Dolly Parton

From the great smoky mountains of Tennessee 3,000 songs, 100 million albums, 25 number one singles. Dolly Parton joins the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation as recipient of the “Maybe Baby” guitar

Dear Dolly,

On behalf of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, it gives me great personal pleasure to welcome such a brilliant, much loved and instantly recognisable artist as a lifetime recipient of the “Maybe Baby” guitar.

As the most honored female country performer of all time, in a career spanning so many decades, which I believe commenced around the time I lost Buddy in 1959, your dedication to country music has been, and remains to this day, inspirational.

A spirited and strong willed lady, with a fierce determination to succeed, you entered into a business, that like many others, (as I know from personal experience) was slow to accept and acknowledge the talent and credibility of the female gender, your unique ability to communicate though music, allowed you to overcome such adversity and discrimination, by becoming the greatest ever lady country artist, an amazing and outstanding achievement from a truly genuine entertainment icon.

Through your fantastic songwriting, brilliant recordings and stunning live performances, you have paved the way for future great female artists to follow the dream.

The memorable duets with Kenny Linda, Emmylou and so many more are a testament to the affection and admiration your fellow artists have for you.

Loved and revered by artists and fans from every genre of music around the world, your songs charisma, energy, style, HUGE talent and personality have provided so much joy and pleasure for so many years, you have lit up our lives and brightened our days, and we are all grateful.

I know Buddy would be especially proud and honored that you have received one of these unique guitars. Maybe Baby is one of the only 18 guitars bearing an original fret from Buddy’s original Gibson J – 45, and each guitar has a song title from one of Buddy’s recordings on the headstock, and this is replicated on the outer leather cover, which is identical to the one Buddy he himself made.

I hope you will find time now and then to play Maybe Baby and perhaps it may even inspire another wonderful song.

In the meantime, may I and the board of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation send you our love and warmest best wishes, and thank you for the music, but most of all thank you for being Dolly Parton, like my dear Buddy, a truly genuine one of a kind music genius.

We are grateful to your fantastic drummer Steve Turner for kindly arranging the introduction for this guitar presentation. You may be aware that Steve has contributed his exceptional talents to a terrific country music Tribute DVD/CD to Buddy, which has been produced by David Frizzell on behalf of the The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation in Nashville, titled “Remember Me”. David’s passion for Buddy’s music, together with the amazing country artists, musicians and engineers he has gathered together, provides the listener with a unique insight and journey though Buddy’s tragically short but artistically prolific and historically important music career from a country music perspective. We will make sure you receive a copy.

If I may paraphrase the first word in the title of your giant bit “WE will always love YOU!”

Sincerely
Maria Elena Holly

Co-Founder member
The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation