What To Know
- Danielle Colby of American Pickers paid tribute to Dolly Parton, recalling their meaningful 2014 collaboration on the show to find vintage items for Dollywood.
- Colby highlighted Parton’s advocacy for workers’ rights, her creation of a mutual aid fund for Dollywood employees, and her pride in giving back to her community.
- Colby praised Parton’s lasting impact, including the Imagination Library, and expressed gratitude for the lessons learned from working with her before Parton’s passing at age 80.
American Pickers star Danielle Colby penned a heartfelt tribute to Dolly Parton while recalling the Queen of Country’s 2014 appearance on the History Channel show.
On Wednesday, August 26, Colby took to Instagram with a photo of herself and Parton, who died at 80 on August 25. The “9 to 5” singer was featured in American Pickers Season 11, Episode 11. Colby and Lauren Wray Grisham — the manager of Mike Wolfe‘s Antique Archaeology Nashville store — were challenged to pick pieces for Dollywood’s FireChaser Express roller coaster.
“Lauren and I were tasked with finding vintage petroliana and firefighter items for Dollywood years ago, and boy did we learn a lot with her,” Colby began her update. “She talked of mutual aid and workers’ rights. We talked antiques, growing up poor, and how that shaped her advocacy for her community. We bonded on many levels, and I left with a great respect and love for her that ran even deeper than before.”
Additionally, Colby noted that Parton opened up about how going to the state fair was a “big deal” to her family, which inspired her to make Dollywood as amazing as possible.
“[Parton] told us that Dollywood is one of the things she [was] proudest of in her career,” she recalled. “She said how important it was for her to put money back into her community, so she started a mutual aid within Dollywood, where each employee can donate a portion of their paycheck to said mutual aid and receive support when needed for economic crisis, natural disaster, health crisis, etc. Her employees were so happy!”
To conclude her post, Colby praised the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the overall impact the “Jolene” singer had on her life.
“I had an incredible opportunity to work with Dolly and learn about how to grow in our humanity as we grow in our career,” she wrote. “That lesson has followed me in every project I’ve ever done since. And in that way, through all of us, she will continue to live on. We love you, @dollyparton. You changed this world for the better, and we can’t thank you enough. There will never be another one like you.”
Parton died after a “brief battle with cancer,” her rep confirmed in a statement to People and other outlets.
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