University of Tennessee Offering New Course on Dolly Parton

The University of Tennessee is honoring Dolly Parton in a particularly special way. The university, which is in Parton's native East Tennessee, is going to offer a new course surrounding her life and career, Knoxville's WATE reports.

The class titled "Course-Work: Dolly’s America” will focus on Parton's more than 40-year career that includes 25 No. 1 singles, more than 40 Top 10 albums, ten CMA Awards and nine Grammys, among a myriad of other successes. The new course is just one of three thesis seminars that will be a mandatory part of the curriculum for history honors students.

Parton's book, Dolly: My Life, will also be required reading in the class syllabus, in addition to other books about Appalachian life. The "Jolene" singer wrote the tell-all autobiography in 1994 about all aspects of her life, from growing up poor in the mountains of Sevierville, Tenn., to achieving global fame.

“From the girl voted in high school ‘Least Likely to Succeed’ this sure is a blessing," Parton wrote on Twitter after hearing the special news. The legendary country star will receive another honor from her hometown when the 2017 Mountain Soul Vocal Competition takes place on May 20. The event features a variety of singers paying tribute to the icon by performing one of her songs in their own unique style and is reportedly the only vocal competition of its kind honoring Parton.

She recently added another trophy to her award case when she won the category of Country Duo/Group Performance at the 2017 Grammy Awards with her recording of "Jolene" with acapella group Pentatonix.

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