Serendipity.
Today (as I type) is Dolly Parton's birthday. As a result, although I found each of the 25 stories within fascinating, I've chosen to focus on Dolly Parton. Her history is certainly well known. She's an icon. Instantly recognized. Who'd have thought the little girl singing on her family's front porch to entertain her family would grow up to grace the fanciest stages of the world? Or that a movie would be made of a song she scribbled the lyrics to on the back of an ol' receipt? Yet, most know the story behind "The Coat of Many Colors".
As a teacher, however, as much as I enjoy her music, it's her ability to use her hard-scramble background to inspire her to help others that inspires me. Realizing the limits being unable to read well had put on her parents, she found a way to insure children who might not otherwise be exposed to the wonders of reading have books in their hands.
The others showcased are equally deserving. It's an interesting mix, ranging from Ella Fizgerald, who did a stint in reform school, to the likes of four strangers brought together to form Blackpink. Then there's Joni Mitchell, who got in trouble during piano lessons for making up her own melodies and would later suffer from polio. Or, how about the artist born on the edges of the Sahara Desert? Like some of the others included, I must admit to never having known about her or her group, Les Filles De Illighdad.
Thanks #NetGalley and #RebelGirls for helping rectify that omission. They all have a story worth knowing. Who knows, someone reading this might even be inspired to make a future edition of this book. Music is a universal language, after all.
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