Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill over the weekend declaring the new commemorative day
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill making Sep. 25 Dolly Parton Day statewide. Senate Bill 931 was put forward by Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, and John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, and was then signed by Newsom this Sunday.
The groundbreaking singer, songwriter, actress, and philanthropist has deep ties to California. Parton first came to Hollywood in 1980 to make her acting debut in the feminist comedy film “9 to 5,” which also inspired the country singer’s working-class anthem, which was used to promote the film.
“There are few more memorable people than Dolly, so when it came to giving her an official day in California, there really was only one date that made any sense,” said Newsom in an announcement video he posted on Facebook.
For anyone who missed it, the date is a clever reference to Parton’s song “9 to 5”.
Dubbed “Queen of Country,” Parton has more number-one hits than any other female country artist and has sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Parton was also an uncredited producer for the film and hit television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992).
Parton is also remembered for her work outside of the entertainment industry. In 1995, Parton started the Imagination Library in her home region of Sevier County, Tennessee. The program was a way to improve early childhood literacy by mailing free books directly to children’s homes and was a tribute to her father, who never learned to read or write. The Imagination Library eventually spread to other communities in the U.S. and even went international in 2006, distributing more than 300 million books to children worldwide.
The late artist died at 80 on Aug. 25. Parton’s death came as a shock to many fans. Her last public appearance was two months before her death for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for her Tennessean Travel Stop. Later, her family would share that the artist kept her brief battle with cancer private as she didn’t want to cause worry.
While California is the first to make the day a statewide celebration, many cities across the U.S. are also celebrating. Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans, Louisiana; Lexington, Kentucky; New York City, New York; and Portland, Oregon are all celebrating the late artist.
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“So this Dolly Parton Day, throw on one of her albums and ‘get to livin’ as she might say,” said Newsom.