From Nashville to Nairobi: Dolly Parton’s enduring African influence
Affectionately known as the "Queen of Country Music", Parton wrote some 3,000 songs during a prolific career that even inspired a Broadway musical.
The singer-songwriter became one of the most recognisable figures in country music while also successfully crossing into pop, film, television, business and philanthropy.
Her hits included "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors" and the ballad "I Will Always Love You", which became an international success for Whitney Houston when it was used as the main song for the 1992 film The Bodyguard.
With 100 million albums sold, she influenced artists such as Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, The White Stripes, and sparked the career of the French singer Pomme.
Robben Island radio
She also left a distinct mark on Africa, influencing artists and reaching listeners from Kenya and Zambia to Nigeria and South Africa.
Her music even reached former South African leader Nelson Mandela during the 18 years he spent imprisoned on Robben Island from 1964 to 1982.
When political prisoners were occasionally allowed to choose music to be played over the loudspeakers, Mandela selected Parton's 1973 hit "Jolene", fellow anti-apartheid activist and Robben Island prisoner Tokyo Sexwale told US public broadcaster NPR's podcast Dolly Parton's America.
In 1982, Parton performed at the Sun City Superbowl in South Africa, a resort in the former Bophuthatswana homeland, at a time when many international artists were avoiding the country because of the cultural boycott against apartheid.
Parton later expressed regret over the booking, publicly acknowledging her lack of awareness of the political situation at the time. She became one of the early high-profile international artists to pledge not to perform in South Africa under apartheid.
South African collaboration
Parton later struck a more positive chord in South Africa when she recorded with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the renowned Zulu vocal group founded by Joseph Shabalala.
The collaboration brought together the storytelling traditions of American country music and South African isicathamiya choral singing.
They collaborated on Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" in 1995, followed by "Peace Train", a cover of the Cat Stevens song that appeared on Parton's 1996 album Treasures.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo travelled to the United States and joined Parton for a live CBS television special in November 1996.
The collaboration came just after the end of apartheid, when South African artists were becoming more visible internationally.
Parton was a "cultural ambassador", Joseph Shabalala's son Sibongiseni Shabalala told South Africa's TimesLIVE website.
"Her songs, filled with warmth, storytelling and honesty reached diverse audiences and connected people of varying backgrounds," he said. Ladysmith Black Mambazo pictured with former South African leader Nelson Mandela.
"Many South Africans were deeply honoured that this global country icon chose to sing alongside one of the nation's greatest cultural treasures," journalist Lelo Mzaca wrote in a tribute published on South Africa's Mail & Guardian website.
"It affirmed a mutual respect and created a lasting bridge of shared humanity through song... Fans recognised in her the same resilience, humour and spiritual depth that run through so much of the country's own musical heritage.
"She was not a distant star, she was someone who had reached across oceans with warmth and sincerity."
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Kenyan connection
The fourth of 12 children, Parton was born on 19 January 1946 into a very poor family. She grew up in the foothills of the Appalachians, the daughter of a tobacco farmer and a homemaker.
Her uncle Bill Owens taught her to play the guitar and encouraged her to perform on stage from a very young age. At 13, she was introduced by Johnny Cash at the Grand Ole Opry, a major country music radio show.
Her personal stories had universal appeal and reached radio audiences as far away as Kenya, where country music has a big following.
The themes Parton sang about appealed to African listeners, Henry Makhoka, programming head at Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, told NPR correspondent Gwen Thompkins in 2007.
"Most of the country music we play talks about country life, talks about the farm life and so on. That kind of environment was abundantly available where I was born."
Parton's song "Coat of Many Colors" particularly struck a chord with Kenyan listeners, Jeremiah Lemeriah wrote in The Kenyan Diaspora Media.
The song tells the story of Parton's mother sewing her a winter coat out of rags while telling her the biblical story of Joseph. Although other children mocked her at school for wearing the patched coat, Parton wore it proudly, believing she was rich because of her mother's love. Les Paul, right, and Chet Atkins, left, are presented Grammies by Dolly Parton and Freddie Fender, second from right, at 19th annual Grammy Awards, 19 February, 1977 in Los Angeles.
"For countless Kenyans who similarly rose from humble, impoverished beginnings to ultimately make something of themselves in life, that anthem became a badge of honor, teaching that true wealth is measured by character, dignity, and love rather than material possessions," Lemeriah wrote.
Parton's storytelling also had a strong influence on Kenya's Mugithi scene, a musical genre and popular dance originating from the Kikuyu community and characterised by rhythmic guitar melodies.
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Humble, generous
Despite becoming a globally recognised musician, Parton also took the time to encourage up-and-coming singers.
Although she never performed in Zimbabwe, she had an impact on Canada-based Zimbabwean singer Nomathamsanqa Treatie "Nkwali" Mkwananzi.
The pair met in 2013 at Parton's Dollywood theme park in Tennessee during a performance by the Mother Africa Circus show.
Parton went backstage to meet the performers before surprising them by joining them on stage.
"I remember her warmth and humility so clearly. She even told me, 'You have a lovely voice.' Those words stayed with me and meant so much coming from someone I had admired for years," Nkwali told Zimbabwe's Herald Online website.
"For me, Dolly represented more than just an incredible musician and entertainer. She was an example of what it means to remain humble, generous and encouraging even after achieving such incredible success."