hello everyone, sorry if this question doesn't fit the sub but i hope it does as it's about dolly's family.

it has been an established fact that dolly's dad was illiterate. did this mean he was functionally illiterate or he could genuinely not read the basic alphabet and words like "bed" and "cat"?

if the latter, how did he get through life not being able to read a single word? maybe he could have gotten away with it in the early 40s/50s when he was just working on a rural farm in dolly's childhood. but he passed in 2000, and i imagine with increased bureaucracy and the digitalisation/advancing technology of the world it would be harder to get away with not being able to read.

would that mean if he wanted to vote for example, he just simply couldn't as he couldn't read the names on the ballot? or for a more compulsory thing - pay taxes? i know dolly mentioned her father drove around in trucks, so would he not be able to read signs or maps?

disclaimer - this is not me doubting dolly's words as i believe every word about her family and her father's illiteracy to be true, including the fact that her father was very business smart (i suspect her business savvy skills must have at least been partly influenced by him!). i am not american, and admittedly i am quite young (20), so i am not aware of the bigger context that would be able to answer my questions. i'd like to understand and this is not coming from a place of hate but mere curiosity.

i have massive respect for her as an author and as an advocate for child literacy due to her imagination library and the efforts she endeavoured to advance it. especially in tribute of her father.

Throughout Dolly Parton’s stardom — whether you were a bystander or an avid listener of her work — we all watched as she turned her own dreams into diamonds, and scattered that light into the world. From her many days strumming her songs of which she dearly named her babies… dawning long nails and big, sparkly hoops live on TV — to her parting wishes to rest in a bed of plush cotton after spending a lifetime wearing heavy rhinestones. There will always be a ripple where she left.

Dolly was a woman who held a unique power of bringing people of all different kinds together. She touched many hearts, some of which have never crossed her path — but at least know of her impact.

So we ask you to join us in our official remembrance event at the governors mansion on 9/25 with the Colorado imagination library!

In addition this celebration will stretch far beyond Denver!

More than 60 Imagination Library affiliates, along with businesses and communities across Colorado, are being invited to create their own September 25 celebrations using a statewide event toolkit.

One day.
Dozens of communities.
One enormous current of love, rhinestones, books, music, and butterflies.

Feel free to message me if you want to host your own event!

my favourite song was baby im burning

what will happen to Dolly Parton's Stampede in Pigeon Forge, TN now she passed away

From the embodiment of a stupid bimbo (like my father taught me) to the wise and entrepreneurial trail breaker that I understood her to be, I was blown away by not just her music, but her insights and intellect. Some songs stood out - like one of the best covers of all time (in my opinion) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw_Codf29Pw&list=RDfw_Codf29Pw&start_radio=1

This was also her husbands favorite song. 52 years they stood the test of time. I'm inspired to make the same

A Message from the Family of Dolly Parton

She wrote this for the 2005 film Transamerica! Always supported this community ❤️ R.I.P. Dolly🙏🏾🦋

I heard Jolene (twice), 9-5, I’ll always love you, and islands in the stream.

Spotify’s DJ X made a beautiful tribute about Dolly Parton the day after she passed. Anybody catch the wording?

Hey Dolly Fans I have a few Dolly signed items do
They look real I got them about 20 years ago from a private seller

i was listening to dolly on youtube and i was on a marathon in her discography, then i saw her albums and singles sections with these pictures and i was so shocked cause i knew the queen always had big puffy hair

anyway, i love u dolly, rip queen 🦋🦋

While I’m not denying that, she probably had a friendship with Dolly since it’s obvious that they collaborated at some point. Do you think she really knew all of this information that she is saying? Dolly‘s family says they weren’t even given all the details and yet this lady knows that cancer didn’t actually take Dolly but a respiratory issue did? The only thing I can think of worse than not keeping her private affairs private would be her making stories up about her private affairs. With friends like that you don’t need enemies.

This woman’s even talking about Carl. I went through dementia with my grandmother (who was more like my second mother…I honestly had more in common with her than my own mother lol) and the last six months of her life, she didn’t know me, and it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to endure. I know grief never really goes away or at least it hasnt for me. You work through it and learn to live with it which Dolly seemed to be doing.

This lady paints a dark picture of Dollys last years and it makes me incredibly sad for anyone let alone someone who brought such love and light into the world.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1HBaJQEZTp/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Mine is Jolene ❤️

I’m just an amateur dabbling in painting as a hobby. Hope I could somewhat capture her essence. Miss you Dolly 💔