A Note from John Michael Lockhart, publisher of Stories That Define Us

Few entertainers, if any, have touched as many lives, across as many generations— and in as many ways, as Dolly Parton. I’m the product of parents from Southeast Louisiana who loved country music: Hank, Johnny, Willie, Waylon, Patsy, Loretta, Tammy, and Dolly. Every Saturday afternoon, my Daddy had the television on WAFB-TV Channel 9 at 4:30 p.m. for The Porter Waggoner Show. Like millions of Americans from the Deep South, that’s how I was introduced to Dolly Parton. I fell in love with her before I began kindergarten. My love for her has been steadfast, and has grown through the years.

In the summer of 1988, Steel Magnolias was being filmed in Natchitoches, Louisiana. I saw it as my opportunity to meet her. When my parents asked me why I was going to Natchitoches, which was 170 miles away, I told them I was having dinner with Dolly Parton. When they insisted I tell then the truth, I repeated that declaration. When I arrived back home three days later with photos of my friend, his college roommate, and me standing outside a Chinese restaurant in Natchitoches with Dolly, they couldn’t believe it. (I share that story in the song called “Dinner with Dolly.”)

For decades, Dolly has reminded us that where we come from matters, that our stories are worth telling, that kindness is a strength, that diversity and originality should be celebrated, and that circumstances do not have to determine destiny.

She has entertained millions. She made us laugh and she made us think. She has written songs that somehow feel as though they belong to each of us personally. But perhaps even more importantly, she has used her extraordinary success to make life better for other people.

That spirit is what inspired this collection.

A Tribute to Dolly Parton — Stories That Define Us: Deluxe Edition is an independently created musical celebration of Dolly's life, values, storytelling and remarkable legacy.

These are original songs created especially for this tribute. They are not Dolly Parton recordings, nor are they presented as such. Instead, they tell stories inspired by the qualities that have made Dolly one of the world's most beloved storytellers: family, perseverance, generosity, imagination, humor, faith in others, and the belief that a child with a book can dream beyond the circumstances into which he or she was born.

John Michael Lockhart
Owner and Publisher
Stories That Define Us

 

TRACK LISTING

1. What Would Dolly Do?
2. Rhinestones and Rain
3. Put a Book in Every Mailbox
4. Bridges, Not Walls
5. The Princess and the Queen
6. Dinner with Dolly
7. Rainbow on the Ridge
8. Our Honky Tonk Angels Are Gone
9. Two Kinds of Grace (Angel mix)

10. BONUS TRACK — Bridges, Not Walls (Alternative mix)
11. BONUS TRACK — What Would Dolly Do? (Bright Light edit with Alternative lyrics)
12. BONUS TRACK — Rhinestones and Rain (Alternate lyrics)

13. MUSIC VIDEO — What Would Dolly Do?
14. MUSIC VIDEO — Our Honky Tonk Angels Are Gone

 

MORE THAN A TRIBUTE, ALSO A FUNDRAISER

This project was created as an expression of love, appreciation, admiration and gratitude—and as an opportunity to support one of Dolly Parton’s most extraordinary legacies.

Net proceeds from this project received through December 31, 2026, will be donated to Dolly Parton's Imagination Library on the occasion of what would have been Dolly’s 81st birthday on January 19, 2027.

Dolly's Imagination Library has helped put books into the hands and homes of hundreds of millions of children, encouraging families to read together and helping children discover something that can change the trajectory of a life:

The ability to imagine what might be possible.

We can think of no more appropriate way to celebrate one of the world's great storytellers.

To learn more about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, visit them online at: imaginationlibrary.com 

 

ABOUT STORIES THAT DEFINE US

At Stories That Define Us, we believe that the single most important thing you can do for your family, maybe the simplest of all: developing a strong family narrative. 

The stories of where we came from. The people we loved. The obstacles we overcame. The ordinary days that became extraordinary memories. The voices, photographs, traditions and milestone moments that tell future generations:

Helping you achieve that objective is our primary mission and purpose. 

This is who we were. This is how we lived. And this is what mattered to us.

We Turn Milestone Moments into Forever Memories.

 Tailored to meet your individual needs, our services are designed to fit your budget and are focused on creating a lasting impact.

Autobiography, Memoir, Legacy Letters, Oral Histories, Genealogical Research, Family Business/Corporate Histories, Song Writing and Music Video Production, Family Brand Building, Community Histories, Reunion Planning, Family Recipe & Food Memories Books, and Obituary Writing... 

Our business is helping our clients create forever memories for every budget and every occasion.

 

With Gratitude

Thank you for helping us celebrate Dolly Parton's extraordinary life and legacy.

And most of all, thank you for helping us honor a woman who has spent a lifetime demonstrating that success is measured not simply by how high you climb— but by how many people you help along the way.

 

This is an independently produced tribute project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or produced by Dolly Parton, Dolly Parton's representatives, or Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.