'The best of America': Dolly Parton to receive Peace Through Music diplomacy honor

Dolly Parton's already iconic resume is getting even more impressive.

The U.S. Department of State and the Recording Academy announced the Country Music and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted music icon and philanthropist is the 2024 PEACE Through Music Award recipient.

A press statement notes that the honor celebrates "an American music industry professional, artist, or group that has played an invaluable role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose work advances peace and mutual understanding globally."

Dolly represents 'the best of America'

United States Acting Under Secretary of State Lee Satterfield offered, exclusively to The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, that, as a community builder, musician and philanthropist, Parton represents "the best of America."

"Dolly's authenticity serves as an example of what Americans, at our best, constantly strive to be as human beings," Satterfield said.

"Because (Dolly Parton) has, for generations, embodied the true meaning of inclusion, togetherness, understanding and being in service to people, she is the perfect representative of the spirit of the PEACE Through Music Award," added Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr.

"Peace? All of us want it," he said. "And for some of us around the world, all we can do is dream about it. But as people, we all deserve it," noted Parton in a video message regarding the honor.

Parton follows artist, composer and producer Quincy Jones in being a recipient of the PEACE Through Music Award. After a nomination process entailing American embassies worldwide naming ideal award winners, what was described to The Tennessean as a "blue-ribbon panel of experts" convened by the Recording Academy whittled those selections to a final group. Recording Academy CEO Mason and the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs decided to select the "Coat Of Many Colors" vocalist from that slate of candidates.

The State Department cited Parton's Imagination Library, which stretches from "the hills of Appalachia to the outback of Australia" and allows underserved children to learn through reading, as well as her help funding the development of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine. Parton, officials said, has used her platform to promote peace and understanding.

The PEACE Through Music Act

For Satterfield, the bi-partisan PEACE Through Music Act represents the United States Government reviving efforts to engage with music as an arm of its global diplomacy efforts.

The 2022-passed law authorized the State Department to work with the private sector to design and implement music-related exchange programs.

Achieving these aims via The Global Music Ambassador program mirrors how, 70 years ago, at the Cold War's inception, the United States sent artists like Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughn overseas as diplomats able to bridge cultural gaps and cultivate goodwill via the Jazz Ambassadors program.

"Using artist-driven private-sector partnerships to elevate the role that American music can play in promoting peace and mutual understanding worldwide allows American artists to aid in elevating communities by reducing barriers and borders to mutual respect and understanding by reaching people where they are," Satterfield said.

June saw U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and YouTube's Global Head of Music Lyor Cohen announce that Chuck D, Grace Bowers, BRELAND, Kane Brown, Herbie Hancock, Denyce Graves, Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims, Justin Tranter, Armani White, and Lainey Wilson will serve as U.S. Global Music Ambassadors.

Artist-ambassadors already achieving global impact

Satterfield says each artist selected as an ambassador has a different expectation of their role.

Jelly Roll's Canadian touring debut in Ottawa in July saw him visit the Royal Canadian Mental Health Center. While there, he met with clients, patients and incarcerated members of Ottawa's criminal justice system who have a substance use disorder.

While Teddy Swims was on tour in Christchurch, New Zealand, he visited a high school and spoke about mental health concerns in July. In the coming months, artist Grace Bowers' Japanese tour dates will find her kicking off her work with the program. Justin Tranter's interests will also see him offering teaching and training opportunities to engage with young musicians.

"Country artists stepping up and agreeing to work as Global Music Ambassadors allows great storytellers to reach people with identifiable stories that enable them to understand those 'people-to-people-diplomacy' connections defined by what they share in common," Satterfield adds.

This story has been updated to reflect new information.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dolly Parton to receive Peace Through Music diplomacy honor