A Statue For Dolly Parton? Democrat Lawmaker Wants Statue In Nashville For Famed Singer

Famed singer and actress Dolly Parton has been a longtime philanthropist for her home state of Tennessee, prompting calls for a statue in her honor at the Capitol building in Nashville.

State Rep. John Mark Windle, a Democrat, has called for the creation of a Dolly Parton fund for the statue, which would be financed by gifts, grants and other donations. The public would play a part in the design of the statue, which would face Ryman Auditorium, the music venue where Parton has often performed.

The proposal to honor Parton comes after the summer's Black Lives Matter movement, when there were calls for the removal of a state capitol bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest, a Confederate Army General and the first Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard. The bust is expected to be removed but a final vote won't take place until at least February, according to WKRN, an ABC affiliate in Nashville.

“History should not be forgotten, but we need not glamorize those who do not deserve our praise. Instead, let us honor a true Tennessee hero, Dolly Parton,” wrote Alex Parsons, who started the petition. “Aside from her beautiful music, which has touched the hearts and lives of millions of Americans, Dolly Parton's philanthropic heart has unquestionably changed the world for the better.”

Parton has made many financial contributions to Tennessee. In April, the 74-year-old announced she was giving $1 million to researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as part of the “Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund."

Parton has also been vocal about her support for Black Lives Matter. “Of course Black lives matter,” Parton told Billboard. “Do we think our little white [expletive] are the only ones that matter?”

In August, a Nashville artist created a large mural of Parton outside a local music venue to commend her on her stance on Black Lives Matter.

Parton, who lives in the Nashville suburb of Brentwood, has not made any official comments about a statue.