An Ode to Dolly Parton

I've loved Dolly Parton for years.I honestly can't remember exactly when it started, but she's one of those people who has just always been there in my life. Her songs, her humour, the huge hair, the sparkle and

that unmistakable voice. There's something about Dolly that

makes you smile.

But as I've got older, I've realised that it's not just Dolly the

performer that I love. It's Dolly the person.

She's incredibly successful, but she has never seemed

embarrassed about where she came from. She talks about

her family, her upbringing and having very little with such

pride. I think there's something really special about

someone reaching the very top and still remembering

exactly where they started. And that's what makes her story so inspiring to me. Dolly could have used her success simply to build a life for

herself. Instead, she has spent so much of it creating

opportunities for other people.

That's the bit I keep coming back to. Opportunity.

Giving somebody something they might not otherwise

have. A book. An education. A chance to discover what

they're capable of. Someone believing in you when you're

not quite sure you believe in yourself yet.

Her Imagination Library is such a brilliant example of that.

A book might seem like a small thing, but to a child it can

be the beginning of something much bigger. It can spark

imagination, curiosity and a love of learning. It can take

them somewhere completely different for a little while.

And I think that's why Dolly's story connects so strongly

with why I'm proud to be an ambassador for the SupaJam

Foundation.

It's about opportunity.

It's about not looking at someone and deciding what they

can or can't achieve based on their circumstances. It's about

giving people the chance to find their strengths, build their

confidence and discover where they could go.

We don't always know what one opportunity will lead to.

That's the exciting part.

Somewhere, there could be a young person who just needs

somebody to say, "Give it a go."

And maybe that's why I've loved Dolly for so long.

Because underneath all the glamour, she's always seemed to

understand something incredibly important.

You don't have to forget where you came from when you

make it.

You can take people with you.

You can open doors for people who haven't had the chance

to walk through them yet.

You can use what you've been given to give somebody else

something too.

That's the Dolly Parton I admire.

Not just the woman behind some of my favourite songs, but

the woman who has spent her life showing what can happen

when success is accompanied by kindness.

And if I could thank her for one thing, it wouldn't actually

be for the music.

It would be for the reminder that one opportunity can

change everything.

We just have to be willing to give it.