BROOKFIELD, Conn. (AP) — Dolly Parton ’s megawatt smile and big wavy locks are gracing fields across the U.S. and Canada this fall.
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A portrait of Dolly Parton fills a 5-acre corn maze at Twins BBQ Co. in Brookfield, Conn., on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
Jaime Wanzer, holding a map, and Wendy Mayerson navigate a 5-acre corn maze designed as a portrait of Dolly Parton at Twins BBQ Co. in Brookfield, Conn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
People use a map to navigate a 5-acre corn maze designed as a portrait of Dolly Parton at Twins BBQ Co. in Brookfield, Conn., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
A portrait of Dolly Parton fills a 5-acre corn maze at Twins BBQ Co. in Brookfield, Conn., on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
A portrait of Dolly Parton fills a 5-acre corn maze at Twins BBQ Co. in Brookfield, Conn., on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
Dolly Parton didn’t just sing about her Tennessee mountain home. She helped transform it. Her deep devotion to rural Sevier County inspired her music and sparked a tourism boom. News of Parton's death has been profoundly personal for her neighbors. Parton was a beloved country music star and Tennessee's favorite daughter. She co-owned Dollywood, Tennessee’s most visited tourist attraction, and founded The Dollywood Foundation, which helped reduce high school dropout rates in Sevier County. Her Imagination Library has distributed over 330 million books worldwide. Parton's generosity, especially after the 2016 wildfire, changed lives and shattered Appalachian stereotypes.
FILE - Dolly Parton performs on NBC's "Today" show in New York on May 13, 2014. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - Dolly Parton arrives at the premiere of "Joyful Noise" in Los Angeles, Monday, Jan. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)
FILE - Dolly Parton performs at a United Way of America convention in Detroit, Friday, May 15, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)