Dolly Parton demonstrated a profound commitment to her community during the 2016 Tennessee wildfires, setting aside her global fame to assist neighbors in need, according to country music duo Big & Rich.
John Rich of Big & Rich recalled witnessing Parton's response to the wildfires that ravaged Gatlinburg and Sevier County, noting that in that moment, she was not an iconic superstar but "a country girl who was trying to help out her neighbors."
Parton, a native of East Tennessee, organized the "Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund" telethon on December 13, 2016, to support wildfire victims. Big & Rich were among the nearly 20 artists who performed at the event. The telethon successfully raised over $9 million for families who lost their homes. The funds directly supported Parton’s My People Fund, which provided financial aid to those affected by the fires that killed 14 people and destroyed more than 2,400 buildings.
"There have been multiple interactions over the years with Dolly and one thing you absolutely know about her is that she's a big-hearted and a super kind person," Big Kenny, the other member of Big & Rich, told Fox News Digital. "And that's how I would describe her that day. You could tell that, you know, it just meant the world to her to be doing what she was doing and it meant the world to her that we showed up that day to help her out."
Big Kenny added that Parton's ability to connect with people transcended political and religious divides. "She just crossed all borders, crossed all lines, and everybody loves her and everybody will always love her," he said, reflecting on the widespread respect shown for Parton following her passing.
Big & Rich recently released a protest single titled "Hello AI," addressing the impact of artificial intelligence on the music industry. The song, released on August 28, focuses on concerns about AI-generated music being monetized and infringing on the work of human songwriters. The duo emphasized that current laws do not allow AI to hold copyrights, asserting that "the original pencil to paper work that a human American songwriter created is getting ripped off."
While expressing support for AI's potential in various fields, Big Kenny stressed the need for careful consideration and regulation. "It just seems we need to hit the brakes a little bit and discuss it and talk about it," he stated. "Man, I'm all about AI. I think AI could be one of the greatest revolutions that ever happens in America. ... But at the same time, things like this need to have guardrails on them."