Happy 80th birthday to Dolly Parton! Dolly was born in Pittman Center, TN. Don’t know where that is? It’s located in Sevier Co., outside of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, and as of 2020, had a population of just 454. The area was formally called Emert’s Cove. She was born in a one-room cabin. Dolly released her first album, “Hello, Dolly,” in 1967. In addition to winning numerous Grammys and 3 Emmy Awards, she also was nominated for 2 Academy Awards, and was nominated for the Presidential Medal of Freedom three times and has declined the award each time. She received an honorary doctorate from Carson Newman College in 1990. The was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. In addition to her music career, Dolly also is known for her philanthropic work in promoting literacy in underserved communities. Many of your children may receive free books month from the Imagination Library. You may not know that Dollywood started as a theme park called Rebel Railroad in 1961 and changed hands over the years with different names but in 1986, Dolly Parton along with Herschend Family Entertainment, rebranded to celebrate Appalachian culture and history.