It's been 51 years since Dolly Parton earned her first Grammy nomination, and this year the national treasure who has won nine Grammys throughout her career is competing for her 50th honor. Parton's first Grammy nomination was at the 1970 show for “Just Someone I Used to Know,” a duet with Porter Wagoner. An updated version of “Jolene" won Parton and a cappella group Pentatonix a trophy.

'Vaccine, vaccine': Dolly sings 'Jolene' rewrite before shot

FILE - Dolly Parton arrives at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Grammy-winning singer, actor and humanitarian posted a video on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, of her singing just before getting her COVID-19 vaccine shot. Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee for coronavirus research. It goes, ‘Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you please don't hesitate,'" the actor, singer and humanitarian sang in a social media post on Tuesday, just before receiving her shot. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for coronavirus research.

Fonda says Hollywood needs more diversity after Globes honor

In this video grab issued Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021, by NBC, Jane Fonda accepts the Cecil B. deMille Award at the Golden Globe Awards. (NBC via AP)LOS ANGELES – Just like in her career, Jane Fonda used the Golden Globes’ platform to speak on deeper issues calling for greater diversity in Hollywood while praising the “community of storytellers” as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award. While wearing an all-white suit, Fonda raised the Globes’ highest honor above her head Sunday before commending storytellers for their vital role in troubled times. She is the daughter of Oscar winner Henry Fonda, who died in 1982, and sister of Peter Fonda, who died in 2019. She launched IndieCollect’s Jane Fonda Fund for Women Directors, an organization aimed to support the restoration of films helmed by women from around the world.

Dolly Parton asks Tennessee not to put her statue at Capitol

FILE - Dolly Parton performs in concert on July 31, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. Parton is asking Tennessee lawmakers to withdraw a bill that would erect a statue of her on the Capitol grounds in Nashville. In a statement released Thursday, Parton says that given current events, she doesn't think being put on a pedestal is appropriate at this time. (Photo by Wade Payne/Invision/AP, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Dolly Parton is asking Tennessee lawmakers to withdraw a bill that would erect a statue of her on the Capitol grounds in Nashville. Democratic Rep. John Mark Windle introduced the bill last month that aims to honor Parton “for all that she has contributed to this state." (She’s) a passionate person who loves everyone, and everyone loves her.”In her Thursday statement, Parton thanked the legislature for their consideration of the bill and said she was honored and humbled by their intentions.

Super Bowl in Tampa creates 'craziness' outside, inside

They arrived in Orlando on Friday and drove 90 minutes to Tampa the following day to “check out the scene” and grab dinner. “The cardboard fans actually make it look like it’s full,” said Tampa native and longtime Bucs season-ticket holder Matt Geer. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued an executive order last month requiring masks to be worn outside in the city’s most popular entertainment and recreation areas during Super Bowl festivities and the days following the event. It was his first Super Bowl since 1969 in Miami. Goodman’s oldest son, Lee, fell in love with the Buccaneers while playing video games and wanting nothing more than to see them in the Super Bowl for the first time in 18 years.

A sexy Alexa, Dan Levy's M&M habit: Super Bowl ads to watch

It might not have seemed likely early in the pandemic, but the 55th Super Bowl Sunday is upon us yet again. Amazon shows off a sexy new body for its Alexa assistant, Dan Levy apologizes for eating M&M's and Bud Light Seltzer Lemonade makes a downpour of lemons a metaphor for 2020's troubles. AdInspiration4 “ Join Us "In what is surely a first in Super Bowl history, an ad for Inspiration4, a SpaceX supported all-civilian space mission touts a chance for viewers to join the mission. Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” apologizes to the M&M anthropomorphic characters that are Super Bowl mainstays and says he promises not to “eat any more of their friends." And E-Trade, famous for the talking baby ads it ran in the Super Bowl from 2008 until they “retired" in 2014, is back in the big game with an undisclosed ad.

Jane Fonda to receive Golden Globes' Cecil B. DeMille Award

FILE - Actress Jane Fonda appears at the 71st international film festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 12, 2018. The Golden Globes will bestow the Cecil B. DeMille Award to Fonda during the 78th annual awards show next month. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Jane Fonda cemented herself into Hollywood allure as a chameleonlike actor and social activist, and now the Golden Globes will honor her illustrious career with its highest honor. Fonda will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award during the 78th annual awards ceremony on Feb. 28, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Tuesday. She launched IndieCollect’s Jane Fonda Fund for Women Directors, an organization aimed to support the restoration of films helmed by women from around the world.

Lawmaker wants Dolly Parton statue at Tennessee Capitol

FILE - Dolly Parton arrives at the 61st annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A statue of country music icon Dolly Parton could be added to the Capitol grounds in Nashville, Tennessee, if one state lawmaker gets his way. Democratic Rep. John Mark Windle introduced a bill Tuesday that aims to honor Parton “for all that she has contributed to this state,” news outlets reported. Aside from her status as a music icon, Parton is a lifelong philanthropist. ”(She’s) a passionate person who loves everyone, and everyone loves her.”

New Orleans stage and screen actor Carol Sutton dies at 76

FILE - In this May 1, 2019, file photo, actress Carol Sutton arrives at the World Premiere of "Poms" in Los Angeles. Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy Steel Magnolias and the TV series Queen Sugar, has died Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Sutton was 76. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File)NEW YORK – Actor Carol Sutton, a fixture on stages in her native New Orleans who built a steady career on the big and small screens, including roles in the 1989 comedy “Steel Magnolias” and the TV series “Queen Sugar,” has died from complications from COVID-19, according to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Sutton was 76.

Despite bleak 2020, celebrities make effort to brighten year

(AP Photo)LOS ANGELES – Yes, 2020 may seem like a complete fail with all the constant bad news and tragic moments. It’s been filled with gloom and doom(scrolling), but some celebrities and those inspired by them have tried to brighten a bleak year. He reassigned his 10 seamstresses in New York to produce thousands daily for health care workers on the frontlines. The singer and husband Emilio Estefan's restaurant Estefan Kitchen served up homemade meals for health care workers in Miami. The challenge coordinated offers by celebrities and athletes to raise funds to feed those in need during the pandemic.

Holiday movies, music specials arrive to light a bleak year

(NBC/Apple/HBO Max/Netflix/Disney + via AP)LOS ANGELES – Bring on the sentimental holiday rom-coms, the chorus of Christmas music specials and the nostalgia of last century’s animated charmers. HOLIDAY HARMONY— “My Gift: A Christmas Special From Carrie Underwood,” now streaming on HBO Max. — “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special,” Dec. 4, Apple TV+. Music, dancing, animation and surprise guest stars help create what the streaming service promises to be a heartwarming journey with the pop star. Dolly Parton sings hymns, holiday pop classics and tunes from her new album, and shares personal and faith-based Christmas memories.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree turns on, with virus rules

People look from the windows of 30 Rockefeller Center as more than 50,000 lights on the 75-foot-tall Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree are illuminated at the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)NEW YORK – Rockin' around the Christmas tree looks different for visitors at Rockefeller Center this year, starting with Wednesday's tree lighting ceremony. In the days following the lighting until the early part of January, those wishing to take a look at the tree will have to follow a host of rules. At that point, they will be directed to specific pods, each of which can hold four people, to look at the tree. Workers at Rockefeller Center first put up a tree in 1931.

Dolly Parton adds pandemic hero to list of accomplishments

BOSTON – Dolly Parton is being celebrated in song — a rewritten version of her own “Jolene” — for her contribution to an experimental coronavirus vaccine. Northeastern University associate English professor Ryan Cordell posted a video on Twitter of himself performing a tweaked version of Parton's signature song, renamed “Vaccine," that has drawn tens of thousands of views. The lyrics, “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine / I’m begging of you, please go in my arm / Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine / Please just keep me safe from COVID harm," were written by linguist and author Gretchen McCulloch, who posted them online and invited people to record them. “So I went and grabbed my guitar.”Parton’s $1 million gift to Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center helped researchers develop Moderna’s experimental coronavirus vaccine, announced this week. The positive reaction to his video from doctors, nurses and other medical professionals is particularly gratifying, he said.

Cardi B, Dolly Parton, Dua Lipa to be honored by Billboard

NEW YORK – Cardi B has only released one major single this year — the hit “WAP" — but it's enough for Billboard to name her Woman of the Year. Billboard announced the honor Wednesday and the Grammy-winning rapper will be celebrated at the music brand's 15th Annual Women in Music Event, which will stream live on Dec. 10 at billboardwomeninmusic.com at 8 p.m. EDT. Jennifer Lopez will receive the Icon Award at the event and Dolly Parton will earn the Powerhouse Award. Other honorees include pop star Dua Lipa (Powerhouse Award), R&B sister duo Chloe x Halle (Rising Star Award) and singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez (Impact Award). Outside of “WAP" — which co-stars Megan Thee Stallion and spent four weeks at No.

Dove Awards name for KING & COUNTRY top artist

FILE - Joel Smallbone, right, and Luke Smallbone of For King and Country appear at the 47th Annual GMA Dove Awards in Nashville, Tenn. on Oct. 11, 2016. The brother duo earned their first artist of the year award at the Gospel Music Associations Dove Awards, which aired on Friday, Oct. 30, 2020, without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Wade Payne/Invision/AP, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Brother duo for KING & Country earned their first artist of the year award at the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards, which aired on Friday without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luke and Joel Smallbone, who perform as for KING & COUNTRY, also picked up an award for short form video of the year for their duet with Dolly Parton. Tasha Cobbs Leonard won gospel artist of the year and rapper Kayne West, who is on the ballot in some states as a presidential candidate, won for rap/hip hop recorded song of the year, his first Dove Award.

Trailblazer Charley Pride to get lifetime achievement award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Trailblazing country music star Charley Pride will get a lifetime achievement award at the CMA Awards in November. 1 hits between the 1960s and 1980s, with songs like “Kiss An Angel Good Mornin'” and “Is Anybody Goin' to San Antone.”Pride, 82, will accept the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award on the CMA Awards on Nov. 11 on ABC. Pride was named CMA Entertainer of the year in 1971 and won male artist of the year in 1971 and 1972. He has three Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2000. Other recipients of the award include Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Kris Kristofferson.

Carrie Underwood named top artist at CMT Music Awards

In this video image provided by CMT, Carrie Underwood accepts the female of the year award for Drinking Alone during the Country Music Television awards airing on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. (CMT via AP)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Carrie Underwood already had the most CMT Music Awards of any artist, but she'll need to make more room on her shelf. The superstar picked up two more trophies for video of the year and female video of the year in a remotely shot awards show. "I am so proud to be a part of this legacy of women in country music with you. Singer Granger Smith won for his on-the-nose music video called “Don't Cough On Me!"

Reba McEntire, Darius Rucker take over as CMA Awards hosts

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country stars Reba McEntire and Darius Rucker are promising laughs and good music when they co-host this year's CMA Awards in November. McEntire, a Country Music Hall of Famer and veteran host of country music awards shows, returns after hosting last year with Carrie Underwood and Dolly Parton. Pride was the first Black country artist to co-host the awards show, in 1975 with Glen Campbell. And to be here 14 years later hosting with Reba freaking McEntire? Although the pandemic may change some behind-the-scenes production, McEntire promised she would keep up her awards show tradition of multiple outfit changes throughout the broadcast.

Country star and hit Elvis songwriter Mac Davis dies at 78

FILE - Musician Mac Davis performs at the Texas Film Awards in Austin, Texas on March 6, 2014. Davis, a country star and Elvis songwriter, died on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 after heart surgery. (Photo by Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP, File)NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country star Mac Davis, who launched his career crafting the Elvis hits “A Little Less Conversation” and “In the Ghetto,” and whose own hits include “Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me,” has died. He was named 1974’s entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “A small town boy who’d achieved the greatest kinds of fame, he remained a good guy, a family man,” said country star Kenny Chesney.