Dolly Parton recently received $100 million from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, through his Bezos Courage and Civility Award, to donate to the charities of her choice. For the already philanthropic singer, who has donated $1 million twice, to both fund research for a COVID-19 vaccine, and to research at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the generous gift was overwhelming, in the best way possible.
“Well, I couldn’t believe it,” Parton tells Entertainment Tonight. “First of all, I cried on the phone with Jeff Bezos. And when I found out he was really serious about it, I just cried because of the gift and how much good I will really be able to do with that.”
Parton is not yet sure what she will do with all of the money, but she does vow it will go to help plenty of people.
“I just am still praying and thinking about where it all can go,” Parton reveals. “I don’t have to spend it all in one place [and I] don’t have to spend it all right now,” she continued, adding that she still needs “to think about it and… let my heart lead me on those things. But I can guarantee you, I’ll be able to do a lot of good for a lot of needy causes and a lot of needy good people.”
Earlier this year, the newly-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member received the prestigious Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, honoring her numerous donations through the years, including her Imagination Library.
“When I got into a position to be able to do it on a larger scale, I did,” Parton tells Vogue. “It means a lot to me. How hard can it be for me to take pride in the Imagination Library, knowing that I’m helping put books in the hands of children all over the world? It’s more about children learning to read — it’s the fact they get recognized. They get this little book with their little name on it in the mail, and they feel special. They start taking pride in themselves, and they know that somebody out there is thinking of [them].”
The 76-year-old recently announced that she would no longer tour on a large scale, as she has in the past, but she is still dreaming up new business ventures, including a museum in Nashville.
“I’m going to have a museum here [in Nashville] pretty soon, within the next couple of years,” Parton tells The Tennessean. “We have the museum at Dollywood, of course, but I would love to have something here since this is really my home. And I may have a restaurant or a bar and grill. Right now though, I’ve got so many things going. I can do without that for the moment. But someday I will have a business here.”
Parton’s Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas, which stars Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Tom Everett Scott, Ana Gasteyer and more, will premiere on December 1 on NBC.. Zach Williams and Jimmie Allen will also appear as guest stars.