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Dolly Parton made a huge amount from Whitney Houston’s 1992 cover of “I Will Always Love You.” She later intentionally invested some of that money in a predominantly poor, Black Nashville neighborhoods and, separately, built one of the world’s largest children’s book-gifting programs.

Dolly Parton also tried to withdraw from being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame because she didn’t think she qualified as a rock artist. In a celebrity world often characterized by a selfish culture, either performative activism, Parton affected people because she seemed genuine.