NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Country superstar Dolly Parton has asked the Tennessee Legislature not to approve a bill that would erect a statue of her on the Capitol grounds in Nashville.
Representative John Mark Windle, a Democrat representing Fentress, Morgan and Overton counties, introduced House Bill 135 in January, aimed at honoring the music legend. The bill passed unanimously out of the Naming Committee earlier this month.
In a statement released Thursday morning, Parton asked the state legislature not to consider the bill and said she did not feel it was the appropriate time for a statue dedicated to her.
“I want to thank the Tennessee legislature for their consideration of a bill to erect a statue of me on the Capitol grounds,” she wrote. “I am honored and humbled by their intention but I have asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration.”
Dolly continued, “given all that is going on in the world, I don’t think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time. I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I’m gone, if you still feel I deserve it, then I’m certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean.”
“In the meantime, I’ll continue to try to do good work to make this great state proud,” she added.
The bill proposed by Windle said, “The state capitol commission, at regularly scheduled meetings, shall develop and implement a plan for the commissioning of a statue of Dolly Parton, to recognize her for all that she has contributed to this state.”
Windle said the statue would be located on the Capitol grounds, facing in the direction of Ryman Auditorium.
The bill stated an account would be created within the state general fund, known as the Dolly Parton Fund, for the design, construction and installation of the statue. The fund would be financed by gifts, grants and other donations received by the state for the fund from non-state sources.