Tag: parton
Dolly Parton Unveils ‘Rockstar’ Album Tracklist Featuring Lizzo, Pink, & More
Dolly Parton may be the Queen of Country, but she is venturing into the rock genre and bringing along some of her famous friends.
Full story below…
‘Rockstar’ will be available as a four-LP set, a two-CD set and via digital download and on all streaming services and will feature everyone from Miley Cyrus, Lizzo, and Pink, to Elton John and more.
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School district bans ‘Rainbowland’ Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton duet as ‘controversial’
Not even rainbow-themed songs are safe from the politicking running rampant through U.S. schools, it seems.
A Wisconsin school district removed the performance of Miley Cyrus’ 2017 song “Rainbowland” from a song list ahead of a first-grade concert last week, even though the song lacks any explicit content and reportedly was a favorite among students.
School District of Waukesha Superintendent Jim Sebert told local news station Fox 6 that the district questioned “whether it was appropriate for the age and maturity level of the students” and the “social or personal impacts” on the children, and he cited a school board policy related to “controversial issues” in a classroom setting.
In a statement issued on March 24, district leadership explained that the decision was made at the discretion of Heyer Elementary School’s music teacher, principal, and central office administrator, and later reviewed and supported by the district superintendent. The district clarified that the Board of Education was not involved.
Teachers like Melissa Tempel, a first-grade dual language teacher at Heyer Elementary School, told news outlets that there were rumors it was banned because the district believed Cyrus to be too “controversial” of a figure in the eyes of the public. But Tempel, who identifies as a teacher activist, also posted to Twitter that she believes it might have something more to do with the song’s lyrics.
“Rainbowland,” a duet between Cyrus and her famous godmother Dolly Parton, tells a story about overcoming “hurt and hate” and celebrating life in shining color:
Oh, I’d be lying if I said this was fine
All the hurt and the hate going on here
We are rainbows, me and you
Every color, every hue
Let’s shine on through
Together, we can start living in a RainbowlandLiving in a Rainbowland
The skies are blue and things are grand
Wouldn’t it be nice to live in paradise
Where we’re free to be exactly who we are
Let’s all dig down deep inside
Brush the judgment and fear aside
Make wrong things right
And end the fight
For years, Cyrus has made LGBTQ acceptance a central part of her celebrity image, through initiatives like her Happy Hippie Foundation, which provides support to homeless and LGBTQ youth, support of The Foundation for AIDS Research, and live LGBTQ events, like the Miley Cyrus Pride Special in 2021.
Parton herself is a champion of children’s literacy and an iconic LGBTQ ally. In 1995, Parton founded the Imagination Library, an unrestricted global initiative to provide free books to children from birth to age 5. In 2022, Parton released an anti-bullying children’s book, Billy The Kid Makes It Big, and became one of many openly-accepting celebrities used as a symbol in the fight to protect LGBTQ communities in states like Tennessee.
But it’s not just pop music that the school seems to be against. Tempel tweeted on March 22 that the school had also banned the famous Kermit the Frog song “Rainbow Connection,” but a parent uproar reintroduced the song to the setlist. In its statement, the school district did not say the song was expressly banned and explained that the song was suggested as a replacement by the school’s music teacher.
Waukesha’s school district has been under fire before for anti-LGBTQ policies. Last year, teachers and community members under the group Alliance for Education in Waukesha started a petition in response to anti-diversity and inclusion actions that included banning welcoming and inclusive signage and “pausing” district equity work that was perceived as “controversial” and “political,” the petition reads. District parents have noticed a “conservative flip” among school leadership in recent years, Insider reported, which also reportedly included discouraging teachers from discussions of pronouns and the wearing of rainbow images.
Nationwide, politicians and school leaders are still attacking the inclusion of LGBTQ history and identity in schools, outlawing the public expression of drag, and blocking accessible healthcare for LGBTQ youth. In addition, book bans have steered toward the erasure of diverse media that include themes of gender and sexuality, race, and representation.
Ironically, in avoiding a potentially “controversial” song about happiness, hope, and rainbows, the School District of Waukesha found itself at the center of this ongoing educational controversy, a debate on schools’ roles in educating today’s youth.
The Pop Stop: Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, & More Deliver This Week’s Hidden Gems
Readers of That Grape Juice know how passionate we are about music – whether that be past or present.
However, unlike our other segments – Retro Rewind, TGJ Replay, and From The Vault – The Pop Stop is the most in-depth look at Pop songs that may have flown under the radar over the last week that you should know,
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Dionne Warwick Announces ‘Very Special’ Gospel Duet With Dolly Parton
Dionne Warwick and Dolly Parton are teaming for a new duet, one that is described as “very special.”
More details below…
Warwick joined Tamron Hall on her talk show on January 3. It was there that she revealed the news that she would be teaming up with Parton for a new song.
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Miley Cyrus Performs with Dolly Parton, Paris Hilton, Swae Lee, Sia & More at Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party’
Miley Cyrus served up a seismic celebration heading into 2023.
The Pop performer returned for another installment of ‘Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party’ on NBC and did not disappoint.
Armed with an impressive hit list of her own, the star shone with renditions of bops such as ‘Party In The USA’ and ‘Midnight Sky.’
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Dolly Parton Open to Mariah Carey Christmas Collab, But Says “She Would Out-Sing Me So Bad” [Video]
From Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande, Jennifer Hudson, Kirk Franklin, and others, Mariah Carey is no stranger to calling on some of the biggest names in music over the years to assist with her annual Christmas domination.
And, if fans of fellow music royal Dolly Parton get their way, the Country Queen may be the newest added to the list.
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Miley Cyrus & Dolly Parton To Co-Host ‘Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party’
Miley Cyrus has made a decision.
Case in point, Pete Davidson is out as co-host of ‘Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party’ and Dolly Parton is in.
Full story below…
The event that is produced by ‘Saturday Night Live’s Lorne Michaels will feature several high-profile performances and include several special guests.
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