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Dolly Parton, the country music icon who died Tuesday, Aug. 25, performed in Minot in the late 1970s and was made an honorary citizen of Minot.
Her honorary citizenship of the Magic City was bestowed on her by John Gefroh, then president of the Minot City Council, with the presentation of a plaque at a press conference held prior to her concert in the Minot Municipal Auditorium.
Parton performed before a crowd of 3,380 people on Sunday, July 30, 1978, according to the July 31, 1978, edition of The Minot Daily News.
In an interview with The Minot Daily News, the country music entertainer said, "You can't be ordinary being extraordinary in the public eye."
She explained it was a big responsibility having people always interested in her.
"You get to where you miss doing little things as going into the little greasy spoon restaurant, but you belong to the public," she said.
At the time she visited Minot, she was known for songwriting and entertaining. During the 1978 interview she said she also writes poetry and children's stories but had never had any published.
“I'm saving that for a separate career," she said.
About 17 years later, through the Dollywood Foundation in the mid-1990s, Parton founded and launched her Imagination Library in Tennessee, a project to send books to children around the world including in the Minot area.
At her Minot concert, co-sponsored by a local radio station and the City of Minot, Parton sang some of her new songs and some of her well-known songs, including "Jolene," a song she wrote about five years earlier; "Coat of Many Colors," which she said she liked best of all her writings; "Me and Little Andy," "one of the sadder songs I've written;" and "Heartbreaker," the single from an album of the same name that was new at the time.
Singer Randy Barlow performed prior to Parton's appearance. Both singers received a standing ovation from the audience after their performances. Barlow also received a plaque designating him as an honorary citizen of Minot.
Parton, during her interview with The Minot Daily News, called herself "just a country girl."
Imagination Library will continue
By ELOISE OGDEN
Editor
eogden@minotdailynews.com
Souris Valley United Way in Minot is the local sponsor of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library for Ward, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail and Renville counties.
The Imagination Library delivers books to children from birth until 5 years of age. The children receive a new book each month in the mail, creating a home library of up to 60 books, according to SVUW information. The books are free to children as a result of support from donors.
Christy Miller, executive director of SVUW, said 1,900 children are receiving a book each month through the Imagination Library.
Miller said she received an email on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from the Dollywood Foundation. The email was directed to SVUW and other Imagination Library partners.
The email message included:
"Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will continue.
“We have prepared carefully for this day and for the future of the Imagination Library. Our organization is strong, our mission is clear, and our commitment to the children and families we serve has never been greater.
“Dolly didn’t build the Imagination Library to last for her lifetime. She built it to last for theirs."
The message also included:
"There are more children to reach. More books to send. More families to bring into this wonderful community Dolly created.
“The greatest tribute we can give her is to keep it going -- together."
Governor directs flags at half-staff for Dolly
By MDN STAFF
BISMARCK - Gov. Kelly Armstrong has directed all U.S. and North Dakota flags to be flown at half-staff until sunset Tuesday, Sept. 1, and encourages North Dakotans to do the same at their homes and businesses, as a mark of respect for the memory of legendary country music singer-songwriter and philanthropist Dolly Parton.
The governor's directive is in accordance with President Donald Trump's directive honoring Parton, who died Tuesday, Aug. 25, at age 80.