![\"Dolly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/rp5icpgkys8ipogi.jpg\")
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ORLANDO, Fla. – Dolly Parton\u2019s influence stretched far beyond country music, leaving a mark on Central Florida\u2019s tourism industry and generations of fans who remembered the entertainer Tuesday following her death at age 80.<\/p>\n
Parton once had a significant presence in Orlando through Dixie Stampede, a dinner attraction that combined live entertainment, horses and a meal. The Orlando location closed in 2008.<\/p>\n
What they’re saying:<\/p>\n
Matt Roseboom, owner of Attractions Magazine, recalled visiting the Dixie Stampede attraction as well as Parton-related attractions elsewhere.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019ve been to the Dixie Stampede, as it was called then here in Orlando,” Roseboom said. “I\u2019ve also been to Dollywood Stampede in Branson, Missouri.”<\/p>\n
Roseboom described the Orlando attraction as a rodeo-style dinner theater that offered family entertainment centered around horses and live performances. He said attractions like those have become less common in Orlando over the years.<\/p>\n
John Stine worked with Parton to launch the Orlando show and remembers receiving a personal welcome from the entertainer.<\/p>\n
Dolly Parton\u2019s voice reached generations of fans, but her legacy extended far beyond the music that made her a country icon. In Florida, families are remembering her contributions to children\u2019s literacy and her longtime ties to Central Florida entertainment.<\/p>\n “It was a really special moment to get that note from Dolly welcoming me to the company,” Stine said. “I\u2019ll always cherish that.”<\/p>\n Parton\u2019s biggest mark on the attractions industry remains Dollywood, the Tennessee theme park that bears her name and reflects her influence throughout the property and its resorts. Roseboom said Parton frequently made appearances at the park, which also includes a museum dedicated to her life and career.<\/p>\n Dollywood said it planned to remain open following Parton\u2019s death, saying that was what she would have wanted.<\/p>\n Fans remember Parton\u2019s broad appeal <\/p>\n Tributes also poured in from the music and entertainment worlds.<\/p>\n Russ Rollins, host of “Monsters in the Morning” on Real Radio 104.1, said he became emotional when he learned of Parton\u2019s death. His parents met Parton while flying to Hawaii in the 1970s, and he grew up hearing stories about the encounter.<\/p>\n FOX 35’s Marlisa Goldsmith, Amy Kaufeldt joins Jana of XL 106.7 and Magic 107.7 to share memories, reflect on Dolly Parton’s\u00a0life, legendary music and global impact of the country music icon following her passing.<\/p>\n “I swear I started to cry,” Rollins said. “I come from a family \u2014 my family, Elvis and Dolly.”<\/p>\n Rollins said Parton had an unusual ability to appeal to people regardless of whether they listened to country music.<\/p>\n “She truly kind of is one of the few people that unites us all, whether you like country music or not,” Rollins said.<\/p>\n Parton sold more than 160 million albums, won 11 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Country Music, Rock & Roll and Songwriters halls of fame. Fans and media gathered Tuesday at her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which she received in 1984.<\/p>\n A legacy of literacy <\/p>\n For millions of children, Parton\u2019s influence began with a book.<\/p>\n “The Little Engine That Could” is the first book children receive after enrolling in Dolly Parton\u2019s Imagination Library, a program that provides free books each month to children from birth to age 5.<\/p>\n Bryan Burns of the Rotary Club of College Park said Parton\u2019s commitment to literacy was inspired by her father.<\/p>\n “Her dad was actually illiterate, and she chalked that up to him not having the same opportunities as other people,” Burns said. “So what she wanted to do is she wanted to focus on early child literacy.”<\/p>\n The Imagination Library has distributed more than 240 million books worldwide.<\/p>\n Rebekah Ludwig enrolled her son when he was only a few months old. She said the program will ensure Parton continues to influence children for years to come.<\/p>\n “That program is something that kids are still going to \u2026 her history is still going to be around as that program is around,” Ludwig said.<\/p>\n From the songs heard around the world to books delivered to children\u2019s homes, Parton left a legacy that continues to resonate with families across Central Florida and beyond.<\/p>\n The Source: This story was written based on information shared by Matt Roseboom, owner of Attractions Magazine, and Russ Rollins, host of “Monsters in the Morning” on Real Radio 104.1.<\/p>\n \u00a0 Entertainment<\/a>Orange County News<\/a>Orlando News<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"ORLANDO, Fla. – Dolly Parton\u2019s influence stretched far beyond country music, leaving a mark on Central Florida\u2019s tourism…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":381319,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[104,47,115,1335,139,141,140,628],"class_list":["post-381318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-orlando","tag-entertainment","tag-fl","tag-news","tag-orange-county","tag-orlando","tag-orlando-headlines","tag-orlando-news","tag-us"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=381318"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/381318\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/381319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=381318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=381318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=381318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Dolly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/3nwu4w9haxgonczf.jpg\")
Dolly Parton\u2019s legacy lives on through music, literacy<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"Remembering](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/d11pvkmr1ln6s0tz.jpg\")
Remembering Dolly Parton: Honoring an Icon<\/a> <\/p>\n