Sigma Alpha Iota

sai-national.org • Summer 2025 7 • A Tony Chase-designed lace dress, embellished with pearl beading, Parton wore when she performed the R&B classic "I'm a Hog for You Baby" as a duet with the Muppets character Miss Piggy on an episode of Parton's ABC-TV variety series "Dolly!" in 1987. • A Lucy Adams-designed dress, with lace sleeves and skirt and a butterfly-shaped rhinestone design, which Parton wore at appearances on "The Porter Wagoner Show" and the cover of the 1974 album Porter 'n' Dolly. • The Gibson L-30 archtop acoustic guitar, built around 1935 — given to Parton as a gift from her brother Floyd Parton — which she played in the 1991 music video for "Silver and Gold," from her album Eagle When She Flies. • The dress, with balloon sleeves, chiffon skirt, bugle beading and rhinestone accents Parton wore at a 1978 photoshoot by celebrity photographer Harry Langdon Jr. The likeness of her on a Dolly Parton-themed pinball machine, made by Bally in 1979, was based on one of Langdon's photos of her in this dress. • A Steve Summers-designed metallic dress, with mesh fabric, spikes and beaded fringe, was worn by Parton in photos promoting her singles "World on Fire" and "We are the Champions/We Will Rock You," from her 2023 album, Rockstar. • The Andreas-designed, rhinestone- covered platform mules Parton wore at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, 2019. The ceremony included a tribute to Parton, in which Miley Cyrus, Little Big Town, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves and Katy Perry performed a medley of her songs. Parton joined them onstage to sing "Jolene" with Cyrus. • Designed for Parton by Lucy Adams, a pantsuit with bell sleeves, bell bottoms and rhinestone-and-bead embellished floral shapes, worn by Parton when she toured with her Traveling Family Band in 1975, and on the cover of Dolly, her 1975 album also known as The Seeker/We Used To. Dolly Parton was born the fourth of 12 children 15 miles east of Sevierville in a remote cabin in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with no plumbing, electricity or access roads. Embracing her father's enterprising work ethic and her mother's love of traditional Scots-Irish folk music, she pursued her dream of becoming an entertainer despite limited opportunities. By age 10, Parton performed regularly on radio and television shows in Knoxville, Tennessee; recorded teen-pop tunes in Louisiana at age 13; and signed with Mercury Records in Nashville at age 16 — moving there to pursue her career the day after finishing high school. Dolly Parton: Journey of a Seeker will explore many times during Parton's life where her persistence established a pattern to not let critics or business-as-usual policies discourage the pursuit of her dreams. Some of the themes include: At age 13, Parton made her Grand Ole Opry debut, but only after she and her uncle Bill Owens persuaded singer Jimmy C. Newman to give her one of his time slots after an Opry manager refused to schedule her, citing her youth. After establishing herself in Nashville, Parton resisted advice from record executives who warned that her flamboyant fashions would overshadow her talent — determined to present herself as boldly as she dreamed as a young girl with a vivid imagination and a desire to stand apart and experience life beyond the Smoky Mountains. When Parton collaborated with L.A. pop producer Gary Klein for her 1977 album Here You Come Again, many in the Nashville community accused her of abandoning country music in search of pop success. The album became Parton's first million-selling album, earning her first Grammy Award and led to her film debut as Doralee Rhodes, in Jane Fonda's upcoming film "9 to 5," when Fonda heard Parton's hit "Two Doors Down" from the album. To encourage an interest in reading in children five and under in Sevier County and to honor her father, who never learned to read but insisted on his children becoming readers, she founded Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in 1995 — shocking skeptics when 1,700 books reached mailboxes from the first month on. She launched the Dollywood Foundation in 1998, with the Imagination Library as its flagship program, which is now active in all 50 states, as well as in Australia, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. A singer, songwriter, movie and television actor, author, businesswoman and philanthropist, Parton is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, and has received the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors. Visit the museum's website for more information on Parton's life and career: www.countrymusichalloffame.org — Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Dolly Parton is an Honorary Member of Sigma Alpha Iota. Dolly Parton used this custom-built Gibson five-string banjo Dolly Parton used this custom-built Gibson five-string banjo at performances in 1992 and on her Halos & Horns Tour in 2002. at performances in 1992 and on her Halos & Horns Tour in 2002. Exhibit object photos: Bob Delevante Exhibit object photos: Bob Delevante To honor her lifetime of contributions To honor her lifetime of contributions to American culture, Dolly Parton was to American culture, Dolly Parton was presented with this Kennedy Center presented with this Kennedy Center Honors medallion in 2006. Honors medallion in 2006. Member Spotlight

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