Dolly Parton donates $1million to Hurricane Helene relief effort

5 October, 2024

Dolly Parton has donated $1million to the relief effort for Hurricane Helene.

Last week, Hurricane Helene hit the Southeastern states of the US, laying waste to cities such as Georgia, Florida, North Carolina and many more. At the time of writing, the hurricane has resulted in an estimate of 220 deaths, while hundreds of others remain missing. Hundreds of thousands of homes are without power and infrastructural damage is widespread.

Now, Parton has announced that she will be donating $1million “from my own personal bank account” to help with recovery efforts.

The country icon shared the news yesterday (October 4), while speaking at a press conference in a Walmart parking lot in her home state of Tennessee. “From myself, personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating a million dollars today,” said.

“But there’s a lot to be done and we’re trying to find other ways to even raise more funds.”

Parton also revealed that her business, The Dollywood Company, would be matching the donation. The funds will be distributed to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which sustains relief and recovery efforts in East Tennessee, Western North Carolina, and the greater Appalachian region.

“We’re starting out with a good little hunk,” she told the crowd. “And like I said, we’re trying to find new other ways to make money because it’s going to take a lot of money, as you know. And it’s going to take a long time. There’s still so much more to do.”

The ‘Jolene’ singer also reflected on how the hurricane had impacted the area she grew up in, saying: “Who knew in our little part of the country here – where I was born and raised right down the road – that we would have this kind of devastation,” she said.

“I look around and I think, these are my mountains. These are my valleys. These are my rivers, flowing like a stream. These are my people. These mountain-coloured rainbows, these are my people and this is my home … I just want you to know that I am totally with you, ’cause I am part of you. I love you.”

Parton also performed a brief remix of her hit ‘Jolene’, altering the lyrics to reference the hurricane: “Helene, you came in here and broke us all apart,” she sang.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Helene has impacted various shows and festivals which were set to take place in the southeast of the US.

Alabama’s South Star Festival was cancelled while some sets of Kentucky’s Louder than Life Festival were cut to due the inclement weather. Bands such as Quarters of Change, Mannequin Pussy and the likes of Billy Joel and Sting all had to cancel or postpone their gigs in states such as North Carolina and Florida due to the intense conditions.

MJ Lenderman also announced the postponement of several US tour dates due to the damage caused by the hurricane – especially in North Carolina, where the musician’s band and their families are based.

Dolly Parton Performs at Agua Caliente Casino on January 24, 2014 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)
Dolly Parton Performs at Agua Caliente Casino on January 24, 2014 in Rancho Mirage, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

Parton’s last album was 2023’s ‘Rockstar’, which saw her collaborate with a slew of pop and rock artists including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Miley Cyrus, and Kid Rock.

More recently, she appeared on Beyoncé‘s latest album ‘Cowboy Carter’, where she featured on the tracks ‘Dolly P’ and ‘Tyrant’.

‘Cowboy Carter’ also included Beyoncé’s own take on Parton’s country classic ‘Jolene’, which, though it included new lyrics by Beyoncé, had a sole songwriting credit belonging to Parton.

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